After last week’s landslide of books, things have settled down a good deal. There had been a good deal of talk about reading Ed McBain, especially 87th Precinct books, for Friday Forgotten Books, and I admit I had none. That’s been rectified. My ongoing quest for more James H. Schmitz also continues, and some other goodies as well. Plus, I really am trying to get some reading done! Really. I mean that. Yep. Sigh…
A Killing Frost by R.D. Wingfield [Corgi 2008 mass market paperback, new] – mystery, police procedural – this is the last of the Frost books I ordered for us to read several of the series. Barbara’s on #2, I haven’t started #1 yet.
Ed McBain Omnibus – six 87th Precinct novels by Ed McBain [William Heinemann, Octopus Press 1981 hardcover, used] – mystery, police procedural – 87th Precinct – this omnibus contains six novels: Cop Hater, Give the Boys a Great Big Hand, Doll, Eighty Million Eyes, The Heckler and Ten Plus One. I haven’t read any of McBain, and so obviously none of the 87th Precinct novels. This is where I start. This was the best – most for the money – omnibus I could find.
Eternal Frontier by James H. Schmitz [Baen Books 2004 mass market paperback, used] – science fiction novel and short stories – My quest for Schmitz story collections and novels continues. See last week for more on that. I’m now searching out every paperback Schmitz collection I can get my hands on. This and the following are the first ones to show up, but more are in the pipeline. Sadly, many of the books are OP and silly expensive. One paperback from about 10 years ago was listed by a dealer – the only copy so far – at over $200 smackers. Whoa. After I can get what I can, I may be soliciting other titles from, uh, you.
The Map of All Things by Kevin Anderson [Orbit 2010 mass market paperback, new] – fantasy – this is the second volume of Anderson’s Terra Incognita trilogy. I have liked most all of what I’ve read by Anderson: Star Trek novels and other science fiction so I decided to try this. I got the first book, The Edge of the World last year sometime, and now this one. The third. last in this trilogy, The Key to Creation, came out last Fall and I also have it on order. These are high on my want-to-read list , but there seems to be SO MUCH of that right now!
The Hub: Dangerous Territory by James H. Schmitz [Baen Books 2004 mass market paperback, used] – science fiction novel and short stories – More Schmitz story collections. These – this and the next one – are the last two, at least for now. After all, I need to get back to reading!
TNT – Telzy Amberdon & Trigger Argee Together by James H. Schmitz [Baen Books 2000 mass market paperback, used] – science fiction novel and short stories – My quest for Schmitz story collections and novels continues. See above listing.
World War II Remembered by the Residents of Kendal at Hanover [University Press of New England, 2012 trade paperback, new] – non-fiction, autobiography – We saw a brief piece on this on the NBC Nightly News a couple of months ago and were both very interested, so I tried to order it. It took a little time, but finally it showed up as a pre-order on Amazon and just came a couple of days ago. I’ve already dipped into it and am hooked. It is the reminiscences of elderly residents of the Kendal at Hanover elders living facility, many of whom were participants in the conflict, or were affected by it stateside. These 55 pieces relate the experience of each at one moment or period of the war. Interesting insight into the lives of these people who lived it, recalled nearly seven decades later. Most of the pieces are only a few pages long.
The Broken Bullhorn 
That probably was a good deal on the McBain omnibus. Six novels! Darn. I think you will enjoy them
On a Schmitz kick I see. Don’t believe I’ve read any of his works. Doesn’t ring a bell. Be looking forward to your thoughts when you get to any of them.
Telzy is my favorite Schmitz character. I know you’ll enjoy her.
Congrats on the McBains. They are like peanuts or potato chips: once you start, you’ll want more. I remember DOLL as being particularly gritty.
Hum, sounds like I need to try some Schmitz. I’ll have a look around.
Nice group. COP HATER was the first 87 Precinct book. It’s not exactly typical of what follows but it sets the stage. THE HECKLER was the first appearance of The Deaf Man, a recurring nemesis.
Glad you scooped up those Schmitz books before they go out-of-print. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for other Schmitz works.
I haven’t read Schmitz, but I am intrigued by the covers. Glad to hear you are getting some reading done. I’m trying. I’ve been so busy with other things that my reading has dropped way off. However I am enjoying what I am reading so there is little cause for complaint.
I’m halfway done with one of the Schmitz books I got earlier, but have four or five going right now and it’s hard to stay focused on one of them. I need to do that, so I can finish something.
Never heard of this Schmitz guy, but I see a whole lot of his stuff on Bookfinder. Ever use that?
Another Schmitz farn. I see that I need to acquire The Hub. The otters on the cover suggest that it may contain one of the first stories that I ever read by Schmitz. It appeared in Analog but I don’t remember the title.
Frank, you may be thinking of “Trouble Tide” which was in Analog in March, 1965.
Evan, I have looked at it, the search engine is hard sometimes. I have quite a lot of it now, so I’m good for a while.
What makes Schmitz books so expensive? I found a first edition “a nice day for a scream” by him in a box of books I bought at a garage sale and when I looked up what people were asking for it I was stunned ($500-$1200)?