Sunday, July 20, 2008

 

Postmodern Post-it Note

It does exist, verily in truth it does, The Postmodern Mariner, and here it is. In this photo it stands atop fine works by some of my favourite writers, including Ballard, Calvino, Milorad Pavic, M. John Harrison, Brion Gysin, etc. How many others do you recognise? Is there a prize for whoever correctly identifies the most books on this shelf? I might have a copy of Mariner going spare, so the answer seems to be: yes there is!

The publisher of Mariner is the redoubtable and mighty fine Steve Upham. I had an email from one of his friends a few days ago. It seems that Steve was rushed into hospital with heart problems last Monday. I knew that Steve had been feeling unwell for several months but I didn't realise the situation was so serious.
A recent update informs me that his condition has stabilised and that he might soon be on the road to recovery. So good luck to Steve and best wishes for a rapid improvment in his health!

What this means (among other things) is that there might be delays in obtaining my book for anyone who has ordered it. This also applies to any other book Steve has published. Steve's life is more important than any book, of course, but I was asked to make this announcement here, so I have. Steve will obviously be taking a break from work for quite some time, but maybe his publishing business will be up and running soon anyway. I heard a rumour that he has designated a proxy to take over. More information about that when I know for sure!

Comments:
Ok I'll have a go at naming the books.

[can't make out the first two books]
Brian Aldiss, The Moment of Eclipse
Thomas Disch, 334
Jack Vance, The Blue World
Michael Moorcock, The Adventures of Una Persson and Catherine Cornelius in the Twentieth Century
Fritz Leiber, Swords Against Wizardry
Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine
Joanna Russ, The Adventures of Alyx
[can’t make out the next two books]
JG Ballard, High Rise
Italo Calvino, Adam, One Afternoon
M John Harrison, Viriconium
[can’t make out the next book]
John Hawkes, [?]
D.M. Thomas, Sphinx
Brion Gysin, The Last Museum
Flann O’Brien, At Swim-Two Birds
Ismail Kadare, Chronicle in Stone
L. Sprague De Camp and Fletcher Pratt, The Compleat Enchanter
William H. Gass, Omsetter’s Luck
Italo Calvino, Mr Palomar
[can’t make out the next book]
 
Pretty good answer! You got most of them right, and I doubt that anyone else will identify the missing books, so the free copy of *The Postmodern Mariner* is probably yours, if you want it...

Let's make the deadline tomorrow, shall we? OK.
 
Well you've won, Tim! So if you want the book, email me your snail mail address and I'll post it to you...
The books you didn't identify are:
A Fish Dinner in Memison and The Mezentian Gate, both by E.R. Eddison; All About H. Hatterr by G.v. Desani; The Selected Works of Pierre Louys; Daphnis and Chloe by Longus; The Inner Side of the Wind by Milorad Pavic.
 
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