R.A. Lafferty

[OSJ]

If I may be allowed to shill for a moment... Two years ago I was given the biggest assignment of my editorial career (yeah, something that trumps even The Century's Best Horror); assemble the complete short fiction of R.A. Lafferty. It's been a monstrous project, and will run 9-10 volumes when all is said and done, but the first volume is out now and I couldn't be prouder of how it came out. Lafferty was the most original writer to ever work in the sf/fantasy field, there's never been anyone like him before or since and this first book is a great starting point to discovering his work. Rather than chronological or thematic ordering of the stories, I've assembled each volume to be more of a "sampler" where there's a mix of the well-known tales with more obscure work and a good overview of his career. Check it out at:

http://www.centipedepress.com/sf/manmademodels.html

[DEAN]

Hey John!  I hope you are holding up better than when last you posted.  You were worrying me for a while there.

[OSJ]

Doing a lot better, thanks! The last time the cellulitis kicked up I beat it without antibiotics. (Took a few days of staying off my feet and eating diuretics like crazy, but that beats the shit out of a trip to the hospital.) The bad news is that the infection will keep coming back until I get my teeth pulled and fitted with dentures. Of course, my Medicare doesn't cover dental so that's like a grand to pull the teeth and another four grand for good dentures (unless I go to Ciudad Juarez, in which case the whole procedure is about $1500 bucks, my luck I'll get shot by one of the drug cartels...) My advice to anyone that has had a lot of dental work done is save your money, cause that shit (crowns, etc) is only good for about fifteen years and when it breaks down, it all happens at once. Spent around thirty grand on my teeth in my thirties and they are completely shot now. ;-(

[OSJ]

Okay, book two all set for scanning... Here's what we got:

 

THE MAN UNDERNEATH: The Collected Stories of R.A. Lafferty Volume #2

 

Introduction - Harlan Ellison (reprinted from Dangerous Visions)

The Man Underneath

All Hollow Though You Be

Ginny Wrapped in the Sun

Great Day in the Morning

Old Halloweens on the Guna Slopes

Land of the Great Horses

Royal Licorice

Ride a Tin Can (One of my favorite stories by ANYONE, ever!)

The Ultimate Creature

Pleasures and Palaces

Continued on the Next Rock

By the Seashore

Hog-belly Honey

One at a Time

Scorner's Seat

I Don't Care who Keeps the Cows

Primary Education of the Camiroi

Polity and Custom of the Camiroi

Afterword - John Pelan

 

Like the first one, a little something for everyone. I know the books are expensive, feel free to e-mail the publisher and ask about a trade paper or e-book edition; I didn't handle that part of the contract, so I don't know what's happening on that front.