Film & TV source books
HELL HOUSE.
New York: The Viking Press, [1971]. Octavo, cloth backed boards. First edition. Label signed by Matheson was affixed to title page and has since come free and is laid in. A malign spirit preys upon the vulnerabilities of those who enter Belasco House, a haunted mansion called "Hell House." Filmed in 1973 as "The Legend of Hell House," from a screenplay written by Matheson. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 4-216. Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature II, pp. 725-27. Tymn (ed), Horror Literature 4-173. King list, p. 390. Winter list, p. 270.
I AM LEGEND.
New York: Walker and Company, [1970]. Octavo, boards. First hardcover edition. On a label affixed to the front free end paper this copy is inscribed and signed by Matheson to a well known early fan. "In a future world where a virus has infected nearly everyone with vampirism, mortal Robert Neville spends his nights defending his fortified bunker...and his days slaughtering sleeping vampires. Matheson's influential novel was one fo the first to propose a scientific rationale for vampirism." - Barron (ed), Fantasy and Horror (1999) 6-257. "One of the central novels in shaping contemporary horror fiction" - Barron (ed), Horror Literature 4-217. Made in to several mediocre feature films. Anatomy of Wonder (2004) II-720. Barron (ed), Fantasy and Horror (1999) 6-257. Jones and Newman (eds), Horror: The 100 Best Books 54. Survey of Science Fiction Literature II, pp. 986-90. King list, p. 390. Winter List, p. 270.
THE SHRINKING MAN.
London: David Bruce & Watson, [1973]. Octavo, boards. First hardcover edition. Introduction by Kingsley Amis. Filmed in 1957 from a screenplay by the author, slated for a possible remake. Anatomy of Wonder (1995) 3-121. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 4-219. Pringle, Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels 18.
THE SHRINKING MAN.
London: David Bruce & Watson, [1973]. Octavo, boards. First hardcover edition. Introduction by Kingsley Amis. Filmed in 1957 from a screenplay by the author, currently slated for a possible remake. Anatomy of Wonder (1995) 3-121. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 4-219. Pringle, Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels #18.
THE SHRINKING MAN.
London: David Bruce & Watson, [1973]. Octavo, boards. First hardcover edition. Introduction by Kingsley Amis. Filmed in 1957 from a screenplay by the author, currently slated for a possible remake. Anatomy of Wonder (1995) 3-121. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 4-219. Pringle, Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels #18.
THE SHRINKING MAN.
London: David Bruce & Watson, [1973]. Octavo, boards. First edition. Introduction by Kingsley Amis. Filmed in 1957 from a screenplay by the author, currently slated for a possible remake. Anatomy of Wonder (1995) 3-121. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 4-219. Pringle, Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels #18.
THE SHRINKING MAN.
London: David Bruce & Watson, [1973]. Octavo, boards. First edition. Introduction by Kingsley Amis. Filmed in 1957 from a screenplay by the author, currently slated for a possible remake. Anatomy of Wonder (1995) 3-121. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 4-219. Pringle, Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels #18.
A STIR OF ECHOES.
Philadelphia and New York: J. B. Lippincott Company, [1958]. Octavo, boards. First edition. On a label affixed to the front free end paper this copy is inscribed and signed by Matheson to a well known early fan. A novel of psychic gifts and the trouble it can bring. Made into a feature film with Kevin Bacon. Barron (ed), Fantasy and Horror 6-259.
WHAT DREAMS MAY COME.
New York: Putnam, 1978. Octavo, cloth. First edition. Signed by Matheson on the front free end paper. Metaphysical novel about a man who dies in a car accident and in his after-life tries to connect with his wife, who commits suicide from grief. Basis for a feature film with Robin Williams. Barron (ed), Fantasy Literature 4A-177 and 4A-178. Sargent, British and American Utopian Literature, 1516-1985, Additions. Survey of Science Fiction Literature I, pp. 90-4 and V, pp. 2112-14.
ASHENDEN: OR THE BRITISH AGENT.
Garden City: Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc., 1928. Octavo, pp. [1-6] 1-304 [305-306: blank], original blue cloth, front and spine stamped in orange. First U. S. edition. A Haycraft-Queen cornerstone volume; Queen's Quorum #78. Maugham's book is based on first hand knowledge of the world of espionage as he was a British agent during World War I. States Eric Ambler: 'the first fictional work on the subject [the life of a secret agent] by a writer of stature with first-hand knowledge of what he is writing about' see Who's Who in Spy Fiction by Donald McCormick, pp. 137-39.
BLOOD RELATIVES.
New York: Random House, [1975]. Octavo, cloth backed boards. First edition. Signed on the half title page by McBain. An 87th Precinct novel. Filmed in 1978 with Donald Sutherland with the setting moved to Montreal.
COP HATER.
London, New York: T.V. Boardman & Company Limited, [1956]. Octavo, cloth. First hardcover edition. The first 87th Precinct novel. First published as a paperback original in the U.S. Filmed in 1958 with Robert Loggia as Det. Steve Carella.
THE PUSHER: A NOVEL OF THE 87th PRECINCT.
London, New York: T.V. Boardman & Company Limited, [1959]. Octavo, cloth. First hardcover edition. 87th Precinct novel. First published as a paperback original in the U.S. Filmed in 1960 with Robert Lansing as Det. Steve Carella.
THE PUSHER: A NOVEL OF THE 87th PRECINCT.
London, New York: T.V. Boardman & Company Limited, [1959]. Octavo, cloth. First hardcover edition. Signed by McBain on the title page. An 87th Precinct novel. First published as a paperback original in the U.S. Filmed in 1960 with Robert Lansing as Det. Steve Carella. Hubin, p. 521.
STAR TREK: THE WRATH OF KHAN.
London: Macdonald, 1982. Octavo, Hardcover. First hardcover edition. Novelization of the screenplay.
THE DAY OF THE DOLPHIN.
New York: Simon & Schuster, 1969. Octavo, Hardcover. First edition. Source for the film of the same name.
BURN WITCH BURN! ...
New York: Liveright Inc Publishers, [1933]. Octavo, pp. [i-vi] vii-ix [x] xi-xii [xiii-xiv] 15-301 [302-304: blank] [note: last leaf is a blank], original black cloth, front and spine panels stamped in gold, top edge stained red, other edges rough-trimmed. First edition. "Celebrated weird mystery novel of witchcraft and deadly little dolls." - Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 155. Filmed in 1936 as The Devil Doll, directed by Tod Browning, screenplay by Garrett Fort, Guy Endore and Erich von Stroheim with Lionel Barrymore and Maureen O'Sullivan in lead roles. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 3-146. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1160. Clareson, Science Fiction in America, 1870s-1930s 552. Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature I, pp. 181-83. In 333. Bleiler (1978), p. 138. Reginald 10058.
BURN WITCH BURN! ...
New York: Liveright Inc Publishers, [1933]. Octavo, pp. [i-vi] vii-ix [x] xi-xii [xiii-xiv] 15-301 [302-304: blank] [note: last leaf is a blank], original black cloth, front and spine panels stamped in gold, top edge stained red, other edges rough-trimmed. First edition. Signed inscription by Merritt on the verso of the half title page: "Best wishes of / A. Merritt." "Celebrated weird mystery novel of witchcraft and deadly little dolls." - Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 155. Filmed in 1936 as The Devil Doll, directed by Tod Browning, screenplay by Garrett Fort, Guy Endore and Erich von Stroheim with Lionel Barrymore and Maureen O'Sullivan in lead roles. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 3-146. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1160. Clareson, Science Fiction in America, 1870s-1930s 552. Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature I, pp. 181-83. In 333. Bleiler (1978), p. 138. Reginald 10058.
THE FACE IN THE ABYSS.
West Kingston–Hampton Falls: Donald M. Grant, Publisher, Inc., [1991]. Octavo, illustrations in color and black and white by Ned Dameron, cloth. Limited edition. Limited to 375 copies signed by artist Ned Dameron. "Lost race fantasy adventure novel, possibly Merritt's most imaginative and colourful." - Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 155. Anatomy of Wonder (1976) 3-41; (1995) 2-85; and (2004) II-761. Barron (ed), Fantasy Literature 3-243. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1158. Clareson, Science Fiction in America, 1870s-1930s 555. Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature I, pp. 504-07. In 333. Bleiler (1978), p. 138. Reginald 10063.
THE FACE IN THE ABYSS.
West Kingston–Hampton Falls: Donald M. Grant, Publisher, Inc., [1991]. Octavo, illustrations in color and black and white by Ned Dameron, cloth. Limited edition. Limited to 375 copies signed by artist Ned Dameron. "Lost race fantasy adventure novel, possibly Merritt's most imaginative and colourful." - Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 155. Anatomy of Wonder (1976) 3-41; (1995) 2-85; and (2004) II-761. Barron (ed), Fantasy Literature 3-243. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1158. Clareson, Science Fiction in America, 1870s-1930s 555. Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature I, pp. 504-07. In 333. Bleiler (1978), p. 138. Reginald 10063.
SEVEN FOOTPRINTS TO SATAN.
New York: Boni and Liverwright, 1928. Octavo, cloth. First edition.
SAYONARA.
New York: Random House, [1954]. Octavo, cloth backed boards with cloth edges. First edition. A novel of a love story between and American officer and a Japanese woman. Filmed in 1957 featuring Marlon Brando, James Garner and Patricia Owens.
THE DROWNING POOL.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1950. Octavo, boards. First edition. The second Lew Archer novel. "A noirish, centrifugal amorality pervades Archer's world and The Drowning Pool does not conclude nicely or neatly. Yet this narrative ambiguity affirms the complexity of Macdonald's fiction, for as Archer observes bitterly at the denouement: "The happy endings and the biggest oranges were the ones that California saved for export."" - Lucian Robinson, book review 9/1/2012 for The Guardian/The Observer. Basis for the Paul Newman film, the second in which he plays the Archer character, renamed Harper. Pederson (ed.), St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers, (4th ed.), pp. 676-678.
THE MOVING TARGET.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1949. Octavo, cloth. First edition. Warmly inscribed and signed by Millar on the front free end paper, "To Jim Atkinson, / Carol's brother and / therefore my friend / Kenneth Millar / (John MacDonald)." The first book in the Lew Archer series. Archer is hired to find what has happened to a missing oil tycoon. A Haycraft-Queen cornerstone volume (addenda). Filmed with Paul Newman playing Lew Archer renamed Harper. Hubin, p. 527.
BLUE CITY.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1947. Octavo, cloth. First edition. The author's third novel. "The texture of the world in this novel is reminiscent of Dashiell Hammett's fiction, though its sensibility and imagery show the influence of Raymond Chandler as well...The mixture of Hammett's harsh world of political corruption and Chandler's sensual decadence are both apparent here."- Pederson (ed.): The St. James Guide to Crime and Mystery Writers (4th ed.), pp. 667-678. Filmed in 1986 with Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy and David Caruso. Hubin, p. 573.