December 6, 2011

Plunder from the Used Book Store


While the kidlettes are shooosting down the snow-covered slopes of Suburbia (more specifically, my front yard) I went on a hunt ( more specifically a used book hunt at the Yellowed Pages Used Books store).


I love reading vintage paperbacks, especially the old science fiction of the 50's and 60's. And today I hit paydirt! Rocketship Galileo (originally published 1947) by Robert Heinlein is a classic. Likewise Fredric Brown's Martians, Go Home (1955). Murray Lienster is another top author of the period, I found his Space Platform (1953) in near-pristine condition. And there's one of the prized anthologies edited by Martin Greenberg (the co-founder of Gnome Press, which was always on the cutting-edge of the s.f. genre of the day). This one's titled Men Against the Stars (1950).

Oooh, which one to dig into first??

Another thing.... Who says you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover? Being unmistakably a product of their time mid-century book cover illustrations, especially for the science fiction, suspense, mystery (you know... the "manly-man" type of reading?), were almost never failing at being intriguing, inventive or creatively abstract and modern. And, of course, always eye-catching!


2 comments:

Rev. Dr. said...

I don't know how to ask this privately, but... are you from Lincoln, NE? If so, I'm pleasantly surprised that such a cool collection of retro modern exists in this town. Kudos either wayl

Space Commander said...

lol Rev. Dr! Yessir, there has always been collectors of Modern here. Maybe not a lot of us or as sophisticated as places such as Chicago, but there is enough interest to keep the antique dealers busy offering us new finds.

And thanks ;)

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