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Post by severance on Apr 8, 2017 11:24:15 GMT
It was the British Charles Williams, contemporary of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, who wrote "Descent of the Dove" in 1939, not the U.S thriller writer of the same name. Cassell started publishing the U.S. Williams over here in hardback during the late fifties and sixties, so that could be why Mr. Bugg thought he was an up-an-coming writer at the time, even though he had been doing paperbacks for Gold Medal and Dell since 1951. Confusingly Cassell gave a lot of them new titles, which makes it a nightmare for bibliographers - and people like me who just want to read all of his books! For instance they re-titled "Talk of the Town" into "Stain of Suspicion" in 1959, a title which Odham's also used the following year. "Dead Calm" remains his best known work, because of the film of the same name - which Orson Welles also started filming but never finished - but everything of his is worth reading in my opinion. Personally I regard him as the best of the Gold Medal paperback writers, above even John D. MacDonald, Donald Hamilton, Gil Brewer etc, and someday I'll do a PF article on him - someday!!
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Post by helrunar on Apr 8, 2017 14:12:03 GMT
That's really interesting, Severance. I think the British Charles Williams died sometime in the 1940s? And the US writer if I recall what I read on Wikipedia a few days passed away in the late 1970s... but I'd have to check because my short term memory for little oddments like that is now nearly non-existent--and often deceiving.
I've always wanted to read a novel the UK Williams published in the early 1930s that had a Tarot card theme. It's been quoted in some books I read ages ago when I was first studying the Tarot.
Best wishes,
Helrunar
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Post by dem bones on Apr 8, 2017 19:34:34 GMT
I've always wanted to read a novel the UK Williams published in the early 1930s that had a Tarot card theme. It's been quoted in some books I read ages ago when I was first studying the Tarot. Never seen a copy, but am guessing the one you're after is The Greater Trumps? Chris provides some more info on the English CW here: Dennis Wheatley Library Of The Occult
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Post by pulphack on Apr 9, 2017 6:27:38 GMT
Ooh, thanks for that Sev - I think at the time I read the two Williams' I know passed through my hands, it was about 1974 (I was around 10 going on 11, and it was definitely before I went to Secondary School)so I would have taken the 'next big thing' at face value and not looked at the actual publication date or necessarily noticed how many times the library stamp page had been changed. I've had a look and can't see any jackets that look like the two I remember, but given I may actually have also read the other Williams (hence the 'Dove' memory perhaps)I would have been extremely confused by the differences between these books! Certainly I recall nothing about them now - which is a shame, as from the sound of what you say I would have enjoyed them if I'd read them at least five or six years later.
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Post by cromagnonman on Apr 9, 2017 9:48:44 GMT
It was the British Charles Williams, contemporary of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, who wrote "Descent of the Dove" in 1939, not the U.S thriller writer of the same name. Cassell started publishing the U.S. Williams over here in hardback during the late fifties and sixties, so that could be why Mr. Bugg thought he was an up-an-coming writer at the time, even though he had been doing paperbacks for Gold Medal and Dell since 1951. Confusingly Cassell gave a lot of them new titles, which makes it a nightmare for bibliographers - and people like me who just want to read all of his books! For instance they re-titled "Talk of the Town" into "Stain of Suspicion" in 1959, a title which Odham's also used the following year. "Dead Calm" remains his best known work, because of the film of the same name - which Orson Welles also started filming but never finished - but everything of his is worth reading in my opinion. Personally I regard him as the best of the Gold Medal paperback writers, above even John D. MacDonald, Donald Hamilton, Gil Brewer etc, and someday I'll do a PF article on him - someday!! And anytime you find yourself inclined to post such a piece here I, for one, would be fascinated to read it. There are surely few kindnesses more rewarding than the introduction to an author one has never read by an evangelist for their work. In the meantime here's a picture of the man himself taken from the rear jacket of MB # 7 (which I've just taken receipt of), along with the title page illio which is a darn sight better executed than the weak Canning cover painting. Pulphack: I think Neill is a Kiwi, isn't he? But the point is still well made; a fine and intelligent actor who has been a compelling screen presence since the days of Reilly - Ace of Spies, which was compulsive wednesday night viewing for me and my dad back in the day (as was Warship and Survivors before it). And despite my aversion to all things Lovecraftian I even find In the Mouth of Madness endlessly enjoyable largely on account of Neill's performance, as well as the period charm of the last gasp pre CGI effects.
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Post by pulphack on Apr 9, 2017 10:47:27 GMT
Yep, Sam is a Kiwi, born in Northern Ireland - I was prompted to google him! Ah well, it's all antipodean to me (stands back and waits for response...).
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Post by severance on Apr 10, 2017 14:49:27 GMT
Just taken delivery of my first copy of this series - the very first offering in fact - that includes "The Big Bite" by Charles Williams as one of its five offerings. Five you may ask? Also included are two short stories from "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" - "The October Game" by Ray Bradbury and "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell. Admittedly these two haven't exactly been under-anthologized over the years, but they're still most welcome in this volume. Hopefully CroMagnonMan will be kind enough to let us know for how long additional material was included as part of the package.
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Post by mcannon on Apr 11, 2017 0:26:56 GMT
>>I didn't realise Dead Calm had been a book, either. God, Sam Neill was one hell of an actor then - still is, really, but that was his prime, as you say. We did once muse on Aussie actors on here after Rod Taylor died, but I can't remember if we mentioned Sam. Must have done (leaves it to others to check as is too lazy on a Saturday morning)...[/quote]>>
A fine actor, but better not refer to Neill as an Aussie; while he's done plenty of work here, and we're never slow to claim New Zealanders as our own when they're successful, he's always considered himself a proud Kiwi.
Mark
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Post by cromagnonman on Apr 11, 2017 18:04:31 GMT
Just taken delivery of my first copy of this series - the very first offering in fact - that includes "The Big Bite" by Charles Williams as one of its five offerings. Five you may ask? Also included are two short stories from "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" - "The October Game" by Ray Bradbury and "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell. Admittedly these two haven't exactly been under-anthologized over the years, but they're still most welcome in this volume. Hopefully CroMagnonMan will be kind enough to let us know for how long additional material was included as part of the package. Welcome to the Odhams collectors club, friend Severance. Here we boast the attraction of a magneto and the suction of quicksand. There is no escape. The additional material which is found in many of the earlier volumes especially was never a ubiquitous fixture of the series. There seems little rhyme nor reason - insofar as I can see - to where or why it was included. Space filling though does not appear to have been a consideration. There are volumes containing the material which are thinner than those without it. As such there seems no cause to doubt the publisher's sincerity about it being a genuine philanthropic bonus for subscribers. The material itself constitutes a mixture of episodes extracted from longer works: character sketches, wartime memoirs, survival exploits and the like. There are also a number of short stories both original and reprints. The practice of incorporating this material does not appear to have survived beyond 1965: (I am presently still trawling through the volumes post this period though and so will advise if I discover evidence to the contrary). The catalogue of bonus material, and where it may be found, is as follows: MB # 1 "The October Game" (ss) by Ray Bradbury: "The Most Dangerous Game" (ss) by Richard Connell; both taken from ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS: STORIES THEY WOULDN'T LET ME DO ON TV edited by Robert Arthur
MB # 3 "The Lion Call" (ss) by R A J Maguire: no previous publication credited MB # 4 "Being a Murderer Myself" (ss) by Arthur Williams: Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine: also featured in ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS: STORIES THEY WOULDN'T LET ME DO ON TV edited by Robert Arthur: "Usher II" (ss) by Ray Bradbury, taken from THE ILLUSTRATED MAN
MB # 5 "That Mark Horse" (ss) and "Takes a Real Man" (ss) both by Jack Schaefer and taken from his book THE PIONEERS
MB # 6 "Liver-Eating Johnson" (extract) by Raymond W Thorp & Robert Bunker: credited as an "extract from the opening chapters of INDIAN KILLER - THE SAGA OF LIVER-EATING JOHNSON: "The Girl from the Alcazar" (ss) by Denis Plimmer: no previous publication credited MB # 8 "Assignment in Norway" (memoir) by Dudley Clarke: episode taken from his book SEVEN ASSIGNMENTS
MB # 10 "The Incorrigible Rogue" (character sketch) by Field-Marshall Sir William Slim: extract from his book UNOFFICIAL HISTORY
MB # 15 "Trail Crew" (ss) by Jack Schaefer, taken from his book THE KEAN LAND
MB # 20 "Incident at Project Four" (ss) by Michael Barrett: no previous publication credited MB # 22 "Winston Churchill's Master Spy", "Mata Hari's Daughter, Too, Died at Dawn" and "The Lady With the Dolls" (factual essays) by Kurt Singer: taken from his book SPY OMNIBUS
MB # 27 "Sock Finish" (ss) and "Where the Buffalo Roam" (ss) by Robert Bloch: taken from his collection BLOOD RUNS COLD
MB # 33 "Mafia Vendetta" (novelette) by Leonardo Sciascia: no previous english language publication credited MB # 34 "The Boat" (survival memoir) by Walter Gibson: first book publication MB # 37 "I Know Your Face" (counter-intelligence memoir) by Lt-Col Oreste Pinto: taken from his book THE SPYCATCHER OMNIBUS
MB # 47 "Love, Your Magic Spell is Everywhere" (ss) and "Prison Legend" (ss) both by Jack Finney: taken from his collection I LOVE GALESBURG IN THE SPRINGTIME
MB # 70 "The Master of the Hounds" (ss) by Algis Budrys: taken from Alfred Hitchcock's STORIES THAT SCARED EVEN ME
Hope this is of use and interest.
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Post by cromagnonman on Apr 12, 2017 21:56:15 GMT
Just as I begin to think I am running out of things to say about this series so this jaw dropping piece of period literature flutters out from between the leaves of a fanned through book. If it is contemporaneous with the volume I found it in then it dates to 1973. This is commensurate with the change in address details for the series from the long standing Basted, Sevenoaks address to Rushden, Northants, which may or may not be significant. I've posted before about the switch in emphasis on the series away from war/spy stories to smut. Here is incontrovertible evidence about just what a studied and cynical commercial ploy this was. They changed the name of the series to THE STAG CLUB!
The half hysterical tabloid editorial tone at work in this flyer is just hilarious. Feel free to have a good chortle on me. For the benefit of those that take note of such things, I've finished arranging the titles on the Odhams list into their proper numerical order. The logical next step is to compile an author index for ease of reference. But please don't hold your breath as its going to take some time.
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Post by helrunar on Apr 12, 2017 23:37:53 GMT
Heavens! All those ladies have their kit off! Wonder why???
It would seem that in an effort to save itself from dissolution, whoever was steering the ship of the Men's Book Club through the rough seas of the early 70s decided to fall back upon what y'all genially term "the Phwoar Factor."
Cro Magnon Man, was this towards the end of the series, or is there evidence that "the Stag Club" continued on into the late 1970s?
Can't wait for the next thrilling revelation!
cheers, H.
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Post by cromagnonman on Apr 21, 2017 22:42:49 GMT
Heavens! All those ladies have their kit off! Wonder why??? It would seem that in an effort to save itself from dissolution, whoever was steering the ship of the Men's Book Club through the rough seas of the early 70s decided to fall back upon what y'all genially term "the Phwoar Factor." Cro Magnon Man, was this towards the end of the series, or is there evidence that "the Stag Club" continued on into the late 1970s? Can't wait for the next thrilling revelation! cheers, H. As far as I can make out H, the Stag Club rebranding appears to date to 1973 but it is difficult to judge just how committed Odhams/Hamlyn ever really was to the idea. I haven't been able to turn up any other documentation that displays it, and so far have found a single solitary passing reference to it in the books themselves. Even the subscription renewal forms from this period onwards persist in referring to it as the Man's Book Club. As things stand its difficult to see this as anything other than a short lived marketting wheeze designed to boost flagging sales. That said the shift in emphasis to smut, which it served to promote, was genuine enough. For the benefit of those that continue to take an interest in such things I've added two further examples of bonus material to the list extending the use of such - however sporadically - through to 1969. And here's another flyer for MB's sibling subscription service The Companion Book Club which I've unearthed. I think this remains of interest in certain quarters:
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Post by cromagnonman on Apr 25, 2017 22:03:23 GMT
Here is the complete author index to the Odhams series. Hopefully its self-explanatory in format; title followed by series volume number. Author Index to the Odhams Man's Book Series A-BAllan, Doug Allbeury, Ted Alley, Robert Ambler, Eric - INTERCOM CONSPIRACY, THE 86
- LEVANTER, THE 113
Anderson, James - ABOLITION OF DEATH, THE 140
- ALPHA LIST, THE 109
- ASSASSIN 83
Arsan, Emmanuelle Barling, Tom Barnwell, Jo Baron, Alexander - FROM THE CITY, FROM THE PLOUGH 24
Barrett, Michael - APPOINTMENT IN ZAHRAIN 9
- "Incident At Project Four" 20
- STRANGER IN GALAH 4
Behn, Noel Bell, Gerard Benjamin, Philip - QUICK, BEFORE IT MELTS 39
Bennett, Jack Berckman, Evelyn - DO YOU KNOW THIS VOICE? 18
Beste, R Vernon Bickers, RT Black, Campbell Black, Gavin Black, Ian Stuart Blackburn, John - GAUNT WOMAN, THE 25
- RING OF ROSES, A 48
Blankenship, William D - LEAVENWORTH IRREGULARS, THE 147
Bleeck, Oliver - BRASS GO-BETWEEN, THE 87
- THIEF WHO PAINTED SUNLIGHT, THE 120
Bloch, Robert - PSYCHO 11
- "Sock Finish" 27
- "Where The Buffalo Roam" 27
Boulle, Pierre Bouma, JL - SLAUGHTER AT CRUCIFIX CANYON 160
Bradbury, Ray - "October Game, The" 1
- "Usher II" 4
Bray, Christopher Brookes, Ewart Brown, Jamieson - DESTROYERS WILL RENDEZVOUS 7
Browne, Harold Bryant, Peter Budrys, Algis - "Master of The Hounds, The" 70
Buell, John Bunker, Robert - "Liver-Eating Johnson1" 6
Burgess, Michael Burke, John Burmeister, Jon 1 with Raymond W Thorp
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Post by cromagnonman on Apr 26, 2017 22:03:25 GMT
Author Index to the Odhams Man's Book Series C
Cade, Robert Caidin, Martin Caillou, Alan Callison, Brian Cameron, Ian Cameron, Lou Canaway, WH - CROWS IN A GREEN TREE 51
- MULES OF BORGO SAN MARCO, THE 63
Canning, Victor - BLACK FLAMINGO 24
- BURNING EYE, THE 11
- FIRECREST 104
Carlisle, Henry Carstairs, John Paddy Caserta, Peggy - GOING DOWN WITH JANIS 157
Castle, John - FLIGHT INTO DANGER1 3 & 112
Catling, Patrick Skene - BEST SUMMER JOB 143
- EXPERIMENT, THE 67
Catling, Tony Catto, Max - BANANA MEN, THE 65
- FATTEST BANK IN NEW ORLEANS, THE 100
- I HAVE FRIENDS IN HEAVEN 50
- MURPHY'S WAR 77
Ceccherini, Silvano Chance, John Newton - DEATH OF THE WILD BIRD 70
Chancellor, John Charles, Robert - FACELESS FUGITIVE, THE 36
- FLIGHT OF THE RAVEN, THE 155
Charteris, Leslie - MASTERPIECE MERCHANT, THE 154
Chase, James Hadley - BELIEVED VIOLENT 71
- DO ME A FAVOUR - DROP DEAD 156
- JUST A MATTER OF TIME 111
- KNOCK KNOCK WHO'S THERE? 126
- LIKE A HOLE IN THE HEAD 94
- SO WHAT HAPPENS TO ME 134
- THERE'S A HIPPIE ON THE HIGHWAY 89
- VULTURE IS A PATIENT BIRD, THE 84
- WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES, THE 52
- YOU'RE DEAD WITHOUT MONEY 115
Chesham, Henry Christian, Paula - LOVE IS WHERE YOU FIND IT 160
Christopher, John Clark, Howard Clarke, Dudley - "Assignment In Norway" 8
- DROWNING STONE, THE 8
Cleary, Jon Clewes, Howard Clifford, Francis - AMIGO, AMIGO 130
- BLIND SIDE, THE 100
- GROSVENOR SQUARE GOODBYE, THE 140
- NAKED RUNNER, THE 50
- WILD JUSTICE, A 113
Collier, Richard Collins, Jackie - LOVEHEAD 138
- STUD, THE 107
- WORLD IS FULL OF MARRIED MEN, THE 68
Connell, Richard - "The Most Dangerous Game" 1
Cory, Desmond Craig, Bill Couffer, Jack Cranford, Robin Crawford, Robert - BADGER'S DAUGHTER, THE 96
- KISS THE BOSS GOODBYE 87
- SHROUD SOCIETY, THE 81
Crichton, Michael Crisp, Robert Croft-Cooke, Rupert Cronin, Michael - BEGIN WITH A GUN 10
- DANGEROUS LADY, THE 33
Cunningham, EV 1 with Arthur Hailey
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Post by cromagnonman on Apr 26, 2017 22:33:21 GMT
Author Index to the Odhams Man's Book Series D-G
Dahl, Roald Davis, Gerry - BRAINRACK1 134
- MUTANT 59 THE PLASTIC EATER1 106
Deighton, Len - DECLARATIONS OF WAR 103
- IPCRESS FILE, THE 26
Dekker, Anthony - TEMPTATION IN A PRIVATE ZOO 79
Deming, Richard Devereaux, Charles Dickinson, Peter Dipper, Alan Dobson, Daniel B Du Feu, Paul - LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE LONG-LEGGED WOMEN 141
Dunmore, Spencer - BOMB RUN 94
- TOWER OF STRENGTH 119
Dyson, John - PRIME MINISTER'S BOAT IS MISSING, THE 144
Easton, Alan Egleton, Clive - SEVEN DAYS TO A KILLING 124
Elliot, John Ely, David Fallon, Martin 2- DARK SIDE OF THE STREET 63
Finney, Jack - BODY SNATCHERS, THE 26
- "Love, Your Magic Spell Is Everywhere" 47
- "Prison Legend" 47
Forbes, Colin 3- HEIGHTS OF ZERVOS, THE 92
Forrest, David 4- AFTER ME, THE DELUGE 117
- AND TO MY NEPHEW ALBERT 78
Forrester, Larry Forsyte, Charles Fosburgh, Hugh - BRIGHT ROAD TO FEAR, THE 8
Francis, Dick - BONECRACK 101
- ENQUIRY 84
- FOR KICKS 43
- FORFEIT 74
- KNOCK DOWN 142
- NERVE 39
- ODDS AGAINST 48
- RAT RACE 92
- SLAY-RIDE 129
- SMOKESCREEN 116
Francis, Jean Fray, Al Fredman, John Fullerton, Alexander Gadney, Reg - SOMETHING WORTH FIGHTING FOR 132
Gallery, Daniel V Gardner, Earle Stanley - CASE OF THE QUEENLY CONTESTANT, THE 127
Gardner, John - AMBER NINE 52
- COMPLETE STATE OF DEATH, A 81
- MADRIGAL 65
- UNDERSTRIKE 45
Garlington, Philip Gascoigne, Bamber Geare, Michael Gibson, Walter Gilbert, Michael - BLOOD AND JUDGEMENT 6
- BODY OF A GIRL, THE 106
- DUST AND THE HEAT, THE 66
- NIGHT OF THE TWELFTH, THE 161
- NINETY SECOND TIGER, THE 125
Gill, John - LAST HEROES, THE 131
- TENANT, THE 112
Godey, John - TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE, THE 127
- THREE WORLDS OF JOHNNY HANDSOME, THE 122
Godwin, John Gordon, Donald Gordon, Richard Grady, James - SIX DAYS OF THE CONDOR 144
Graham, James 2- GAME FOR HEROES, A 89
- WRATH OF GOD, THE 96
Greenburg, Dan Gutteridge, Lindsay - COLD WAR IN A COUNTRY GARDEN 99
- FRATRICIDE IS A GAS 150
1 with Kit Pedler 2 pen-name of Harry Patterson: see seperate listing 3 pen-name of Raymond Sawkins: see seperate listing 4 pen-name of David Eliades & Robert Forrest Webb 4
5 see also seperate listing for Forrest Webb
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