Friday, September 30, 2016

Friday's Forgotten Books: Anthologies, Etc.

"a book or other collection of selected writings by various authors, usually in the same literary form, of the same period, or on the same subject." Other definitions do no stipulate "various" authors. 


A HELL OF A WOMAN: AN ANTHOLOGY OF FEMALE NOIR, edited by Megan Abbott

When Megan attended her first Bouchercon in 2006, David Thompson ( now tragically deceased) an entrepreneur and associated with Murder by the Book in Houston, approached her and asked her if she would be interested in editing an anthology of  (mostly)women writers, writing about woman. Take the women who are usually the victims or part of the back story and fashion stories with them in a major role, he said. Megan, who knew almost no one in the business yet agreed to it and spent considerable time convincing the women in this volume to contribute a new story to a book edited by an fairly unknown writer for a fairly unknown press (Busted Flush). And this is the volume of stories that collaboration produced. I think many of them are quite good.  My special favorites are "Everybody Loves Somebody" by Sandra Scoppettone, "Uncle" by Daniel Woodrell (nominated for an Edgar), and "The Chirashi Covenant" by Naomi Hirahara. But almost every story is good. 

Sergio Angelini, THE MANY, Wyl Menmuir
Yvette Banek, A POCKETFUL OF RYE, Agatha Christie
Elgin Bleecker, THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, Sir, Arthur Conan Doyle
Brian Busby, THE MAN FROM GLENGARY, Ralph Connor
Bill Crider, Tough Guys and Dangerous Dames -- Weinberg, Robert E., Stefan Dziemianowicz and Martin H. Greenberg, editors.
Martin Edwards, THE UNFORTUNATE MURDERER, Richard Hull
Curt Evans, The Hank Hyer Detective Novels of Kurt Steele
Richard Horton, Who Speaks of Conquest? by Lan Wright/The Earth in Peril, edited by Donald Wollheim
Jerry House, THE MURDER OF SIR EDMUND GODFREY, John Dickson Carr
George Kelley, THE OXFORD BOOK OF SPY STORIES, ed.  Michael Cox
Rob Kitchin, JOURNEY INTO FEAR, Eric Ambler 
B.V. Lawson, MURDER INTERCONTINENTAL, Manson and Halligan
Steve Lewis/Josef Hoffman, 12 Hard Boiled anthologies
Todd Mason, PARTNERS IN WONDER, Harlan Ellison and collaborators
Neer, THE ROME EXPRESS, Arthur Griffiths
J.F. Norris, FOUR AND TWENTY BLOODHOUNDS, Anthony Boucher ed.  
Matthew Paust, A MOMENT ON THE EDGE, A Hundred Years of Crime Stories by Woman. ed. Elizabeth George 
The Rap Sheet/ Jim Napier, A DANDY IN ASPIC, Derek Marlowe
Reactions to Reading, RAGE, Zygmunt, Miloszewski 
James Reasoner, THE VORTEX BLASTERS, Sam Moskowitz, ed 
Richard Robinson, THE HARD-BOILED DETECTIVE,  ed. Herbert Rhum
Gerard Saylor, AT MY LEISURE: GREENMANTLE, John Buchan 
Kevin Tipple/Barry Ergang, TOP SUSPENSE, 13 CLASSICS STORIES  BY 12 MASTERS
TomCat, THE CONQUEROR,INN, E. R. Punshon
TracyK, GRIFTERS AND SWINDLERS, ed. Cynthia Mason

13 comments:

neer said...

Hi Patti

Here's my entry. Sorry it is not an anthology.

The Rome Express by Arthur Griffiths

http://inkquilletc.blogspot.in/2016/09/forgotten-book-rome-express-by-arthur.html

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

There is something about anthologies that really can give the reader a broad look at a topic.

Gerard said...

Anthology day? Dang, I missed the theme Fridays.

Jeff Meyerson said...

You didn't mention the title of Megan's book:

A HELL OF A WOMAN: An Anthology of Female Noir.

Very good book.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Some memorable anthologies (among many possible choices), by editor:

Ellery Queen, 101 YEARS' ENTERTAINMENT
Ron Goulart, THE HARDBOILED DICKS
Joseph T. Shaw, THE HARD-BOILED OMNIBUS
Marilyn Wallace, the SISTERS IN CRIME series of books
Ed Gorman, THE BLACK LIZARD ANTHOLOGY OF CRIME FICTION
Otto Penzler, THE BLACK LIZARD BIG BOOK OF LOCKED-ROOM MYSTERIES
Hugh Greene, THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

Todd Mason said...

Though the convention has become that a selection of stories from one writer is dubbed a Collection, instead...and I've done a redux post, with one arguable collection/arguable anthology...and a set of anthologies...sorry to be tardy and recycled, given all the anthos I keep doing otherwise...had a good post planned for today, but Things Keep Happening. I fear you know how that goes of late.

Todd Mason said...

Gorman's second BLACK LIZARD ANTHOLOGY was, if anything, even better...

And, of course, Every Robert Arthur and Harold Q. Masur HITCHCOOCK PRESENTS: (and not a few of the from AHMM volumes, as well)...and the Arthur and one non-Arthur YA anthos...

Graham Powell said...

Lots of private eye anthologies among today's entries, but no one mentioned the one I think is the best: The Mammoth Book of Private Eye Stories, edited by Pronzini and Greenberg. It includes just about every major writer in the field (up through the late 80s, anyway), and the stories are extremely entertaining. Pronzini's HARD-BOILED is another brilliant anthology which was reviewed by Steve Lewis/Josef Hoffman.

J F Norris said...

Mine's up now:

Four & Twenty Bloodhounds - Anthony Boucher, ed.

Mathew Paust said...

Clever idea A Hell of a Woman. I must get me some!

Mathew Paust said...

Crider's link doesn't link!!!

Mathew Paust said...

Yikes. Crider's link links now, but Todd's doesn't. (Hope it's not me!)

RTD said...

Wow! What a great collection at a great site! I think I've found the perfect crime fiction blog network. Thanks for providing all the reading/review links. My new crime fiction blog is here:
http://crimefictions.blogspot.com/
I invite you and all of your guests/visitors to stop by and visit.
Thanks again.
Lillian Baldwin