> > Here's a related question. Why are David
Goodis's best books
(Prion's
> "Dark
> > Passage" aside) not reprinted? Why opt for "Of
Tender Sin", "The
Moon in
> > the Gutter" and "The Blonde on the Street
Corner", when you could
have
> "The
> > Burglar", "Cassidy's Girl" and
"Nightfall?"
>
> Perhaps the UK publisher who is reprinting the first
three you mention
was
> wary of reprinting material (the others you later
mention) that had
already
> been reprinted back in the '80's by Black Lizard
here in the U.S.
Granted,
> they're a bit tough to find these days, but
nevertheless they did have
a
> reprint history. The others had not. Personally, I'd
love to see
every
> Goodis novel kept in perptual in-print
status...
>
> Ron Clinton
>
Personally I'm happy whenever a Goodis novel surfaces that
hasn't been reprinted recently, whether it's one of the
better ones or not, if it's one I don't already have. My
favourite Goodis is STREET OF THE LOST which no-one appears
to have reprinted in recent times - my copy is an Israeli
reprint from the 1970's (I think). There are also other books
I've never seen, e.g. THE WOUNDED & THE SLAIN, which it
would be lovely to see reprinted. Personally, I applaud
Prion's picking up previously ignored Goodis titles but I
know Al has trouble picking up some of these books many of us
take for granted (possibly because we already own them?).
It's not just Goodis but Willeford & Thompson seem to get
the same books reprinted, over & over, while others are
ignored. There are several Willeford novels, for example that
have never been reprinted, or, in the case of HONEY GAL (aka
THE BLACK MASS OF BROTHER SPRINGER) reprinted once by Black
Lizard in the 80's - & this reprint commands high prices
in the 2nd hand market today. I have a personal fantasy of
publishing a lot of these old gems with their original 50's
cover artwork (although with the authors' names spelt
correctly). I believe they'd sell, if marketed intelligently
using resources such as the web. I know we are a minority but
all over the planet I think we're a significant sized enough
minority to make such an idea (modestly) profitable should
the logistical problems be overcome.
Rene
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