Joe R. Lansdale has written a vast number of books. Subterranean Press has published a fair number of those books. Recently I picked up just my fourth and fifth copies of Lansdale books published by Sub Press—a minuscule number of those books, for sure. The reasons? First: Most of these were published many years ago, and now fetch prices well above the initial listed price. Second: the initial listed prices tended to start around $40, even for copies available in the thousands, vs. hundreds, in terms of “limited editions.” Therefore, I went with the more mass-market publishers when it came to Lansdale’s books. But, if I’m lucky enough to find any within my narrow price range, then why not?
For a Few Stories More, Volume 4 in the Lost Lansdale series, Subterranean Press, 2002.
Initially listed at $40, I paid $22 for this book. Used. Online. From a dealer. Apologies to Mr. Lansdale, who didn’t get a penny from me on this one; I have bought many of your books retail, however, but sometimes there are books offered at prices beyond what I can pay. And, I came late to the party on this one, 23 years late, to be exact.
For a Few Stories More, is the fourth (and last) in a series of “Lost Lansdale” books and short stories. So far I’ve only read the introduction, which is a good one. After I got this book, I looked for books one through three, but those are listed at well beyond what I paid for this one, so I’ll stick with this book for now. My copy is #373 of 1000 signed and numbered copies. I plan on reading these stories shortly. Lansdale’s short fiction packs a punch, and I expect that even his early stories have some weight behind them.
Next up, a book that kept showing up everywhere when I was scrolling through online catalogs and offerings. This copy popped up at a surprisingly low price, so I went for it.
Jane Goes North, Subterranean Press, 2020
Jane Goes North is an amusing road trip of a book. Also originally listed at $40, I was able to get this one for $20. My copy is #88 of 2000 signed and numbered copies. The protagonist, Jane, lives in East Texas. She’s just been fired from a low-paying job, and gets invited to a sister’s wedding just outside Boston. Determined to make it to the wedding despite being almost broke, she teams up with a stranger, Henrietta aka Henry, an anti-social woman with a wandering eye. Henry has a working car, and Jane is willing to drive.
Along the way they meet up with a collection of bizarre people, including a pair of dollar store thieves, some back-woods slavers, and a country musician who now makes her living playing in bars along the east coast, while fighting off sexism and owners reluctant to pay her anything. In typical Lansdale fashion, characters over-share information, but Jane preservers. She has grit, determination, and I ended up rooting for her despite all her dubious decisions. The ending surprised me somewhat, and perhaps there’s a sequel in there somewhere.
