Science fiction novels from the 1950s

The fifties were arguably the golden age of science fiction, and here are a few highly collectible novels from that era by such giants as Isaac Asimov & Ray Bradbury. The first six are from the bookseller L.W. Currey. They have an especially wide range of first edition science fiction and fantasy books. The last two are from my own library.

Isaac Asimov THE STARS, LIKE DUST. Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1951 — Isaac Asimov THE STARS, LIKE DUST. Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1951

Clarke, Arthur C. THE CITY AND THE STARS. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, [1956]. Cover design by George Salter.

Asimov, Isaac. THE CURRENTS OF SPACE. Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1952. Jacket design by George Giusti.

Asimov, Isaac. THE MARTIAN WAY AND OTHER STORIES. Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1955.

Robert A. Heinlein. BETWEEN PLANETS. New York:Charles Scribner's Sons, 1951. — Robert A. Heinlein. BETWEEN PLANETS. New York:Charles Scribner's Sons, 1951.

Bradbury, Ray. THE ILLUSTRATED MAN. First British edition. London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1952. — Bradbury, Ray. THE ILLUSTRATED MAN. First British edition. London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1952.

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. 1950. This is my copy. It's a facsimile edition from The First Edition Library. An actual first edition of this novel is really pricey, usually in the thousands of dollars.. — I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. 1950. This is my copy. It's a facsimile edition from The First Edition Library. An actual first edition of this novel is *really* pricey, usually in the thousands of dollars..

Shambleau and Others by C.L.Moore 1953. My "First Edition Library" reprint of the First Edition from 1981.

What I did this week

Stocks were falling and so was the rain, though they continually report on the news that it won't help us in California with the drought. I finished the painting I'd started a year ago, and which had languished since then on my drawing board while I toiled away at the magazine factory. It's the story of a childhood spill I took from a sled on the hill where we all used to go on the rare occasions when snow covered the ground and we were joyously let off from school. My best friend Kelly Keffer, who I believed to be a careless daredevil, was steering the sled and I was on the back. When she careened toward a mailbox, off I leapt to avoid the crash, but alas, I flew face-first into the mailbox while Kelly and the sled veered safely away.

Finished this. "Accident on Waldron's Hill"

Ate this.Spinach Bolani from Whole Foods. With Trader Joe's Lentil Soup with Ancient Grains. Quick and perfect for a rainy day.

Abstract Saturday: Tim Biskup

Today I want to share one of my favorite artists, Tim Biskup. While he's not technically an abstract painter, I figure it's okay to stretch a point... Tim's current work is not as whimsical as these older pieces, but takes a more serious tone. I, however am partial to the witty and wonderful paintings inhabited by birds, eyeballs and monsters. I see a bit of Jim Flora in his earlier compositions, for sure. You can see a good chronological sampling on his website.

“CYCLOPS ARMORY” 2010 Cel-Vinyl Acrylic On Wooden Panel 20″ x 16″ — “CYCLOPS ARMORY” 2010 Cel-Vinyl Acrylic On Wooden Panel 20″ x 16″

+timbiskup.com

Winnie Fitch

I only just came across this illustrator the other day. She's been working hard in the industry for many years and is happily still at it! Her work is available on Imagekind. Here are some especially nice book covers and a catalogue cover from the 1950s. I love her line work in these book cover illustrations, and the catalogue gives us a taste of her quintessentially mid-century style of character illustration. She also created some whimsical advertisements while working in Chicago, New York and Boston. See more here.

Catalogue cover Marshall Fields | Illustrated by Winnie Fitch 1950 — Catalogue cover Marshall Fields | Illustrated by Winnie Fitch 1950

Children's Press Illustrated by Winnie Fitch 1952 — Children's Press Illustrated by Winnie Fitch 1952

You and Space Neighbors by John Lewellen 1953 via letterology.com — You and Space Neighbors by John Lewellen 1953 via letterology.com

It's love, love, love

February is the month of love, so we begin some utterly random posts to salute this rather popular emotion. "L'amour, l'amour, toujour l'amour" — The Countess DeLave "The Women" 1939