Forbes, Athol (pseudonym of Forbes Alexander Phillips). A Son of Rimmon: A Novel. London: Jarrold & Son, [1899]. First edition. Octavo, [1-2] [1-7] 8 [9] 10-240 [241-248: ads]. Original light green cloth, front and spine panels stamped in gold, rear panel stamped with publisher's monogram. Spine lean, faint staining to part of rear cover, still generally a very good copy of this uncommon book. #724. $25. The author, a clergyman, makes it clear in his three-page preface that he believes some cases of witchcraft and other occult phenomena to be authentic. "If we admit our belief in influence, the rest is a matter of degree." Forbes, writing under his own name, also wrote the non-fictional survey that makes up the first half of War and the Weird, a 1916 book that capitalized on the success of Machen's The Bowmen (offering in its second half stories by R. Thurston Hopkins of miraculous intervention in warfare). The present title is a historical novel set in pre-Christian Syria. In addition to its central love story, it describes conflicts between Judaism and other religions of the time, and numerous instances of the occult, and conveys accurate local color that would have come as second nature to a Christian clergyman. The book has escaped the attention of genre bibliographers. One curiosity about this book is that, while the first six pages of ads at the rear tout commercial products unrelated to the publisher -- a not unusual practice during the 19th century -- the last two pages excerpt reviews of a book by the author (Cassock and Comedy) published by a different firm (Skeffington & Sons). Seller Inventory # 724

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Bibliographic Details

Title: A Son of Rimmon

Publisher: Jarrold & Son, London

Publication Date: 1899

Binding: Hardback

Condition: Very Good

Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket

Edition: First Edition.

Store Description

When I began my bookselling business in 1996 I called it "Eldritch Books" because that adjective at least partly covered the type of material I offered (and because its similarity to my own surname seemed so -- eldritch). "Ghost stories" would be another handy, if somewhat reductive, term. Most of it is fiction from the 19th and early 20th century with a strong emphasis on the fantastic. Since the most familiar and relevant genre terms in use today -- "science fiction," "fantasy," "supernatural," "horror" -- were not so much in use when these books were first published, pegging them that way can be anachronistic. But that should give you the general idea. I don't have much in the way of American pulp (either in magazine or specialty press book form) but otherwise my interests range widely from high-brow to middle-brow to low-brow to amateur/eccentric. You're more likely to find rare and obscure works here than high spots. (Or at least they're obscure now, whatever their status was when first published.) In 2001 I went to work for L. W. Currey as cataloguer and general assistant. Since 2014 I've been back working on my own. I have exhibited at convention fairs (such as WFC and Readercon) in the past. I began collecting and studying antiquarian fantasy around 1980. Some of my essays have appeared in genre publications such as NYRSF, Wormwood and F&SF. I tend to carefully research my inventory and write extensive notes. (If another dealer wishes to make use of any of these notes, I'd appreciate the courtesy of putting such excerpts in quotes and giving proper attribution to me. That's what I do when I quote from any of my reference works.) I will be gradually listing my inventory on ABE over the coming years. I hope you find something of interest.

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Robert Eldridge, Bookseller
NY, U.S.A.

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Robert Eldridge
P. O. Box 293
Elizabethtown NY 12932
USA.
Tel: 518-873-9966.
Email: rfx51@charter.net.

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I ship only by U.S. Postal Service. All shipments are packed carefully and mailed with insurance and (for domestic shipments) tracking information. Except where specified for extra large items, rates are: Domestic (within USA) Media Mail: $5. Domestic Priority: $10. International First Class (must be under 4 lbs.): $25. International Global Priority (...

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