Publisher's Synopsis
In honor of Harlan Ellison's eightieth birthday, Susan Ellison-his wife of thirty years, the Electric Baby-has scoured raw eight (8) decades of his written output (from his 1949 serialized stories in The Cleveland News to as-yet unpublished tales fresh from his Olympia Manual typewriter) to present one artifact from each calendar decade. Where possible, the eight stories herein have been reproduced from Ellison's original typescripts, as preserved in his meticulous archives. In some cases, they may differ from the preferred texts established over years of revisions and reprints.From the 1940s: "The Sword of Parmagon," a five-part serial inspired by the works of Sir Walter Scott. Originally published in the Cleveland News when the author was fifteen years old, this story has been re-set with the original illustrations for this printing.From the 1950s: "Nedra at f:5.6," Ellison's homage to Fritz Leiber, reprinted from the revised typescript.From the 1960s: "The Resurgence of Miss Ankle-Strap Wedgie," a novella of Hollywood written as a showpiece for Ellison's first hardback collection. Reprinted from the original typescript with the author's handwritten corrections.From the 1970s: "The Diagnosis of Dr. D'arqueAngel," a fantasy written from a concept generated before an audience of California high school students by the author, Ray Bradbury, and Frank Herbert. Reprinted from the original typescript.From the 1980s: "She's a Young Thing and Cannot Leave Her Mother," the story Ellison was writing while attending the Scottish convention where he met the future Susan Ellison (and Neil Gaiman). Reprinted from the original typescript.From the 1990s: "Scartaris, June 28th," the story that--according to Susan Ellison--crystallized a new auctorial voice for her husband, the one that would go on to appear in THE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES with "The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore" (available in HARLAN 101: ENCOUNTERING ELLISON). Reprinted from the original typescript.From the 2000s: "Incognita, Inc.," the story that explores the source of all those maps to buried treasure and magical lands. Reprinted from the original typescript, it makes its first appearance in an Ellison collection here.From the 2010s: "Weariness," inspired by a random piece of art, was first published in an anthology dedicated to the late Ray Bradbury. Reprinted from the original typescript, it makes its first appearance in an Ellison collection here.
