Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 16:44:26 -0400
From: "Michael Walsh" <MJW at mail.press.jhu.edu>
To: <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] On The Shelf
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

On Friday I received a copy of:

The Political Doctrines of Sun Yat-Sen: an Exposition of the San Min Chu I =
by Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger.

Some might ask . . . "so?"

Linebarger's god father was Sun Yat-Sen, the founder of the Chinese =
Republic in 1911.  Linebarger attended George Washington University, where =
one of his classmates was a Lafayette Ronald Hubbard.  Both contributed to =
the school literary magazine.  Hubbard later went on to "fame" and =
fortune.  In 1950 Linebarger, in a magazine remembered essentially for =
this one story, had published  "Scanners Live in Vain" under the pseudonym =
of Cordwainer Smith.

In Smith's future history, our home world is a myth, referred to as Old =
Earth.  (The source of the name of my publishing venture.)

"Political Doctrines" was Linebarger's first published book, published by =
the Johns Hopkins Press, where I work.  (The Press does not have a copy of =
the copy.  It  was probably lost when Greenwood did a reprint of it in =
1973.)  This copy was formerly in the Centerville Public Library (MA), a =
gift of the late journalist Walter Lippman.

Further fascinating connections is that the book dealer, Ben Muse,  who =
sold me the book is also a JHUPress customer, in addition to used books, =
he also sell new books.  He was also my connection to his next door =
neighbor, the now deceased Edward Gorey.   Through Ben, I had approached =
Gorey about doing a cover design for the eventual (don't hold your breath) =
Robert Aickman omnibus.  He called me, said he'd be delighted to.  As far =
as I know he never got around to it before he died.

mjw