Collecting the First Edition Library Issue of House

Book collector Russ Bernard leads the book collecting discussions at our fan forum (the appropriately named The Books, the Covers, and the Collectors group) and he’s been on a mission for quite some time to find a first library edition of The House with a Clock in its Walls. It’s for a project that he’s piecing together – he’s shared some of it with us and it’s a compelling theory – but he needs some assistance in finalizing it.

"I am trying to find a copy to use for comparison between the various issues of the first printings of House, and I have copies of other issues but still need this regular library issue for comparison."

BiblioFile: O Fantasma No Espelho

We mentioned earlier in the year that 2013 marks 20 years since The Ghost in the Mirror was published. We were looking at the book’s history recently, recalling something that had bugged us once in the past, and thought we’d ask the boys...eh, our amigos...in Brazil about this one.

BiblioFile: Luis Barnavelt i zegar czarnoksiężnika

Yes, it’s time to uncover another zwariowany cover from the collection of Polish editions in the Lewis Barnavelt series. Keeping up this year's theme we’re going to take a quick peek at Luis Barnavelt i zegar czarnoksiężnika.

Remembering Ivan Meštrović

Today is the 130th birthday of Ivan Meštrović (1883-1962), the Croatian sculptor and architect and, starting in 1955, professor of sculpture at the University of Notre Dame.

What’s What: Washington Elm

We’ve received a number of interesting inquiries about John’s life and work over the years and one particular question about a tree pops up once every so often.  Perceptive readers of the original Dial edition of The House with a Clock in its Walls will recall the rear flap of the dust jacket that notes John was living in Haverhill with his family, "a grandfather clock, and a piece of the elm tree under which George Washington took command of the American army."

Sounds like a rather impressive souvenir right? Like every good story, however, there is both fact and fiction surrounding this tree.

"House" at 40 Fan Art: Watch Out - There's Only One Izard!

Review: House "Loved As A Kid...And...Still Kind Of Creepy"

Book review: The House with a Clock in its Walls

Review: House "Great Gothic Writing, Brings Back Fun Memories"

Book review: The House with a Clock in its Walls

Review: House "Scared The Crap Out Of Me As A Child"

Book review: The House with a Clock in its Walls

Review: House "Deceptively Sweet Story That Packs A Creepy Wallop"

Book review: The House with a Clock in its Walls

Review: House "Creepy And Disturbing And Awesome On A Deeper Level"

Book review: The House with a Clock in its Walls

50th Annual Historic Home Tour

The 50th Annual Historic Home Tour of Marshall, Michigan features eight of the city's most outstanding privately owned homes, as well as an historic church and the city's best-known museums: Honolulu House, Walters Gasoline Museum, American Museum of Magic, GAR Hall, DAR Governor's Mansion, the Calhoun County Fair Museums, Maple Grove Church and School, and the Capitol Hill School.

Interview: Charles Pieper

It’s been a couple of years now but we first encountered Charles Pieper when we read that he’d written a screenplay for The Curse of the Blue Figurine. You know – just for fun. We thought we’d check in with him after all these years and were surprised to learn just how busy he’s been. Since we’ve talked Pieper has studied film at Emerson, FAMU in Prague, and CalArts; become a director, stop motion animator, editor, and monster maker; directed music videos for numerous of bands (with names such as Brit and the Cavalry, Dufus, Quitzow, and YesMisterBloodVessel, plus scores more); and had his animations and films shown in festivals in cities as varied as New York City, Seattle, Toronto, Poland, Madrid, Kiev, and Tokyo. Oh, and Kentucky, too. On top of all that he’s taken some time out this summer to chat with us.  He's the one on the right.