Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Paperback 764: The Sirens of Titan / Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (Dell First Edition B138)

Paperback 764: Dell First Edition B138 (PBO, 1959)

Title: The Sirens of Titan
Author: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Cover artist: Richard Powers

Yours for: $65

DellFE138

Best things about this cover:
  • Yes, *that* Vonnegut.
  • This year's sexiest accessory—the asteroid belt!
  • God bless Richard Powers. Most of his stuff does not contain what is traditionally known as "Great Girl Art" (GGA), but … this'll do.
  • I love her electric blue emanations.
  • Seriously, the colors on this are Gorgeous.

DellFE138bc

Best things about this back cover:
  • Wow. Terrible cover copy—at least in the headers.
  • I have not read this book, but it sounds like the future is not awesome. How can that be?
  • Isolation of the female figures here is a nice touch. Not sure why they have a handle. But I don't mind.

Page 123~

Unk went into the furnace room and closed the door.

He was excited, though he didn't know why. He began to read by the light from the dusty window.

Dear Unk:—the letter began.

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Tumblr]

5 comments:

DemetriosX said...

The cover copy is absolutely terrible and has almost nothing to do with the book. I think the front cover copy is probably the most egregious, but the back isn't a whole lot better. The art, on the other hand, isn't bad for the book, not to mention simply on its own merits.

Peter said...

This book involves a chrono-synclastic infundibulum, a "detailed description of this ... would baffle the layman, but any comprehensible explanation would insult an expert." I will need to remember this when I don't know the answer.

highwayknees said...

I read this as and enjoyed it as one of the few "pure " Sci-Fi novels by Vonnegut. It's actually quite fascinating, as I recall.

mendel said...

Just curious why this book is so valuable? Is the author famous?

D.A. Trappert said...

This is one of Vonnegut's best books, the first great novel he wrote. (And later the subject for an Al Stewart song!)