Title: Here Come Joe Mungin
Author: Chalmers S. Murray
Cover artist: uncredited
Yours for: $50
Best things about this cover:
- Only a guy that big could get away with wearing something that ... let's say, flamboyant. "Yeah, I'm wearing a speckled salmon V-neck with a pink sash for a belt and pin-striped trousers. You wanna make somethin' of it?"
- Why is this book so pricey? It's a total mystery. Found one going for cheapish, but most are going $40-$90. "Rare in any condition." Why???
- "Chalmers" is a funny name. "Seymour!" (that's for "Simpsons" fans)
- I am disturbed by how long this guy is. I mean, from bottom of the V-neck to top of the head is an Eternity.
Best things about this back cover:
- Apparently what "Sea Island Negroes" like to do is get drunk and fight. Perhaps also have sex and play the barrel-drum. Nice.
- Again, I await the historian who can tell me why this book is 5-10 times more valuable than your average mid-50s Bantam.
Page 123~
"Joe Mungin, I 'most mad 'nough to knock you."
"Oh, don't tarrigate yourself. Here, take a drink. Too hot for fight, too hot for quarrel."
"Don't tarrigate yourself" is officially my new catchphrase.
~RP
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter]
9 comments:
Yeah, dude is workin' a long neck there; should've gone with a crew-neck. I ain't gon' tarrigate myself 'bout it, though.
I had no idea you could "write" a picture!
If you look up "terrigate' on Google the first link is to your blog. Two of the other three links are to a book "Tales of whitetails" by Archibald Hamilton Rutledge.
I can't tell you why it's so expensive but I can tell you the lowest price I've found listed is $18.
"Bantam Giant" is an oxymoron.
"I am disturbed by how long this guy is."
Well he did come to this place to rise, and by God, he going to rise.
This book is a rarity: A black writer from the Sea Islands writing about the Sea Islands in the mid-century. The following article is quite interesting:
http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/the-sea-island-mungins-and-chalmers/#
He appears to have rather large breasts...
Cover looks a lot like Joseph Hirsch's art on Scotsboro Boy. Comparing cheek bones, forehead wrinkles and v-necks, anyway.
This is an extremely well written novel.
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