Author Archives: george

I loved the paperback covers of the 1970s. And I loved the artwork of Frank Frazetta, Vincent Di Fate, Chris Foss, Richard Powers, Kelly Freas, Jack Gaughan, and Virgil Finlay, too!

Worlds Beyond Time is a browser’s delight! There are dozens of great paperback covers from the 1970s. Adam Rowe has some of the artwork organized by themes. Looking at these wonderful covers is a walk down Memory Lane!

Do you have a favorite 1970s paperback cover artist? GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Foreword / Vincent Di Fate — 6
Introduction — 9
The Abstract, Surreal, and Otherworldly — 10
Richard M. Powers, Surrealist Prankster — 19
The Unsettling Don Ivan Punchatz — 20
Chess in Sci-fi — 22
Paul Kirchner’s Dope Rider — 24
Douglas Chaffee — 26
The Swift Rise and Swifter Fall of Galileo Magazine — 28
Gary Viskupic — 30
Gary Viskupic’s TV Guide Art — 32
Leo and Diane Dillon and the “Third Artist” — 34
Spaceships, Vehicles, and Megastructures — 36
Chris Foss: The Biggest Brand in Retro Sci-fi Covers — 42
Stewart Cowley’s Terran Trade Authority Series — 44
Syd Mead: Visual Futurist — 48
Ringworld — 50
Rendezvous With Rama — 52
Bob Eggleton — 54
UFOs — 56
John Berkey — 62
Space Elevators — 64
John Harris’s Meditations — 66
Spaceships and Planets — 68
Vincent Di Fate — 70
Sci-fi Cities and Landscapes — 72
Canals on Mars: The Trope Born of a Misunderstanding — 76
Underwater Sci-fi — 79
John Schoenherr’s Compositions — 80
Skull Planets — 82
Asimov’s Foundation Series — 84
Dean Ellis: The Ideal Paperback Artist — 86
Angus McKie — 88
Planets, Explorers, and Space Travel — 90
David A. Hardy — 96
Robert McCall — 98
NASA’s Space Colonies — 102
Explorers and the Unknown — 104
Jeffrey Catherine Jones — 106
Cryosleep — 108
Skeletons in Spacesuits — 110
Gunfights in Space — 114
Space Helmet Reflections — 116
Life in the Future(s) — 118
Domed Cities — 122
Paul Lehr — 124
Peter Elson — 126
Robots — 129
Mike Hinge — 130
Queen and Frank Kelly Freas — 132
Postapocalypse — 134
Robert Tinney’s Byte Magazine Covers — 138
Chris Moore — 140
Plants, Animals, and Alien Life — 142
Space Cats — 146
Wayne Barlowe: Unnatural History Artist — 150
Giant Worms — 152
Dinosaurs of the Retro-past — 156
Birds — 160
The Eyes Have It — 162
Close Encounters — 164
The War of the Worlds — 166
A Single Flower on An Alien Planet — 168
Mushrooms — 170
Forests and Trees — 172
Fantasy Realms — 174
Fran Frazetta — 178
Boris Vallejo — 180
Rodney Matthews — 182
Wizards — 184
Michael Whelan’s Hidden Messages — 184
Richard Hescox — 188
Sailing Ships in Space — 190
Don Maitz — 192
Star Wars Before Star Wars — 194
Clyde Caldwell — 196
Cryptozoology and the Paranormal — 198
America’s 1970s Bigfoot Obsession — 202
Monsters — 204
Ancient Astronaut “theory” — 208
Creepy and Eerie — 210
Zombies — 212
Ghosts — 214
Bruce Pennington — 216
Alien Ceremonies — 218
Cloaked Figures — 220
Epilogue — 222
INDEX — 224
Acknowledgements — 224

DUECES WILD By B. B. King & Friends

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I’ve been into duets the past few weeks. This album from 1997 features plenty of Name Artists and Groups…and a few I’ve never heard of.

My favorite duet is B.B. King and Van Morrison on “If You Love Me.” Tracy Chapman is wonderful on B. B. King’s signature song, “The Thrill is Gone.” B. B. King and Eric Clapton did an album together–Riding With the King (2000–and this song may have inspired it.

The Rolling Stones don’t do many mashups with other artists, but they showed up for “Paying the Cost to Be the Boss.” Joe Cocker energizes “Dangerous Mood.” And Willie Nelson–who knows something about Night Life–sings about it to round out the album.

If you’re a B. B. King fan, you probably are already familiar with Deuces Wild. If you’re a fan of the Blues, you’ll like this mix, too. GRADE: B+

TRACK LIST:

1	B.B. King With Van Morrison–	If You Love Me Arranged By [Strings], Conductor [Strings] – Phil Marshall (2)Bass – Pino PalladinoCello – Dane Little, Larry Colbert, Marston SmithDrums – Andy NewmarkGuitar – Neil HubbardKeyboards, Electric Organ [Hammond B3] – Paul CarrackPiano – Jools HollandViola – Robert BeckerViolin – Andrea Byers, Armen Garabedian, Berj Garabedian, Bruce Dukov, Kenneth Yerke, Norman Hughes, Tamara HatwanViolin, Concertmaster – Sid PageWritten-By – Van Morrison	5:47
2	B.B. King With Tracy Chapman–	The Thrill Is Gone Arranged By [Strings], Arranged By [Horns], Trumpet – Darrell LeonardBass – Reggie McBrideCello – Martin Tillman, Miles TackettDrums, Percussion – Tony BraunagelElectric Organ [Hammond B3] – Paul CarrackElectric Piano [Wurlitzer] – Tommy EyreFrench Horn – Daniel Kelley, Kurt Snyder, Yvonne MoriartyGuitar – Johnny Lee Schell, Neil HubbardPercussion – Lenny CastroTenor Saxophone – Joe SublettWritten-By – Rick Darnell, Ray Hawkins*	5:01
3	B.B. King With Eric Clapton–	Rock Me Baby Bass – Pino PalladinoElectric Organ [Hammond B3] – Paul CarrackGuitar – Eric ClaptonPercussion – Paulinho Da CostaProgrammed By – Paul Waller, Simon ClimieWritten-By – B. B. King*, Joe Josea	6:37
4	B.B. King With Mick Hucknall–	Please Send Me Someone To Love Arranged By [Strings], Conductor [Strings] – Phil Marshall (2)Bass – Pino PalladinoCello – Dane Little, Larry Colbert, Marston SmithDrums – Andy NewmarkElectric Organ [Hammond B3] – Paul CarrackGuitar – Neil HubbardKeyboards, Piano – Chris StaintonViola – Robert BeckerViolin – Andrea Byers, Armen Garabedian, Berj Garabedian, Bruce Dukov, Kenneth Yerke, Norman Hughes, Tamara HatwanViolin, Concertmaster – Sid PageWritten-By – Percy Mayfield	4:15
5	B.B. King With Bonnie Raitt–	Baby I Love You Backing Vocals – Sir Harry Bowens, Terence Forsythe, Vincent BonhamBass – Pino PalladinoDrums – Steve JordanGuitar – Bonnie Raitt, Hugh McCrackenOrgan – Leon PendarvisPiano – John Cleary*Written-By – Ronnie Shannon	4:01
6	B.B. King With D’Angelo–	Ain’t Nobody Home Arranged By [Horns], Conductor [Horns] – Wardell QuezergueBaritone Saxophone – Carl BlouinBass – Pino PalladinoDrums – Steve JordanElectric Piano [Wurlitzer] – John ClearyGuitar – Hugh McCrackenKeyboards – D’AngeloOrgan – Leon PendarvisPercussion – Lenny CastroTenor Saxophone – Joseph Saulsbury, Jr.Trumpet – Brian Murray, Jamil SharifWritten-By – Jerry Ragovoy	4:59
7	B.B. King With Dr. John–	There Must Be A Better World Somewhere Arranged By [Horns], Conductor [Horns] – Wardell QuezergueBaritone Saxophone – Carl BlouinBass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonDrums – Jim KeltnerGuitar – Randy JacobsKeyboards – Billy Payne, Tommy EyrePercussion – Lenny CastroTenor Saxophone – Joseph Saulsbury, Jr.Trumpet – Brian Murray, Jamil SharifWritten-By – Pomus, Rebennack	4:28
8	B.B. King With Marty Stuart–	Confessin’ The Blues Bass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonDrums – Jim KeltnerElectric Organ [Hammond B3] – Tommy EyreGuitar – Marty StuartKeyboards – Billy Payne*Written-By – Jay McShann, Walter Brown	4:21
9	B.B. King With The Rolling Stones–	Paying The Cost To Be The Boss Bass – Darryll JonesDrums – Charlie WattsGuitar – Keith Richards, Ron WoodHarmonica – Mick JaggerKeyboards – Tommy EyreTenor Saxophone – Joe SublettTrumpet – Darrell LeonardVocals – Mick JaggerWritten-By – B. B. King	3:33
10	B.B. King With Joe Cocker–	Dangerous Mood Bass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonDrums – Kenny AranoffElectric Organ [Hammond B3] – C. J. Vanston, Tommy EyreGuitar – Dean Parks, Michael LandauPiano – Chris StaintonWritten-By – Candy Parton, Kevin Moore (4)	4:53
11	B.B. King With Heavy D–	Keep It Coming Bass – Pino PalladinoDrums – Steve JordanGuitar – Hugh McCrackenOrgan – Leon PendarvisPercussion – Lenny CastroPiano – John ClearyWritten-By – B. B. King, Heavy D	3:55
12	B.B. King With David Gilmour & Paul Carrack–	Cryin’ Won’t Help You Babe Backing Vocals – Sir Harry Bowens, Terrence Forsythe, Vincent BonhamBass – Pino PalladinoDrums – Andy NewmarkGuitar – David Gilmour, Neil HubbardKeyboards, Organ – Paul CarrackPiano – Chris StaintonVocals – Paul CarrackWritten-By – B. B. King, Sam Ling	3:54
13	B.B. King With Willie Nelson–	Night Life Bass – James “Hutch” HutchinsonDrums – Jim KeltnerElectric Organ [Hammond B3] – Tommy EyreGuitar – Randy JacobsHarmonica – Mickey RafaelKeyboards – Billy PayneWritten-By – Paul Buskirk, Walter Breeland, Willie Nelson

WEDNESDAY’S SHORT STORIES #250: LETTERS FROM AN IMAGINARY COUNTRY By Theodora Goss

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I’ve been a fan of Theodora Goss for some time. Loved her The Collected Enchantments (you can read my review here) and her mashup novel, The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter (you can read my review here).

Tachyon Press just published Letters From An Imaginary Country which collects both new and older stories. In her informative and celebratory Introduction, Jo Walton asserts: “Theodora Goss is a significant writer, who is doing something different from everyone else, writing things only she can write, and things that are absolutely the lifeblood of the the fantasy genre.” (p. i)

Take “The Mad Scientist’s Daughter” for example. Here are the characters in this unusual story:

Miss Justine Frankenstein

Miss Catherine Moreau

Miss Beatrice Rappaccini

Miss Mary Jekyll

Miss Diana Hyde

Mrs. Arthur Meyrinck (nee Helen Raymond of Arthur Machen’s The Great God Pan)

Theodora Goss crafts a tale of an exclusive club for unique women and gives her characters a chance to deal with their history, identity, and circumstances. “The Mad Scientist’s Daughter” will stay with you for a long time.

Whether it’s “A Letter to Merlin” or “Lost Girls of Oz” you’ll find some marvelous stories in this collection. Don’t miss it! GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction by Jo Walton — i
“The Mad Scientist’s Daughter” — 1
“Dora/Dóra: An Autobiography” (original to this collection) — 25
“Cimmeria: From the Journal of Imaginary Anthropology” — 62
“England Under the White Witch” — 82
“Frankenstein’s Daughter” — 95
“Come See the Living Dryad” — 112
“Beautiful Boys” — 140
“Pug” — 148
“A Letter to Merlin” — 165
“Estella Saves the Village” — 181
“Pellargonia: A Letter to the Journal of Imaginary Anthropology” — 198
“Lost Girls of Oz” — 220
“To Budapest, With Love” — 242
“Child-Empress of Mars” — 254
“Letters From an Imaginary Country” (original to this collection) — 265
“The Secret Diary of Mina Harker” (original to this collection) — 286

Story Notes — 327

VETERAN’S DAY 2025

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BACKSTAGE: STORIES OF A WRITING LIFE By Donna Leon

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Donna Leon is best known for her series of crime novels set in Venice, Italy, featuring the fictional hero Commissario Guido Brunetti. In Backstage (2025) Donna Leon discusses her writing life and the authors and books that affected it.

While writing about “Redentore” Leon declares that one of her favorite mysteries (p. 69) is Ruth Rendell’s A Judgement in Stone (1977). In fact, Ruth Rendell is one of Leon’s favorite mystery writers.

In “Great Expectations” Leon confesses: “One book that I keep returning to is Dickens’s Great Expectations, which I fell in love with the I was fifteen.” ( p. 85) Leon falls in love with several books. “First things first: let’s dismiss any idea of impartiality or measured, neutral judgement in this review. Toss the the window even-handedness, restraint, objective. I do not like Patrick O’Brian, I adore him.” (p. 109). I like Patrick O’Brian and, like Donna Leon, I’ve read all of O’Brian’s Aubrey–Maturin series is a sequence of nautical historical novels—20 completed and one unfinished—by English author Patrick O’Brian, set during the Napoleonic Wars and centring on the friendship between Captain Jack Aubrey of the Royal Navy and his ship’s surgeon Stephen Maturin, a physician, natural philosopher, and intelligence agent.

In “With a Little Help from Lew Archer,” (p. 132) Leon admits she learned a lot from Ross Macdonald’s private detective from reading all his mysteries.

I’m always interested in the influences that affect writers and their writing process. Donna Leon shares a lot of her secrets in Backstage and I enjoyed them immensely! GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Early in Life

Cedric — 3

Tell ‘Em Anything — 12

Jack and Jill –21

Heroes

Getting Zapped — 29

Detectives and Villains — 35

Orlando’s a Nutcase — 38

String-Pulling in Venice

The Diamond Man — 45

Venice 1729 — 54

With a View of San Marco — 61

Redentore — 65

Mortal Danger

Getting Out — 75

Great Expectations — 85

Regina — 88

Trips

San Gennaro — 101

Master and Commander — 109

The Beauty of the Unknown — 116

Behind the Scene

A New Case for Brunetti — 123

On the Move — 127

With a Little Help from Lew Archer — 132

Amorality

Dirt — 137

Janus-Faced Deity — 144

A Complex Character –155

Love

Dear Guido — 161

Gardening — 163

A Book of a Lifetime — 167

Moment of Truth

The Death of Ivan Itych — 171

The Big Bow Wow — 175

Show, Don’t Tell — 180

Ends

The Big Sleep — 191

Loneliness — 196

Addio –201

In Memoriam — 205

BUFFALO BILLS VS. MIAMI DOLPHINS (CBS)

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The 6-2 Buffalo Bills travel to Florida to take on the 2-7 Miami Dolphins (aka, Dumpster Fire). Miami fans are appalled at their team’s poor performances and misguided trades. The Bills are 9 1/2 point favorites, despite the rash of injuries on Defense.

How will your favorite NFL team perform today?

Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost [Apple TV+]

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Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show 46 times. I’m sure I saw all 46 because my parents were big fans of The Ed Sullivan Show and watched it faithfully. And, of course, my brother and sisters and I watched it, too.

Stiller and Meara’s son, Ben Stiller, during the Pandemic, decided to make a documentary film about his famous parents.

Ben Stiller does not sugar-coat his parents’ relationship–which was rocky at times. Anne Meara developed a drinking problem. Anne Meara also had acting ambitions and considered comedy inferior to “real drama.”

Jourdain Searles of RogerEbert.com gave the film three out of four stars and wrote that it’s “a fascinating snapshot of American comedy history, illustrating how much the industry has evolved over time.

I found Stiller & Meara: Nothing is Lost (2025) deeply personal and honest. Ben Stiller presents his parents in sharp detail. Nothing is Lost and nothing is hidden in this brilliant documentary. GRADE: A

FRIDAY’S FORGOTTEN BOOKS #879: DOWN CEMETERY ROAD By Mick Herron

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Mick Herron‘s Down Cemetery Road was first published in 2003. With the success of Herron’s dysfunctional spy series, Slow Horses, on Apple TV+, Morwenna Banks adapted Down Cemetery Road for an 8-episode series directed by Natalie Bailey for Apple TV+.

I’m very impressed by Emma Thompson who plays the private investigator Zoë Boehm, a woman of grit, determination, and intelligence. Zoe’s new client, Sarah Tucker (played by the glorious Ruth Wilson), is looking for a missing child.

The two women join forces as they untangle a nefarious Government plot. I’m enjoying the Apple TV+ version of Down Cemetery Road (you can read about it here) but this largely forgotten novel launched Mick Herron’s career that is now celebrated by the Slow Horses series. The novel shows the glimmer of talent that will burst into fame for Mick Herron in the years ahead. GRADE: B+

Zoë Boehm series:

Down Cemetery Road (2003)
The Last Voice You Hear (2004)
Why We Die (2006)
Smoke and Whispers (2009)

ULTIMATE DIRTY DANCING

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Back in 1987, my sisters fell in love with Dirty Dancing. Well, more accurately, they fell in love with Patrick Swayze who plays dance instructor Johnny Castle in the movie. Set in a vacation resort in the 1963 Borscht Belt, the film made $214 million worldwide. Clearly, there was an enthusiastic audience the seething sexual chemistry between Swayze and Jennifer Grey.

When I saw Dirty Dancing I was impressed by the soundtrack of the movie. Dirty Dancing included more music than many of the films in theaters at that time. There was a lot of dance music–after all this is a movie about dirty dancing–but there was also a surprising number of songs from the early 1960s included like “Be My Baby” by the The Ronettes, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by The Four Seasons, “Stay” by Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” by The Shirelles, and “Some Kind of Wonderful” by The Drifters.

Are you a fan of Dirty Dancing? Do you remember the music in this movie? GRADE: B

TRACK LIST:

1	The Ronettes–	Be My Baby Producer – Phil SpectorWritten-By – Phil Spector / Ellie Greenwich / Jeff Barry*	2:38
2	Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons*–	Big Girls Don’t CryWritten-By – Bob Gaudio / Bob Crewe*	2:22
3	Michael Lloyd & Le Disc–	Merengue Producer – Michael LloydWritten-By – Erich Bulling, John D’Andrea, Michael Lloyd	2:16
4	Michael Lloyd & Le Disc–	Trot The Fox Producer – Michael LloydWritten-By – John D’Andrea, Michael Lloyd	2:04
5	Michael Lloyd & Le Disc–	Johnny’s Mambo Producer – Michael LloydWritten-By – Erich Bulling, John D’Andrea, Michael Lloyd	3:00
6	The John Morris Orchestra–	The Time Of My Life (Instrumental Version) Producer – John MorrisWritten-By – Donald Markowitz, Franke Previte, John DeNicola	0:41
7	Tom Johnston–	Where Are You Tonight? Engineer – Gene FosterMusic Consultant – Inside Track, Inc.Producer – Leon MedicaWritten-By – Mark Scola	4:01
8	The Contours–	Do You Love Me Producer – Berry Gordy Jr.Written-By – Berry Gordy Jr.	2:52
9	Otis Redding–	Love Man Written-By – Otis Redding	2:14
10	Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs–	Stay Written-By – Maurice Williams	1:34
11	The Surfaris–	Wipeout Producer – Charles Bud DantWritten-By – Robert Earl Berryhill, James Evans Fuller, Patrick Vincent Connolly, Ronald Lee Wilson*	2:37
12	Eric Carmen–	Hungry Eyes Engineer – Jim DeMainProducer – Eric CarmenRemix – George Sipl, Jim DeMainWritten-By – Franke Previte, John DeNicola	4:08
13	Zappacosta–	Overload Engineer – Jeff McCullochEngineer [Assistant] – Andy Koyama, Walter SoeczakProducer – Alfie ZappacostaWritten-By – Marco Luciani, Alfred Zappacosta*	3:40
14	Bruce Channel–	Hey Baby Producer – Major Bill Smith Written-By – Bruce Channel, Margaret Cobb	2:23
15	Michael Lloyd & Le Disc–	De Todo Un Poco Producer – Michael LloydWritten-By – Lou Perez	2:28
16	The Drifters–	Some Kind Of Wonderful Producer – Jerry Leiber And Mike StollerWritten-By – Carole King / Gerry Goffin	2:34
17	Otis Redding–	These Arms Of Mine Written-By – Otis Redding	2:27
18	Solomon Burke–	Cry To Me Written-By – Bert Russell	2:31
19	The Shirelles–	Will You Love Me Tomorrow Written-By – Carole King / Gerry Goffin*	2:41
20	Mickey & Sylvia–	Love Is Strange Written-By – Ellas McDaniels*, Mickey Baker, Sylvia Robinson	2:55
21	The Blow Monkeys–	You Don’t Own Me Engineer – Ben KapeProducer – Peter WilsonWritten-By – David White (5), John Madara	3:02
22	Merry Clayton–	Yes Arranged By – Gene PageEngineer – Carmine RubinoEngineer [Assistant] – Jimmy HoysanProducer – Michael LloydWritten-By – Neal Cavanaugh, Terry Fryer, Thomas Graf	3:16
23	The Five Satins–	In The Still Of The Night Written-By – Fred Parris	3:05
24	Patrick Swayze Featuring Wendy Fraser–	She’s Like The Wind Engineer – Carmine RubinoEngineer [Assistant] – Dan NebenzalOrchestrated By [Additional] – John D’AndreaProducer – Michael LloydWritten-By – Patrick Swayze, Stacy Widelitz*	3:52
25	The Emile Bergstein Chorale–	Kellerman’s Anthem Written-By – Michael Goldman	2:29
26	Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes–	(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life Arranged By – Gene PageArranged By [Additional] – John D’Andrea, Michael LloydEngineer – Carmine RubinoEngineer [1st Assistant] – Dan NebenzalEngineer [2nd Assistant] – Jeff DeMorrisProducer – Michael LloydRemix – Carmine Rubino, Dan Nebenzal, Jimmy Ienner, Michael LloydWritten-By – Donald Markowitz, Franke Previte, John DeNicola	6:46