Invisible Library

Hi, everyone! I've been on the Whorl List for a while, but I subscribed to this one to see what I've been missing and to mention the Invisible Library site <http://www.invisiblelibrary.com/ILCatalogf.htm>, a catalog of fictitious books. I think a lot of readers of this list will enjoy browsing the catalog. But although there's a lot of sf, there's nothing between Wodehouse and Woolf! So what books exist only in Wolfe's fiction? I'll start, in the Library's format: Title: The Book of the New Sun Pseudo-Author: unknown Pseudo-Title: The Wonders of Urth and Sky Comments: A compilation of ancient stories Title: The Book of the Long Sun, The Book of the Short Sun Pseudo-Author: unknown (or is somebody mentioned?) Pseudo-Title: The Chrasmological Writings Comments: The scriptures of a religion There must be more than this. The librarian,Brian Quinette, asks for suggestions, so when this thread winds up I'll e-mail him at <bartleby at invisiblelibrary.com>.

I actually brought this up a few months ago; the thread should be in the most recent volume of the archives, if you can downloaded it. I offered to collect suggestions and send them in, but things came up and I never got around to it: my bad. --Adam

And remember it 'leans against a folio in green cloth' Title: The book of the New Sun Pseudo-Author: Blaithmaic (or is that just part of the title?) Pseudo-Title: Lives of the Seventeen Megatherians Comments: it's a folio in green cloth n.b. isn't it strange that Wolfe likes using the number Seventeen so often? And for the Wonders of Urth and Sky's comments you could put what it says on in the subtitle, "a Collection from Printed Sources of Universal Secrets of Such Age That Their Meaning Has Become Obscured of Time". -rusty ----- Original Message -----

works

Title: The Book of the New Sun, The Urth of the New Sun Pseudo-Author: Canog Pseudo-Title: The Book of the New Sun Comments: Stories told by the Conciliator to his followers: the scripture of a religion. Green binding.

Add to comments: "brown binding" Title: "Useful Phrases" (short story in Strange Travelers) Pseudo-Author: unknown Pseudo-Title: Tohish Ablar Sens-Orriyya Ert ("Useful Phrases for Piteous Visitors to Earth") Comments: A phrase book for travelers, written in the alien language Tcove'. Title: Kirk Patterson Arthurs, Ph.D. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Kirk Patterson Arthurs Pseudo-Title: Mask and Coin: Grub Street in the 30s (1986) Comments: Author's first book, a critical reevaluation of depression-era writers in London. Title: Kirk Patterson Arthurs, Ph.D. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Kirk Patterson Arthurs Pseudo-Title: Maze of Gray: John Glaskin Revisited (1988) Comments: Lit-crit championing of an obscure British novelist. Title: Kirk Patterson Arthurs, Ph.D. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Kirk Patterson Arthurs Pseudo-Title: Sweet Sword, High Heart: Love and War in the Fiction of John Glaskin (1990) Comments: Lit-crit championing of an obscure British novelist. Title: John Glaskin (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: John Glaskin Pseudo-Title: Sixpence for Buns Comments: Title: John Glaskin (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: John Glaskin Pseudo-Title: Brideshead Comments: Title: John Glaskin (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: John Glaskin Pseudo-Title: You Can't Go Home at All Comments: Title: Kirk Patterson Arthurs, Ph.D. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Kirk Patterson Arthurs Pseudo-Title: Fiction in Fancy Dress: John Glaskin et al Exposed (1996) Comments: Glaskin a fiction. Title: John J. Jons, Jr. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: John J. Jons, Jr. Pseudo-Title: A Guide to the Public Toilets of America (aka "Jon's Guide") Comments: Title: John J. Jons, Jr. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: John J. Jons, Jr. Pseudo-Title: Meditation on the Utilitarian Theory of Literary Merit Comments: Title: Bernard A. French, Kopman Goldfleas, and Lieutenant James Ryan O'Murphy, NYPD (three in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Bernard French (ed.) Pseudo-Title: Great Lost Art of Western Europe Comments: Dinosaur folio (page 6 by 9 feet) Title: Xavier McRidy (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Xavier McRidy Pseudo-Title: The Paper Nautilus (1969) Comments: A controversial and unfinished novel concerning P. Derek Brewster-Higgenbothem, a reviewer for the overseas edition of the London Times, who is simultaneously reading and reviewing Mr. Milton in Medoc. Title: Xavier McRidy (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: S. Peety Pseudo-Title: Mr. Milton in Medoc Comments: A novel in which a man who falsely believes himself descended from the author of Paradise Lost retires to the South of France to write a critical dissertation on Allegiance to La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco Title: Xavier McRidy (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Juan Gabriel Sabastian de Solo y Varios Pseudo-Title: Allegiance to La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco Comments: A novel in which an Argentine author attempts to persuade a reluctant publisher in Buenos Aires to produce a Spanish translation of The Paper Nautilus. Title: Adam (?) Poor (?) (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Adam Poor Pseudo-Title: Voices Vocable (1975) Comments: A novel of seven characters in the darkness of a tunnel between Sark and Bournemouth. Title: Adam (?) Poor (?) (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Adam Poor Pseudo-Title: A Salted Mine (1976) Comments: A detective novel. =mantis= Sirius Fiction Has Moved To http://www.siriusfiction.com/

Thanks, and thanks to the others who responded. The archives are a real pain to use, aren't they? Probably unavoidable. I still should have checked them before asking. So I'll try to compile the answers and send them to the Invisible Librarian (who must really impress the shopkeepers during the annual procession). Real Soon Now.

The first time this subject came up, mantis contributed a list of the "books" in BIBLIOMEN which included seven books not on his more recent list: Brooks, Robert T., (Spinning Jenny transcription: title unknown), Doubleday (1982) [p. 19] French, Bernard A., PERFECTION UNTO DEATH [p. 44] Rico, Paul, TRAINING THE MIND (1981) [p. 72] Mirk, Roy C., POULTRY AS SYMBOLISM IN NINETEENTH CENTURY AMERICAN LITERATURE " , TEA-TIME TALK IN THE NOVELS OF LOUISE MAY ALCOTT " , WASHING AS A EUPHEMISM IN THE WORKS OF JACK LONDON " , A POST-MODERNIST CRITIC VIEWS THE ANTEBELLUM MIDDLE WEST [p. 93] I can't find my copy of BIBLIOMEN, so I don't know if there's a reason for his omitting these this time. I do have the following to contribute, though: "From the Desk of Gilmer C. Merton" by Gene Wolfe (in STOREYS FROM THE OLD HOTEL). STAR SHUTTLE by Gilray Gunn (Gilmer C. Merton) COME, DARK LUST! by Wolf Moon THE SHRIEKING IN THE NURSERY by Wolf Moon --Adam

I hope I don't get bit again, but I don't think these are "real" books. And I suspect that there are quite a few more candidates in Wolfe's fiction. From TIODDAOSAOS: In "The Doctor of Death Island" (p. 253) is THE DEATH OF LOVE by Kinglake, apparently a book about psychology. In "Seven American Nights" (p. 383) is MYSTERY BEYOND THE SUN'S SETTING by Osman Aga, some sort of popular account of travels within the ruined interior of America. -Roy

[snip]

I just ran out of steam retyping them from scratch! (Especially fatiguing since BIBLIOMEN doesn't exactly lie flat.) Glad to see that someone is digging out what we done before--I only remember it in rough outline. =mantis= Sirius Fiction Has Moved To http://www.siriusfiction.com/

Okay, at the risk of cluttering up the list with material that's already been posted, here's what I've got. Any other names for Blaine, the forger of The Lusty Lawyer, and Kinglake, the author of The Death of Love? Is that really an apostrophe in Tcove', or an accent? And is there anything relevant in "Parkroads: a Review"? You'll notice I've added Scleroderma's ms. I've also made obvious guesses at which pieces in Bibliomen some of the fictitious books are mentioned in, with help from the ISFDB. Any comments, additions, or corrections? Contributors: Michael Andre-Driussi, Roy Lackey, Adam Stephanides, Michael Straight, and your servant. I hope I didn't miss anyone! Author: Gene Wolfe Title: Peace Pseudo-Author: Louis Gold Pseudo-Title: THE BOOK THAT BINDS THE DEAD (or THE BOOK OF THE NAMES OF THE DEAD, or THE BOOK OF THE NAMES OF DEATH or THE NECRONOMICON) Comments: A spurious Lovecraftian NECRONOMICON by a character in PEACE Title: Peace Pseudo-Author: Blaine? Psuedo-Title: The Lusty Lawyer Comments: Another forgery, this time of a book announced but never published by the real-life author Amanda Ros (fl. c. 1900), notorious for her painfully purple prose Title: Seven American Nights (short story in The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories and Other Stories) Pseudo-Author: Osman Aga Pseudo-Title: MYSTERY BEYOND THE SUN'S SETTING Comments: some sort of popular account of travels within the ruined interior of America Title: The Doctor of Death Island (in The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories and Other Stories) Pseudo-Author: Kinglake Psuedo-Title: THE DEATH OF LOVE Comments: Apparently about psychology Title: From the Desk of Gilmer C. Merton (in STOREYS FROM THE OLD HOTEL). Pseudo-Author: Gilray Gunn (Gilmer C. Merton) Pseudo-Title: STAR SHUTTLE Title: From the Desk of Gilmer C. Merton Pseudo-Author: Wolf Moon Pseudo-Title: COME, DARK LUST! Title: From the Desk of Gilmer C. Merton Pseudo-Author: Wolf Moon Pseudo-Title: THE SHRIEKING IN THE NURSERY Title: "Useful Phrases" (in Strange Travelers) Pseudo-Author: unknown Pseudo-Title: Tohish Ablar Sens-Orriyya Ert ("Useful Phrases for Piteous Visitors to Earth") Comments: A phrase book for travelers, written in the alien language Tcove'. Author: Gene Wolfe Title: The Book of the New Sun Pseudo-Author: unknown Pseudo-Title: The Book of the Wonders of Urth and Sky; Being a Collection from Printed Sources of Universal Secrets of Such Age That Their Meaning Has Become Obscured of Time Comments: has a brown leather binding Title: The Book of the New Sun Pseudo-Author: Blaithmaic Pseudo-Title: Lives of the Seventeen Megatherians Comments: a folio in green cloth Title: The Book of the New Sun Pseudo-Author: unknown Pseudo-Title: The Book of Gold Comments: That beautiful book that captivates children destined to join the librarians' guild--a different book for each child [I'll let you decide whether to include this book] Title: The Book of the New Sun, The Urth of the New Sun Pseudo-Author: Canog Pseudo-Title: The Book of the New Sun Comments: Stories told by the Conciliator to his followers: the scripture of a religion. Green binding. Title: The Book of the Long Sun Pseudo-Author: unknown Pseudo-Title: The Chrasmological Writings Comments: The scriptures of a religion Title: The Book of the Long Sun Pseudo-Author: Scleroderma Pseudo-Title: unknown Comments: a manuscript on history that the author witnessed Title: Kirk Patterson Arthurs, Ph.D. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Kirk Patterson Arthurs Pseudo-Title: Mask and Coin: Grub Street in the 30s Comments: The author's first book, a critical reevaluation of depression-era writers in London (1986). Title: Kirk Patterson Arthurs, Ph.D. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Kirk Patterson Arthurs Pseudo-Title: Maze of Gray: John Glaskin Revisited Comments: Lit-crit championing of an obscure British novelist (1988). Title: Kirk Patterson Arthurs, Ph.D. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Kirk Patterson Arthurs Pseudo-Title: Sweet Sword, High Heart: Love and War in the Fiction of John Glaskin Comments: Lit-crit championing of an obscure British novelist (1990). Title: John Glaskin (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: John Glaskin Pseudo-Title: Sixpence for Buns Comments: Title: John Glaskin (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: John Glaskin Pseudo-Title: Brideshead Comments: Title: John Glaskin (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: John Glaskin Pseudo-Title: You Can't Go Home at All Comments: Title: Kirk Patterson Arthurs, Ph.D. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Kirk Patterson Arthurs Pseudo-Title: Fiction in Fancy Dress: John Glaskin et al Exposed (1996) Comments: Glaskin a fiction. Title: John J. Jons, Jr. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: John J. Jons, Jr. Pseudo-Title: A Guide to the Public Toilets of America (aka "Jon's Guide") Comments: Title: John J. Jons, Jr. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: John J. Jons, Jr. Pseudo-Title: Meditation on the Utilitarian Theory of Literary Merit Comments: Title: Bernard A. French, Kopman Goldfleas, and Lieutenant James Ryan O'Murphy, NYPD (three in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Bernard French (ed.) Pseudo-Title: Great Lost Art of Western Europe Comments: Dinosaur folio (page 6 by 9 feet) Title: Xavier McRidy (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Xavier McRidy Pseudo-Title: The Paper Nautilus (1969) Comments: A controversial and unfinished novel concerning P. Derek Brewster-Higgenbothem, a reviewer for the overseas edition of the London Times, who is simultaneously reading and reviewing Mr. Milton in Medoc. Title: Xavier McRidy (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: S. Peety Pseudo-Title: Mr. Milton in Medoc Comments: A novel in which a man who falsely believes himself descended from the author of Paradise Lost retires to the South of France to write a critical dissertation on Allegiance to La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco Title: Xavier McRidy (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Juan Gabriel Sabastian de Solo y Varios Pseudo-Title: Allegiance to La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco Comments: A novel in which an Argentine author attempts to persuade a reluctant publisher in Buenos Aires to produce a Spanish translation of The Paper Nautilus. Title: Adam (?) Poor (?) (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Adam Poor Pseudo-Title: Voices Vocable Comments: A novel of seven characters in the darkness of a tunnel between Sark and Bournemouth (1975). Title: Adam (?) Poor (?) (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Adam Poor Pseudo-Title: A Salted Mine Comments: A detective novel (1976). Title: Gertrude S. "Spinning Jenny" Deplatta (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Brooks, Robert T. Pseudo-Title: Unknown Comments: Spinning Jenny transcription, Doubleday (1982) Title: Bernard A. French (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: French, Bernard A. Pseudo-Title: PERFECTION UNTO DEATH Title: Paul Rico (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Rico, Paul Pseudo-Title: TRAINING THE MIND Comments: 1981 Title: Captain Roy C. Mirk, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Mirk, Roy C. Pseudo-Title: POULTRY AS SYMBOLISM IN NINETEENTH CENTURY AMERICAN LITERATURE Title: Captain Roy C. Mirk, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Mirk, Roy C. Pseudo-Title: TEA-TIME TALK IN THE NOVELS OF LOUISE MAY ALCOTT Title: Captain Roy C. Mirk, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Mirk, Roy C. Pseudo-Title: WASHING AS A EUPHEMISM IN THE WORKS OF JACK LONDON Title: Captain Roy C. Mirk, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. (in Bibliomen) Pseudo-Author: Mirk, Roy C. Pseudo-Title: A POST-MODERNIST CRITIC VIEWS THE ANTEBELLUM MIDDLE WEST