Harlan 101: Encountering Ellison

Designed as both an introduction to Harlan Ellison's vast body of work and as a manual for would-be writers, Harlan 101 collects the best of the author's short fiction, seven essays on the craft of writing, and a collection of rarely seen oddities from Ellison's extensive archives. This 400-page paperback features: An introduction by New York Times bestseller Neil Gaiman, author of the Hugo Award-winning novels American Gods and The Graveyard Book, and creator of Vertigo Comics' Sandman series. The first appearance in a widely available Ellison collection of his newest short story—the 2011 Nebula Award-winning "How Interesting: A Tiny Man." Five Hugo Award-winning short stories, including "‘Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman," "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream," "The Deathbird," "Jeffty Is Five," and "Paladin of the Lost Hour." "Snake in the Crypt"—The never-before-republished story that Ellison rewrote to become "The Deathbird." See how this average tale was re-worked into a Hugo Award-winning novelette. The lost ending to "Paladin of the Lost Hour"—This ending only appeared in the very first publication of the short story in the 1985 anthology Universe 15; it has never been reprinted. A disturbing and, as-yet, unfinished short story titled "Pet." Seven informative, yet entertaining essays on the craft of writing (four which have never appeared in an Ellison collection). Plus sixteen other stories—some subtly revised for this publication—spanning Ellison's career. From the 1950s comes "The Sky is Burning." The 1960s are represented by "All the Sounds of Fear" and "Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes." The Ellison of the 1970s appears in "At the Mouse Circus," "Basilisk," "Hindsight: 480 Seconds," "The Man Who Was Heavily Into Revenge," "Shatterday," "Shoppe Keeper," and "Strange Wine." The 1980s offerings include "Broken Glass," "Grail," "On the Slab," and "Prince Myshkin, and Hold the Relish," while the 1990s bring forth "The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore" and "Sensible City."