Book of the Dead: Friends of Yesteryear : Fictioneers & Others

by E. Hoffmann Price, Peter A. Ruber (Editor), Jack Williamson (Introduction)

Book by Price, E. Hoffmann, Ruber, Peter A.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

423 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2001

About the author

Originally intending to be a career soldier, Price graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point; he served in the American Expeditionary Force in World War I, and with the American military in Mexico and the Philippines. He was a champion fencer and boxer, an amateur Orientalist, and a student of the Arabic language; science-fiction author Jack Williamson, in his 1984 autobiography Wonder's Child, called E. Hoffmann Price a "real live soldier of fortune."

In his literary career, Hoffmann Price produced fiction for a wide range of publications, from Argosy to Terror Tales, from Speed Detective to Spicy Mystery Stories. Yet he was most readily identified as a Weird Tales writer, one of the group who wrote regularly for editor Farnsworth Wright, a group that included Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, and Clark Ashton Smith. Price published 24 solo stories in "the Unique Magazine" between 1925 and 1950, plus three collaborations with Otis Adelbert Kline, and his works with Lovecraft.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Price during his life was a jack-of-all-trades man who was a soldier, fencer, boxer, Oriental rug collector, and most known for his sci-fi writing. During his rather long life ( he died at the age of 89 while at his computer writing ) he met and corresponded with many of the top Weird Tales authors of the time including HP Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, Henry Kuttner, and many more.
This book is essentially his remembrances, recollections, memories and times meeting all these colorful authors now known as the giants of fantasy, horror, and science-fiction.
For the most part it was just incredible reading about Price's times with these authors and what he felt about them during many trips and meetings involving food, drink, travel, and adventure. A few times I felt the book got a bit bogged down with repetition and some rather mundane moments, but overall it was a very engaging book and I felt like I was right there with him meeting these fascinating and often quirky people.
So glad that my good friend Steven loaned me this one to read.

[Phillip Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magical book by the only man who met REH, HPL, and Klark-Ashton in the flesh. Price had lively thoughts about everyone and everything. Be sure to read this book!

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great compilation of eulogies and biographies of pulp masters (HPL, REH, etc.) by an old pulpster himself. Great read for any fan of pulps, writers, etc.