Hi Everyone-

Hope your autumn is going well. I can't help noticing that Halloween is right around the corner, and corny though it is, I usually feel inclined to read and or watch something spooky right about now. So, in case you should have the same inclination, may I throw out a couple of suggestions?

The first is David J. Skal's serious yet highly enjoyable survey of the history of horror movies, The Monster Show. Skal follows the entire history of the genre, starting with the silents and the work of the mysterious Tod Browning, the carnival almunus who jumpstarted the silent career of Lon Chaney before going on to make such creepy sound-era classics as Dracula and the unforgettable Freaks. Other highlights include James Whale, who directed the best of the Frankenstein movies before becoming the subject of Gods and Monsters, the phenomenon of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and the ongoing evolution of the genre, all the way up to the varying success of films based on the novels of Stephen King. It's a fascinating, anecdote-filled look at some great movies, what drove their success, and how and why our culture responds to them. Think of it as Vincent Price meets Leslie Fiedler.

One moviemaker—actually a producer rather than a director—on whom Skal spends a good deal of time is Val Lewton. Lewton was a genius of B horror movies in the forties: given only an attention-grabbing (read: schlocky) title and a small budget, he crafted a series of intelligent, genuinely unsettling horror films that relied far more on the power of suggestion than on any overt effects. In fact, were it not for the RKO's insistance that an actual panther make an appearance in the classic Cat People, the film would have remained as unresolved and prevocative as "The Turn of the Screw." His best work is now gathered together in The Val Lewton Collection, which we have available on DVD. Besides Cat People, other highlights include its titular sequel Curse of the Cat People, actually about the imaginitive life of a young girl, I Walked with a Zombie, featuring voodoo in the West Indies that may or not have a rational explanation, and the deeply perturbing The Seventh Victim, featuring an urban coven that doesn't like its members sharing its secrets.

Both the Skal book and the Lewton films make for a perfect diversion if you're looking to indulge in the spooky spirit of the season. And if you know some good, creepy books or films you'd like to mention, drop me an email at jmurphy@olssons.com.

Talk to you again soon,

-Joe Murphy, Head Book Buyer

Hi Everyone-

The fall book season is officially in full swing, and I'm continuing to use this space to chat up some current and forthcoming books about which I'm excited. This week I'd like to mention Peter Guralnick's forthcoming masterful biography of soul legend Sam Cooke, "Dream Boogie." I actually started hearing rumors that Gurnalnick was working on a Sam Cooke bio over a year ago, and I've been watching publishers' catalogues ever since, looking for it. Well, it's coming in November, and let me just say, it's worth the wait.

Cooke is the one of the few important figures of twentieth century music without a major biography, and it's hard to believe, because his life is so fascinating. I remember discovering his music in college and being amazed that the same person wrote and performed "Wonderful World," "Cupid," "You Send Me," "Twisting the Night Away," and many more great pop songs. I have always been particularly moved by his incredible song "A Change Is Gonna Come." If you try to make a pop song majestic, you'd better know what you're doing, and Cooke clearly did. The song Leaves you slack-jawed with wonder and admiration.

And the life is every bit as fascinating as the music. From Gurlanick's extensive portrayal of the world of gospel singing, form which Cooke came, to Cooke's passionate involvement with the Civil Rights movement (which puts "A Change is Gonna Come" into context), to the mysterious, disturbing, and tragic circumstances of his death, "Dream Boogie" is the story of an amazing life, amazingly told. We're featuring it as a Buyer's Choice at 20% off when it arrives, and it will also appear in our Holiday Gift Guide. Stop by and reserve a copy! Even better, come to The Lansburgh/Penn Quarter store on Tuesday, October 25, 7pm, when Peter Gurlanick will be discussing and signing his new book.

And if I've enticed you to check out the music, we have a great collection in stock: "Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964," covering all Cooke's hits, some of his early gospel work, and, of course, that rhapsodic "A Change is Gonna Come."

Hope all is well with you. I'll talk to you again soon.

Best Wishes,

-Joe Murphy, Head Book Buyer