Wednesday, June 11, 2008

REH


Today marks the 72nd anniversary of Robert E. Howard's death. It's a tradition among Howard fans to read something he wrote and have a drink to him on this day (as well as his birthday), and that's exactly what I plan to do. Although the drink will probably be iced tea, since I seldom indulge in anything stronger than that. But it's the thought that counts, I hope.

8 comments:

Randy Johnson said...

I'm by no means an expert on all things Howard. I didn't realize the date, but I did start reading The Coming of Conan yesterday while waiting my turn at the Doctor's office.

James Reasoner said...

That's a great collection. Even though I'd read the Conan stories before, rereading them in the order in which Howard wrote them gave me some new insights into the way he approached his career. Whenever he sold a story he was very good at recognizing what made it successful and trying to play up those elements in other stories.

Charles Gramlich said...

I posted on this subject today as well. Hope to see you in CP this year. Not sure if you're planning to make it considering your year.

I may toast with a coke myself, though I'm sure the beer will be flowing in CP itself.

Too Randy, a fortuitious circumstance. Good reading.

Randy Johnson said...

It all started when my nephew, at a family function, asked me if I had any of the Conan books. He'd been playing the Age of Conan on line game and I really think he meant the line of novels from that game(i don't have any of them). I decided to start him on the real stuff before he got ahold of the pastiches.
Until I got the three books in this series, all I'd read were the rewritten and added-to versions myself.
I decided to reread them myself(it's been a few years since the last time) before I turned them over to the nephew.
As I'm not a drinker anymore(I got all that out of the way in a misbegotten youth), my drink to him will have to be a diet Mountain Dew.

Patrick Shawn Bagley said...

Coffee and "The Tower of the Elephant" made for a damn fine morning.

James Reasoner said...

I'm planning to reread either "Wild Water" or "Beyond the Black River", but I probably won't get around to it until tonight sometime.

madshadows said...

REH is one of my favourite author's, the DEL-RAY books released in the last few years have been excellent, I have over 50Howard books in my bookcases, my fav REH character is probably Solomon Kane, love his darkness.

AndyDecker said...

I picked a random book from my REH collection and re-read "By this Axe I rule". And raised a glas in the memory of this great writer.

He deserved so much more!