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The Eye and the Finger.
Sauk City, Wisconsin: Arkham House, 1944. Hardcover. 8vo (7.5” x 5.5”), green and black decorative paper covers in mylar sleeves, full black cloth with gilt-title at spine. xiii, 344 pp. First edition. One of 1,617 copies. Donald A. Wandrei (1908–1987) was a prolific American science fiction and fantasy writer with a penchant for the cosmic. The present work collects his fantasy, horror, and science fiction short stories. The dust jacket illustration is by his brother Howard Wandrei, who was also a science fiction writer. Among the stories included are "The Tree-Men of M'Bwa," "The Blinding Shadows," "The Scientist Divides," "Earth Minus," "Finality Unlimited," "The Red Brain," and "On the Threshold of Eternity." Also included is one of his more traditional fantasies (appearing in Esquire, 1937), “The Painted Mirror." The latter was adapted for television in Rod Serling's Night Gallery (1971–73). Derleth’s other short fiction collection is Strange Harvest (1965), which also features a cover by his brother. Wandrei and August Derleth founded Arkham House in 1939, initially to publish the work of H. P. Lovecraft. This was the first of Wondrei’s books published by the firm. These stories previously appeared in Weird Tales, Esquire, Argosy, Astounding Stories and other magazines. While Wandrei left Arkham House after WWII, he briefly returned to the company after Derleth's death in 1971, and later was involved in acrimonious litigation with the firm's new proprietors. In 1984, he was awarded a World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, but declined it. REFERENCES: Barron 3-204; Clute, John, John Grant, editors. “Donald A. Wandrei,” Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997) at sf-encyclopedia.uk; Herron, Don. “‘The Red Brain’: A Study in Absolute Doom,” Studies in Weird Fiction 2 (Summer 1987), p. 32. CONDITION: Near fine/near fine; a first rate copy.
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