Philip José Farmer (1918 – 2009) was an American author known for his science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories.
Farmer is best known for his sequences of novels, especially the World of Tiers (1965–93) and Riverworld (1971–83) series. He is noted for the pioneering use of sexual and religious themes in his work, his fascination for, and reworking of, the lore of celebrated pulp heroes, and occasional tongue-in-cheek pseudonymous works written as if by fictional characters. Farmer often mixed real and classic fictional characters and worlds and real and fake authors as epitomized by his Wold Newton family group of books. These tie all classic fictional characters together as real people and blood relatives resulting from an alien conspiracy. Such works as The Other Log of Phileas Fogg (1973) and Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life (1973) are early examples of literary mashup novel.
Literary critic Leslie Fiedler compared Farmer to Ray Bradbury as both being “provincial American eccentrics” who “strain at the classic limits of the [science fiction] form,” but found Farmer distinctive in that he “manages to be at once naive and sophisticated in his odd blending of theology, pornography, and adventure.”
Farmer won a Hugo Award for Best New SF Author or Artist in 1953, the first of three Hugos awards he won in his career. Thus encouraged, he quit his job to become a full-time writer, entered a publisher’s contest, and promptly won first prize for a novel, Owe for the Flesh, that contained the germ of his later Riverworld series.
He won a second Hugo award in 1968, in the category Best Novella, for Riders of the Purple Wage; a pastiche of James Joyce‘s Finnegans Wake as well as a satire on a futuristic, cradle-to-grave welfare state. Reinvigorated, Farmer became a full-time writer again in 1969. Upon moving back to Peoria in 1970, he entered his most prolific period, publishing 25 books in 10 years. His novel To Your Scattered Bodies Go (a reworked, previously unpublished version of the prize-winning first novel of 20 years before) won him a third Hugo in 1972, for Best Novel.
In 2001 Philip José Farmer won the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and the Science Fiction Writers of America made him its 19th SFWA Grand Master in the same year.
Philip José Farmer – First Edition Identification Guide
Note: This list only includes works published prior to 1977.
| Year | Title | Publisher | First edition/printing identification points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | THE ADVENTURE OF THE PEERLESS PEER | Boulder, Colorado: The Aspen Press, 1974 | First edition so stated on © page. John H. Watson, M.D., pseudonym. |
| 1962 | THE ALLEY GOD | New York: Ballantine Books, [1962] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. An Original Ballantine Book F 588 (50c). ALSO: London: Sidgwick & Jackson, [1970], Boards. First Published in Great Britain 1970 on © page. First hardcover edition. |
| 1970 | BEHIND THE WALLS OF TERRA | New York: Ace Publishing Corporation, [1970] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Book 71135 (75c). |
| 1969 | BLOWN OR SKETCHES AMONG THE RUINS OF MY MIND | North Hollywood: An Essex House Original, [1969] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Essex House 020139 ($1.95). |
| 1973 | THE BOOK OF PHILIP JOSE FARMER | New York: DAW Books, Inc., [1973] | Wrappers. First printing, July 19731123456789 on © page. DAW: sf Books No. 63 UQ1063 (95c). ALSO: [Morley]: The Elmfield Press, [1976]. Boards. Published in the United Kingdom in 1976 on © page. First hardcover edition. |
| 1962 | CACHE FROM OUTER SPACE | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1962] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Double F-165 (40c). Bound with THE CELESTIAL BLUEPRINT by Farmer. |
| 1962 | THE CELESTIAL BLUEPRINT | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1962] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Double F-165 (40c). Bound with CACHE FROM OUTER SPACE. |
| 1965 | DARE | New York: BallantineBooks, [1965] | Wrappers. First Ballantine Printing: February 1965 on © page. A Ballantine Science Fiction Original U2193 (50c). |
| 1977 | THE DARK DESIGN | New York: Published by Berkley Publishing Corporation, [1977] | No statement of printing on © page. |
| 1968 | THE DAY OF THE TIMESTOP | New York: Lancer Books, [1968] | Wrappers. A Lancer Book, 1968 on © page. Lancer Books 73-715 (60c). Reissue of A WOMAN A DAY. |
| 1973 | DOC SAVAGE: HIS APOCALYPTIC LIFE | Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1973 | First edition so stated on © page. ALSO: Toronto New York London: Bantam Books, [1975]. Wrappers. Bantam Book July 1975 on © page. A Bantam Book Q8834 ($1.25). Corrected and enlarged edition. |
| 1971 | DOWN IN THE BLACK GANG | Garden City: Nelson Doubleday, Inc. ,[1971] | Two printings, priority as listed:
|
| 1971 | THE FABULOUS RIVERBOAT | New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, [1971] | Boards. No statement of printing on © page. |
| 1969 | A FEAST UNKNOWN | North Hollywood, Calif.: An Essex House Original, [1969] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. EH 0121 ($1.95). Note: Subtitle reads Volume IX of The Memoirs of Lord Grandrith/edited by Philip Jose Farmer. ALSO: [Kansas City]: The Fokker D-LXIX Press A Subsidiary of Acme Zeppelin Company, [1975]. 1000 copies printed. Two binding states, no priority:
|
| 1962 | FIRE AND THE NIGHT | Evanston, Illinois: Regency Books, [1962] | Wrappers. Published April, 1962 on © page. Regency RB 118 (50c). |
| 1960 | FLESH | [New York]: Beacon Books, [I960] | Wrappers. First printing - 1960 on page [1]. Beacon Book No. 277 (35c). ALSO: Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1968. First edition so stated on © page. First hardcover edition. Revised text. |
| 1976 | FLIGHT TO OPAR | New York: DAW Books, Inc., [1976] | Wrappers. First printing, June 1976/"1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9" on © page. DAW: sf Books No. 197 UW1238 ($1.50). |
| 1966 | THE GATE OF TIME | New York: Belmont Books, [1966] | Wrappers. October 1966 on © page. Belmont Science Fiction B50-717 (50c). |
| 1966 | THE GATES OF CREATION | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1966] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Book F-412 (40c). |
| 1957 | THE GREEN ODYSSEY | New York: Ballantine Books, [1957] | Two bindings, no priority: (A) Cloth; (B) Wrappers. Ballantine Books 210 (35c). No statement of printing on © page. |
| 1974 | HADON OF ANCIENT OPAR | New York: DAW Books, Inc., [1974] | Wrappers. First printing, April, 1974/"1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9" on © page. DAW: sf Books No. 100 UY 1107 ($1.25)/. |
| 1965 | THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST | North Hollywood: An Essex House Original, [1965] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. EH0108 ($1.95). |
| 1964 | INSIDE OUTSIDE | New York: Ballantine Books, [1964] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ballantine Books U2192. (50c). |
| 1976 | IRONCASTLE | New York: DAWBooks, Inc., [1976] | Wrappers. First printing, March 1976/"1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9" on © page. DAW: sf Books No. 187 UY1225 ($1.25). Note: Translated and adapted by Farmer from the French of J.-H. Rosney Aine. |
| 1977 | THE LAVALITE WORLD | New York: Ace Books, [1977] | Wrappers. First Ace Printing: December 1977 on © page. Ace 47420-9 ($ 1.75). |
| 1970 | LORD OF THE TREES | New York: Ace Books, [1970] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Double 51375 (75c). Bound with THE MAD GOBLIN by Farmer. |
| 1970 | LORD TYGER | Garden City: Doubleday A Company, Inc., 1970 | First edition so stated on © page. |
| 1970 | LOVE SONG | North Hollywood: A Brandon House Book, [1970] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Brandon House 9BH-6134 ($1.95). |
| 1961 | THE LOVERS | New York: Ballantine Books, [1961] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ballantine Books 507 K (35c). |
| 1970 | THE MAD GOBLIN | New York: Ace Books, [1970] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Double 51375 (75c). Bound with LORD OF THE TREES by Farmer. |
| 1965 | THE MAKER OF UNIVERSES | New York: Ace Books Inc., [1965] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Book F-367 (40c). ALSO: [New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1975.] No statement of printing on © page. First hardcover edition. Notes: (1) Photographically reproduced from the 1970 Sphere Books edition. (2) Not issued in dust jacket. |
| 1966 | NIGHT OF LIGHT | [New York] Published by Berkley Publishing Corporation, [1966] | Wrappers. June, 1966 on © page.Berkley Medallion F1248 (50c). ALSO: [New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1975..] No statement of printing on © page. First hardcover edition. Notes: (1) Photographically reproduced from the 1966 Berkley edition. (2) Not issued in dust jacket. |
| 1973 | THE OTHER LOG OF PHILEAS FOGG | New York: DAW Books, Inc., [1973] | Wrappers. First Printing, March 1973 on © page. Also, First Printing [through] Tenth Printing set in ten lines following the dedication on © page. DAW: sf Books No. 48 UQ1048 (95c). |
| 1965 | A PRIVATE COSMOS | New York: Ace Books, Inc., [1965] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. An Ace BookG-724 (50c). |
| 1970 | THE STONE GOD AWAKENS | New York: Ace Books, [1970] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Book 78650 (75c). |
| 1960 | STRANGE RELATIONS | New York: Ballantine Books, [1960] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ballantine Books 391 K (35c). ALSO: London: Victor Gollancz Ltd, 1964. Boards. No statement of printing on © page. First hardcover edition. |
| 1972 | TARZAN ALIVE | Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1972 | First edition so stated on © page. |
| 1972 | TIME'S LAST GIFT | New York: Ballantine Books, [1972] | Wrappers. First Printing: January, 1972 on © page. Ballantine Books Science Fiction 02468-0-095 (95c). ALSO: New York: Ballantine Books, [1977]. Wrappers. Revised Edition:/First Printing: July 1977 on © page. Ballantine 25843 ($1.50). Revised text. |
| 1970 | TIMESTOP! | New York: Lancer Books, [1970] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Lancer Books 74616-075 (75c). Reissue of A WOMAN A DAY, TO YOUR SCATTERED BODIES GO, New York:G. P. Putnam's Sons, [1971], No statement of printing on © page. TONGUES OF THE MOON, New York: Pyramid Books, [1964], Wrappers. First printing, August 1964 on © page. Pyramid Books R-1055 (50c). |
| 1973 | TRAITOR TO THE LIVING | New York: Ballantine Books, [1973] | Wrappers. First Printing: November, 1973 on © page. Ballantine Books 23613 ($1.25). |
| 1975 | VENUS ON THE HALF-SHELL | [New York]: A Dell Book, [1975] | Wrappers. First printing -February 1975 on © page. Dell 6149 (95c). Kilgore Trout, pseudonym. |
| 1971 | THE WIND WHALES OF ISHMAEL | New York: Ace Books, [1971] | Wrappers. No statement of printing on © page. Ace Book 89237 (75c). |
| 1960 | A WOMAN A DAY | [New York]: Beacon Books, [1960] | Wrappers. First printing-1960 on page [1]. Beacon Book No. 291 (Galaxy Novel #43] (35c). Reissued as THE DAY OF THE TIMESTOP and later as TIMESTOP! |
Philip José Farmer – First Printing Dust Jacket Identification Points
Gallery of First state Dust Jackets of Farmer’s works. Only includes the first appearance in book form. Either the UK or US edition and does not include later printings.
Reference:
- Wikipedia
- L. W. Currey, Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors: A Bibliography of First Printings of Their Fiction and Selected Nonfiction.
