Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Two Windows with Two Sleeping Nudes (plus Bellem autograph!)

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A few Forgotten Book Fridays ago, James Reasoner reviewed The Window with the Sleeping Nude by Robert Leslie Bellem, posting a scan of the Handi-Book below. That's the first edition, and the same cover art is used on the reprint editions now available. (You can read his sage remarks HERE).

Well, just the other day I came across my copy of the Harlequin edition (above), published a year later, in 1951. Interesting similarities, don't you think? But you'll note the Harlequin folks are looking through the window from outside, and are shocked by the sleeper's nude bum. The Handi-Book people are inside the department store, and seem more concerned than surprised. Maybe they're dismayed to find her sleeping on the job.

 

The back cover hype reads the same on both books . . .


P.S. In response to this post, Mr. Art Scott sent the pic below, displaying the flyleaf of the near-mint Handi-Book he found at a thrift store for ten cents. That's what clean living does for you. Thanks Art! Funny, I never thought of RLB as "Bob".

4 comments:

Evan Lewis said...

Yes, friends and neighbors, if you want a crappy watch that looks like a Rolex (just like the ones you can buy at your local flea market), to help you get ahead socially and on the job, I'd suggest you jump right on that website!

David Cranmer said...

I love these old covers. "... dismayed to find her sleeping on the job" is probably right! But either way, I'd probably have more of a smile cross my face then anything else.

Richard Prosch said...

Great post, Dave! Made me think of all those old "Spot the Differences" puzzles.

James Reasoner said...

This is confirmation that Bellem was actually friends with pulp writer George Armin Shaftel, who he named a character after in this novel. I figured as much, but it's nice to be sure.