In this richly illustrated anthropological study, John G. Bourke examines Apache medicine-men as healers, ritual specialists, and guardians of secret knowledge whose influence shaped Apache life and resistance to outside change. Drawing on firsthand observation and wide comparison with Indigenous and ancient cultures, he focuses on their organization, authority, sacred objects, and ceremonial paraphernalia—powders, cords, amulets, headdresses, and ritual spaces—while tracing striking paral...

The Things from Another World is a new official addition to the world of John W. Campbell's acclaimed sci-fi thriller Who Goes There?, which inspired both John Carpenter's The Thing and the upcoming Blumhouse reboot of the film. More than a mere sequel, The Things from Another World is a daring expansion and reimagination of the original story, set in a world in which Campbell's story was a fictional account of actual events, and then exploring the terri...

This provocative scholarly study turns to one of humanity's most unsettling subjects: the ritual, medicinal, magical, and symbolic uses of human and animal excreta across cultures. Framed by authorities such as Max Müller and E. B. Tylor, it argues that even the most repellent customs deserve serious anthropological attention because they can illuminate the development of religion and civilization. Drawing on more than a thousand sources, firsthand observation, correspondence with scholars...

John G. Bourke's An Apache Campaign in the Sierra Madre is a vivid firsthand account of General George Crook's 1883 pursuit of the hostile Chiricahua Apaches across the border into northern Mexico. Written with urgency and strong partisan feeling, it combines military history, frontier drama, and close ethnographic observation to show both the danger of Apache raiding and the harsh demands of campaigning in mountains, heat, and deprivation. Bourke recounts the breakdown at San Carlos, the ...

On the Border with Crook is considered one of the best firsthand accounts of frontier army life, as the author of the book gives equal time to both the soldier and the Native American. John Bourke, the author of this book was a captain in the United States Army. He served as an aide to General George Crook in the Apache Wars from 1872 to 1883. As Crook's aide, Bourke had the opportunity to witness every facet of life in the Old West—the battles, wildlife, the internal squabbling among the ...

The House Without a Key is the classic novel in which Charlie Chan makes his debut as Inspector of the Honolulu Police Department. Earl Derr Biggers brings Honolulu to life with deft descriptions of the landscape and of its hybrid ethnic communities. With the creation of Detective Chan, Biggers also shatters stereotypes and is ahead of his time in highlighting the positive aspects of Chinese-Hawaiian culture, just as his skillful rendering of San Francisco is noteworthy of its modernity an...

In the final novels of his ten-book Amber series, Roger Zelazny rewarded readers with several startling revelations about his fantasy universe. Fans discovered for the first time that Amber is not the one true world of which all others are but Shadows. Rather, the mysterious Courts of Chaos preceded the creation of Amber. It was also revealed that the mad mage Dworkin was the father of Oberon, founder of Amber's ruling dynasty, and that Dworkin's origins go further back in time than the f...

An Apache Campaign In The Sierra Madre is a first-hand historical account written by a captain in the United States Army, John Gregory Bourke. The book presents the details of the expedition led by General Crook to the Sierra Madre, in 1883. As Crook's aide, Bourke had the opportunity to witness every facet of life in the Old West—the battles, wildlife, the internal squabbling among the military, the Indian Agency, settlers, and Native Americans, which are all presented in this read.

Bourke chronicles the campaigns from 1886 to 1887, offering insights into the military strategies employed by U.S. forces and the resilience of the Apache warriors. The narrative captures the difficulties of navigating the harsh terrain, the unpredictable weather, and the tactics of guerrilla warfare employed by the Apaches. Bourke’s descriptions of skirmishes, ambushes, and the overall atmosphere of tension and uncertainty are compelling and serve to highlight the complexities of the conf...

Bourke, who served as Crook’s aide-de-camp, provides a vivid account of the challenges faced by soldiers on the frontier. The narrative covers a range of topics, including military strategies, daily life in the camps, and the complexities of navigating the difficult relationships between the U.S. military and Native American tribes. Bourke’s insights into Crook’s leadership style and tactical decisions offer readers a deeper understanding of military operations during this era.The book als...

Everyone is getting into the Halloween spirit this month! Our Acquiring Editors, Michael Bracken and Barb Goffen, have found supernatural detective stories by Dave Zeltserman and Joseph D’Agnese to kick things off. And we have haunts and horrors (not to mention voodoo) from regular contributors Phyllis Ann Karr and Ron Miller (whose burlesque queen-turned-private eye Velda returns this issue). And C.S. Dines takes us to McNeil Station in Antarctica for some unexpected chills.Of cou...

The Wildside book of Fantasy presents 20 great fantasy tales by modern masters. Included are stories by Tanith Lee, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Gene Wolfe, Fritz Leiber, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Robert E. Howard, and many more. A choice selection of tales!THE DEAD MAN, by Gene WolfeBRIGHT STREETS OF AIR, by Nina Kiriki HoffmanTHE DOLPHIN AND THE DEEP, by Thomas Burnett SwannTHE SWORDSMEN OF VARNIS, by Clive JacksonTHE EMPEROR OF GONDWANALAND, by Paul Di Filippo