Yesterday when I visited my local Barnes & Noble bookstore, I was amazed -- nay, overwhelmed -- when I beheld three Smith books on sale in their fantasy and science fiction section. This was the first time I'd ever seen any books on sale by Smith anywhere -- the three books were Lost Worlds and two copies of The Door to Saturn.

To make matters still more wonderful, this seems to be an ongoing trend with Barnes & Noble, for I checked on their site around the Baltimore area (I live in the South) and a Smith book was available at one of their chainstores there as well! Could all this, perhaps, be indicative of a new renaissance of appreciation for Clark Ashton Smith?

We have seen the darkness
Where charnel things decay,
Where atom moves with atom
In shining swift array,
Like ordered constellations
On some sidereal way.
--from Nyctalops

Which three? Dare I hope that the Night Shades somehow made it on to the shelves? Of course I expect that it was the Bison reprints and one of the Wildside Press paperbacks.

Scott

It was the hardcover Night Shades all right! Two copies of the second volume The Door to Saturn. ;) I'm so happy with Barnes & Noble now, that I could just...buy another CAS book from them!

We have seen the darkness
Where charnel things decay,
Where atom moves with atom
In shining swift array,
Like ordered constellations
On some sidereal way.
--from Nyctalops

I have just learned that Barnes and Nobles is carrying The Door to Saturn in most of their larger stores. Three of the five stores in the Sacramento area, for instance, carry it. :)

Scott

What wonderful news! What do you imagine could have precipitated this sudden change in their usual rather aloof attitudes toward Clark?

We have seen the darkness
Where charnel things decay,
Where atom moves with atom
In shining swift array,
Like ordered constellations
On some sidereal way.
--from Nyctalops

Michael Dirda's column in the WP Book World probably helped a great deal. Also, Stefan Dziemianowicz works for B&N, although I don't know in what capacity, and he might have been able to influence the decision in a positive manner.
And maybe B&N just has good taste?
Best,
Scott