The Works of Robert Aickman


Demon

Aickman Photo

Robert Fordyce Aickman (1913-1981) was a British author of stories he himself best described as "strange". The grandson of Victorian novelist Richard Marsh, Aickman won the World Fantasy Award in 1975 for his short story "Pages from a Young Girl's Journal". Aickman has enjoyed a devoted, but sadly, rather small following over the years.

While Aickman had received schooling in his father's profession, architecture, his real interests were more cosmopolitan: literature, music, ballet and theater. These diverse interests kept him busy as critic, lecturer, and organizer. He served on many boards and panels, and was an avid traveller. He also edited the first eight volumes of the Fontana Book(s) of Great Ghost Stories. In his Who's Who in Horror and Fantasy Fiction, Mike Ashley notes that Aickman's Fontana selections were "impeccable".

Perhaps Aickman's greatest legacy will be his co-founding of The Inland Waterways Association, a group devoted to restoring and preserving England's inland canal system.

Eleven collections of Aickman's "strange stories" have been published, of these, eight are original collections and three reprint collections. Two novels and two volumes of autobiography have been published. Only four of Aickman's books have been published in the United States, and even in his native England, he has been out of print for years.

NEWS: Robert Aickman returns to print! Nearly a decade has passed since Aickman's last book (a reprint volume) was released. Now plans are afoot on both sides of the Atlantic to present the "Collected Strange Stories" of Robert Aickman. While both editions will be the same in that they will contain the complete short stories, the format of the two will be different. More details below, near the bottom of the page.

For additional information on Aickman and his writings, visit: Robert Aickman - An Appreciation

Demon

Published Works

NOTE: I'm trying to put together a comprehensive list of Aickman's books, and would like to hear about any editions I don't have listed here. UK paperbacks are of special interest. Please feel free to contact me with any information. Thanks!


WE ARE FOR THE DARK: SIX GHOST STORIES. London: Cape, 1951.

Perfect Love*
The Trains
The Insufficient Answer
Three Miles Up*
The View
Left Luggage*

NOTE: Three stories (*), by Elizabeth Jane Howard, with Aickman's collaboration. Additional edition- London: Mayflower/Dell, 1965.


KNOW YOUR WATERWAYS. London: Coram, 1954.

NOTE: Non-fiction title. At least one "revised" edition was also published.


THE STORY OF OUR INLAND WATERWAYS. London: Pitman, 1955.

NOTE: Non-fiction title.


DARK ENTRIES. London: Collins, 1964.

The School Friend
Ringing the Changes
Choice of Weapons
The Waiting Room
The View (see WE ARE FOR THE DARK)
Bind Your Hair

NOTE: Two printings in 1964 of the Collins edition. Additional edition- London: Fontana, 1964 & 1965.


THE LATE BREAKFASTERS. London: Gollancz, 1964. Novel.

NOTE: Additional edition- London: Portway/Chivers, 1978.


POWERS OF DARKNESS. London: Collins, 1966.

Your Tiny Hand Is Frozen
My Poor Friend
The Visiting Star
Larger Than Oneself
A Roman Question
The Wine-Dark Sea

NOTE: Additional edition- London: Fontana, 1968.


THE ATTEMPTED RESCUE. London: Gollancz, 1966. Autobiography.


SUB ROSA: STRANGE TALES. London: Gollancz, 1968.

Ravissante
The Inner Room
Never Visit Venice
The Unsettled Dust
The Houses of the Russians
No Stronger Than a Flower
The Cicerones
Into the Wood


COLD HAND IN MINE: STRANGE STORIES. London: Gollancz, 1975.

The Swords
The Real Road to the Church
Niemandswasser
Pages from a Young Girl's Journal
The Hospice
The Same Dog
Meeting Mr Millar
The Clock Watcher

NOTE: Additional editions- New York: Scribners, 1977. New York: Berkley, 1979. London: Robinson, 1988. The Scribners edition features a nice dust jacket by Edward Gorey. Also issued in a "Book Club" edition.


TALES OF LOVE AND DEATH. London: Gollancz, 1977.

Growing Boys
Marriage
Le Miroir
Compulsory Games
Raising the Wind
Residents Only
Wood


PAINTED DEVILS: STRANGE STORIES. New York: Scribners, 1979.

Ravissante (see SUB ROSA)
The Houses of the Russians (see SUB ROSA)
The View (see WE ARE FOR THE DARK & DARK ENTRIES)
Ringing the Changes (see DARK ENTRIES)
The School Friend (see DARK ENTRIES)
The Waiting Room (see DARK ENTRIES)
Marriage (see TALES OF LOVE AND DEATH)
Larger Than Oneself (see POWERS OF DARKNESS)
My Poor Friend (see POWERS OF DARKNESS)

NOTE: No UK edition of this title. Very nice dust jacket by Edward Gorey. Also issued in a "Book Club" edition.


INTRUSIONS: STRANGE TALES. London: Gollancz, 1980.

Hand in Glove
No Time Is Passing
The Fetch
The Breakthrough
The Next Glade
Letters to the Postman

NOTE: Last title published in Aickman's lifetime.


NIGHT VOICES: STRANGE STORIES. London: Gollancz, 1985.

The Stains
Just a Song at Twilight
Laura
Rosamund's Bower
The Trains (see WE ARE FOR THE DARK)
Mark Ingestre: The Customer's Tale


THE RIVER RUNS UPHILL: A Story of Success and Failure. Burton-on-Trent: Pearson, 1986. Autobiography.


THE MODEL. New York: Arbor House, 1987. Novel.

NOTE: Additional edition- London: Robinson, 1988. Aickman had hoped to have this published with illustrations by Edward Gorey, alas the publishers never followed through.


THE WINE-DARK SEA. New York: Arbor House/Morrow, 1988.

The Wine-Dark Sea (see POWERS OF DARKNESS)
The Trains (see WE ARE FOR THE DARK & NIGHT VOICES)
Your Tiny Hand Is Frozen (see POWERS OF DARKNESS)
Growing Boys (see TALES OF LOVE AND DEATH)
The Fetch (see INTRUSIONS)
The Inner Room (see SUB ROSA)
Never Visit Venice (see SUB ROSA)
The Next Glade (see INTRUSIONS)
Into the Wood (see SUB ROSA)
Bind Your Hair (see DARK ENTRIES)
The Stains (see NIGHT VOICES)

NOTE: Issued as a "Book Club" edition in paperback (large format).


THE WINE-DARK SEA. London: Mandarin, 1990.

The Wine-Dark Sea (see POWERS OF DARKNESS)
The Trains (see WE ARE FOR THE DARK & NIGHT VOICES)
Your Tiny Hand Is Frozen (see POWERS OF DARKNESS)
Growing Boys (see TALES OF LOVE AND DEATH)
The Fetch (see INTRUSIONS)
The Inner Room (see SUB ROSA)
Never Visit Venice (see SUB ROSA)
Into the Wood (see SUB ROSA)


THE UNSETTLED DUST. London: Mandarin, 1990.

The Unsettled Dust (see SUB ROSA)
The Houses of the Russians (see SUB ROSA & PAINTED DEVILS)
No Stronger Than a Flower (see SUB ROSA)
The Cicerones (see SUB ROSA)
The Next Glade (see INTRUSIONS & THE WINE-DARK SEA)
Ravissante (see SUB ROSA & PAINTED DEVILS)
Bind Your Hair (see DARK ENTRIES & THE WINE-DARK SEA)
The Stains (see NIGHT VOICES & THE WINE-DARK SEA)


THE COLLECTED STRANGE STORIES. London: Tartarus/Durtro, 1999.

Note: The complete short stories, contents as per the above collections. Two volume limited edition of 500 copies.


New and Forthcoming

As stated above, two editions of THE COLLECTED STRANGE STORIES will be issued, a UK and a US edition. The first printing of the UK edition has gone out of print, but a second printing has been issued and is still available.

The US edition is being published by Old Earth Books. This will be a two volume hardcover set. The print run is planned to be around 2000 copies, with publication perhaps sometime in 2001. This edition will also include Aickman's short novel The Model as well as some non-fiction items such as the introductions Aickman wrote for the Fontana selections he edited.


Unpublished Works

GO BACK AT ONCE. Book.
PANACEA. Book.
ALLOWANCE FOR ERROR. Play.
DUTY. Play.
THE GOLDEN ROUND. Play.

Demon
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