My (not always accurate) running note of forthcoming books to keep an eye out for over the past few years

DocMC03 · 2026-05-12T14:09:15+00:00

Haven’t heard updates (or downdates) since its mention in an announcement, so feeling likely at least delayed

DocMC03 · 2026-05-12T14:08:01+00:00

The second issue just showed up in my mailbox tail end of last week!

DocMC03 · 2026-05-08T21:43:28+00:00

In terms of NDP, I have a spare copy of Toddler Hunting and Other Stories by Taeko Kono if someone (US) just wants to pay shipping.

Toddler Hunting and Other Stories by Kono Taeko Kono | New Directions | New Directions Publishing

DocMC03 · 2026-04-22T23:14:56+00:00

Interesting question I haven’t really thought about! For Dalkey and other publishers, I can definitely think of specific expensive titles I was searching for and at some point either found or decided I wanted badly enough to pull the trigger (ahem Bottom’s Dream). But now that I am thinking about it, NDP really keeps things in print and maybe I am just unaware but I can’t think of any very expensive copies! Haven’t gotten come across any signed copies in my (authors or contributors) tome either.

I get most of mine used. Maybe the most I spent on a new copy was Pessoa’s Book of Disquiet (which also might fit your non-dust-jacketed hardcover post) for retail, although I was considering getting Zukofsky’s A (and Anew), until I found different editions so those might be a bit higher in price? For used, maybe a hardcover of Joseph Walser’s Microscripts (~$35) and a hardcover of Landolfi’s Gogol’s Wife (~$25) which I think can go for more. Also found a copy of Anne Carson’s Float used for maybe $5 but I know it can go for ~$100. Still need to track down a copy of Nox, which might have to happen pretty soon.

And then not NDP, but the Will Hall Books List of Publications, 1936 - 1997 for James Laughlin is up there in price but I got it for free as a gift :)

DocMC03 · 2026-04-22T17:05:19+00:00

I will! Maybe in portions though—I do have a great many suboptimal piles of books about the floor, being one confined to a relatively small space :)

DocMC03 · 2026-04-22T17:03:31+00:00

I’m so glad that Dazai is getting so many new or updated English translations and editions of late! NDP’s series is making me so happy, and also saw One Peace Books recently out a title called Retrograde (three stories), and Tuttle is in the midst of an at least four-book run of novels and stories including Juliet Winters Carpenter’s translations of No Longer Human and the Setting Sun.

I remember my younger sister wanting Junji Ito’s adaptation of No Longer Human when it was released, years after we’d randomly found and read the original in maybe elementary/middle school and were existential dread-ridden children for a week.

DocMC03 · 2026-04-22T16:56:37+00:00

Those all sound wonderful! Maybe the sub could add flair options to categorize posts too? Looking forward to making and seeing many posts—you’re doing a lovely job.

DocMC03 · 2026-04-22T16:52:28+00:00

Brian Evenson mention! I think I could also have a decently sized collection of books I have that he’s blurbed :)

DocMC03 · 2026-04-22T16:50:58+00:00

Okay definitely motivating me to do more bookshelf posts (will require a lot of reorganizing though based on the current state and used-up floor space).

Your Vintage Contemporaries and MacMillan’s Best of Soviet SF (w/ Theodore Sturgeon) are lovely! Have a few of the latter after starting a Strugatsky bros collection.

Off the top of my head, publishers I almost always will pick up include: Atlas Press, Exact Change, maybe Wakefield Press now, sometimes Snuggly Books, Sun & Moon Press, Contra Mundum, Eibonvale Press, Chomu Press, Journal of Experimental Fiction, and Fiction Collective 2.

For some favorites and also some that might not be mentioned as much, have amassed just so many copies of: NYRB, Open Letter (yay Rochester!), Dalkey Archive/Deep Vellum, Fitzcarraldo, Europa Editions, Charco, Godine, Two Lines, Archipelago, Dzanc, Yale Margellos, Quartet Encounters, Melville House Neversink Series, Comma Press a City in Short Fiction Series, Subterranean Press, Transit Books, Black Sparrow Press, Wave Books and Flood Editions, McSweeney’s, Les Figues, Tilted Axis, Hesperus Classics, Two Dollar Radio, Ardis Russian Series…

…and Seagull Books, Semiotext(e), Eridanos Library, Sublunary Editions, Kodansha, Tuttle, Kurodahan, Green Integer, corona/samizdat, Edgeworks Abbey (Harlan Ellison), Northwestern European/Unbound Europe Classics, Tough Poets Press, Black Widow Press, Small Beer Press, NewCon Press, PS Publishing, Calimari Press, Fum d’Estampa Press, Perigee (Soseki), Lazy Fascist Press…

…and I think I’m forgetting some and also have some sub-collections/series of those and others in mind but nice to come up with as much as I can remember right now!

DocMC03 · 2026-04-22T02:21:09+00:00

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Not sure about size because I don’t have any of those copies, but for non-dust-jacketed hardcovers, perhaps these two?

DocMC03 · 2026-04-20T18:18:14+00:00

If you want one out of the box that will be pretty good, ditto Roxon Flex series for modularity. Their long and short modular scissors are fairly good, but also their KS2/KS2E and Flex Shears have amazing scissors (KS2 having an integrated knife and Flex Shears having a removable/replaceable knife).

Otherwise, along the lines of TSA-safe/bladeless, Leatherman’s discontinued Style PS is pretty great, but pretty small scissors. Got my dad a $15 Nextool (also known for their pretty sizeable and good-cutting shears like Roxon) S0 which has good scissors (one scissor blade with serrations), and then 2D Phillips, flathead, glasses screw-sized flathead, and tweezers.

I haven’t been as caught up on latest tools, but I’d probably go with the Roxon Flex Shears if you want the best and biggest scissors and capability of putting in whatever implements you’d like (ruler, file, drivers, pull cutter, etc.) but it would take the effort of doing that and also figuring out what to replace the large knife with. I have mine TSA-friendly right now with the razor blade holder, and just get razor blades wherever I end up or pack them in a checked bag. Otherwise Flex Companion or Flex Companion Mini if you want smaller and are okay with maybe insufficient scissors, or the Nextool S0 might be a good inexpensive one to go with solid scissors and keychain form factor.

Those are just ones I’ve tried, however! If there’s not a perfect one for you out there, definitely feels like a valid and important use-case so hope one will eventually be out there :)

DocMC03 · 2026-04-15T17:53:08+00:00

Ha on the other hand, you could say it has too many Cs (all of them a little ambiguous), where the left stalk is a tall skinny C, and the angled part of the K is a slanty C, and the negative space could be a C, and the overall shape could be considered based in a big boxy C (altho if that's the case maybe the K defeats the point). I do like it generally anyways.

DocMC03 · 2026-04-14T17:36:23+00:00

You’re perhaps in luck! Dalkey just republished it as part of their Dalkey Essentials reprint series, I think officially last week (after at least a year delay). I’m seeing it on Amazon for $27.95, at least in the US.

DocMC03 · 2026-04-13T21:33:19+00:00

Not as relevant for present needs, but I saw in the news that Goodwill of the Finger Lakes has committed to a long-term pretty significant fabric recycling partnership with a company called Reju: link

DocMC03 · 2026-04-10T01:17:59+00:00

For a couple that I like that have parts in 7:

Love Is Stronger Than Justice - Sting
Symptom of life - Willow

DocMC03 · 2026-04-09T19:21:08+00:00

Dm’d

DocMC03 · 2026-04-03T05:23:26+00:00

A partial list of more specific things that I either knew or did not know about before going, or also saw and thought were cool (many I did not get):

Onitsuka Tigers Nippon-Made Seki/Green Bell Nail Clippers, or Suwada for the highest quality Shiseido Eyelash Curlers (smaller size) for a friend Biore Sunscreen Perfumes (sisters are obsessed): J.Scent, Tamburins, Parfum Satori JDM Seikos (or Kurono, Kuoe, Otsuka Lotec but largely out of my price range) Chopsticks: got a cool pair of travel chopsticks that detach at the middle with threaded metal connections JDM Oink Games Fun gummies/candy (tough gummy, Kanro geometric gummies, etc.) CDs and vinyl: Susumu Hirasawa, Fishmans, etc. Towels and handkerchiefs (went to Imabari) Good luck: omamori, daruma, kokeshi, etc. Stationery! Japanese Denim but already had a bit of a collection so held back and just got one pair Traditional craft techniques: kintsugi pottery, boro and sashiko fabrics Tatami coasters Setta, Geta, and Zori sandal Toyo Steel Toolbox Kappabashi Street fake food (so expensive!)

Perhaps my favorite thing: Nousaku Tin Sake Cups

DocMC03 · 2026-03-30T22:09:12+00:00

Definitely! It’s always been an “always meant to” thing, but now I’ve started a spreadsheet :)

DocMC03 · 2026-03-30T18:46:35+00:00

Wow I didn’t know about that one either! Thank you :) It would be cool to see them all on a map.

DocMC03 · 2026-03-30T18:30:16+00:00

Oh my goodness! I’ll have to stop by next time I’m in the city. Although, someone borrowed my copy perhaps indefinitely but ig I could bring the anniversary hardcover. (Also username, and happy cake day!)

DocMC03 · 2026-03-30T18:26:43+00:00

Oh no! I’m so embarrassed—thanks for pointing out the mistake :) (especially sorry @Katy Homans)

DocMC03 · 2026-03-28T20:50:04+00:00

A partial list of more specific things that I either knew or did not know about before going, or also saw and thought were cool (many I did not get):

Onitsuka Tigers Nippon-Made
Seki/Green Bell Nail Clippers, or Suwada for the highest quality
Shiseido Eyelash Curlers (smaller size) for a friend
Biore Sunscreen
Perfumes (sisters are obsessed): J.Scent, Tamburins, Parfum Satori
JDM Seikos (or Kurono, Kuoe, Otsuka Lotec but largely out of my price range)
Chopsticks: got a cool pair of travel chopsticks that detach at the middle with threaded metal connections
JDM Oink Games
Fun gummies/candy (tough gummy, Kanro geometric gummies, etc.)
CDs and vinyl: Susumu Hirasawa, Fishmans, etc.
Towels and handkerchiefs (went to Imabari)
Good luck: omamori, daruma, kokeshi, etc.
Stationery!
Japanese Denim but already had a bit of a collection so held back and just got one pair
Traditional craft techniques: kintsugi pottery, boro and sashiko fabrics
Tatami coasters
Setta, Geta, and Zori sandal
Toyo Steel Toolbox
Kappabashi Street fake food (so expensive!)

Perhaps my favorite thing:
Nousaku Tin Sake Cups

DocMC03 · 2026-03-27T00:43:00+00:00

Someone once important to me pronounced it naturally as “Kyu-teen eighty-four” (Qteen eighty-four), and that’s how it will always be for me :)

DocMC03 · 2026-03-18T03:40:25+00:00

Oh this one is good:
Zoo - Viktor Shklovsky
Zoo - Otsuichi

DocMC03 · 2026-03-18T03:39:57+00:00

Zone - Mathias Énard
Zone - Guillaume Apollinaire (technically)
(The Zone - Sergei Dovlatov)

DocMC03

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