Seventies Obsessions

Planet of the Apes, by Pierre Boulle.

The first copy we got at this book was a hardback, at the army surplus store. Where was that? My memory seems to place it near the location of old Half’s store, if it wasn’t in the actual building. But memory is a tricksy elf. Anyway, the book is very little like Rod Serling’s movie, and that’s what had sparked our enthusiasm. Later we got others in the series that were adaptations of the other movies, which I pretty much glommed onto, including this paperback edition with a picture from the movie on it. Rather false advertising, that.

Ranking: Essential Nostalgia.

File Code: Science Fiction. Satire. Paperback.

Beneath the Planet of the Apes, by Michael Avallone; Escape from the Planet of the Apes, by Jerry Pournelle; Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, by John Jakes; Battle for the Planet of the Apes, by David Gerrold.

Novelizations of the movies by various working genre writers. I remember being most involved with “Conquest”, as it was the near future. It’s also in the worst shape. We didn’t get “Beneath” or “Escape” for some time. Apes were the theme of many a playing for us boys, both with MEGOs and acted out.

Ranking: Essential

File Code: Movie Novelizations. Planet of the Apes. Paperbacks.

The Gospel According to Peanuts; The Parables of Peanuts, by Robert L. Short.

Pop brought us home “Parables” from one of his runs; I imagine he mistook it for a regular Peanuts book. We read it for the comics of course. Out of curiosity and for what it might say about Charlie Brown and Snoopy, I read through some of the theology as well. Some of the statements were “interesting, but tough” for a little JW boy, but it was an insight to more main-stream religion. Got the “Gospel” later, and this newer copy of “Parables” to replace our old tattered one.

Ranking: Nostalgic Necessities.

File Code: Religion. Paperback.