This is the English translation of ‘Le Guide Howard’ by Patrice Louinet. Too bad I missed out on the limited, signed edition of the hardcover version. Patrice Louinet is the editor of the definitive, three-volume, Conan series (Wandering Star and Del Rey books). He is also on the board of directors of the Robert E. Howard Foundation and is a well-known Howard scholar.

It’s a really great book and breaks down some of the myths about Howard and also Conan.

Contents

• ix • List of Plates • essay by uncredited
• 19 •  Robert E. Howard • interior artwork by uncredited
• 22 •  Hester Howard and Robert’s dog Patch • interior artwork by uncredited
• 26 •  A teenage Howard demonstrating his fighting form • interior artwork by uncredited
• 30 •  Postcard from Howard to his friend Harold Preece showing the customs house in Piedras Negras • interior artwork by uncredited
• 41 •  Robert in a childhood portrait ca. 1911 • interior artwork by uncredited
• 42 •  Robert as a young boy • interior artwork by uncredited
• 43 •  A teenage Robert (left) with his mother Hester and father Isaac. • (2010) • interior artwork by uncredited (variant of Robert, Hester, and Dr. Isaac Howard)
• 46 •  The Three Musketeers – Howard (left), Truett Vinson (center) and Tevis Clyde Smith (right). • interior artwork by uncredited
• 46 •  Howard (left) squared up in a fighting stance with his friend Dave Lee • (1975) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 50 •  Howard’s first professional sale, “Spear and Fang” was published in the July 1925 issue of Weird Tales • (1925) • interior artwork by Andrew Brosnatch (variant of cover art for Weird Tales, July 1925)
• 53 •  Howard’s tale “Red Blades of Black Cathay” co-written with Tevis Clyde Smith made the cover of the February-March issue of Oriental Stories • (1931) • interior artwork by Donald von Gelb (variant of cover  art for Oriental Stories, February-March 1931)
• 55 •  The Conan the Cimmerian story “The Devil in Iron” appeared on the cover of the August 1934 issue of Weird Tales • interior artwork by Margaret Brundage (variant of cover art for Weird Tales, August 1934 1934)
• 58 •  Novalyne Price, Howard’s girlfriend and later biographer • (1986) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 61 •  The famous photo of Howard with the fedora was taken during a period he was dating Novalyne price. • interior artwork by uncredited
• 63 •  The last known photo of Robert E. Howard ca. Spring 1936 • interior artwork by uncredited
• 67 •  Illustration by Hugh Rankin of “The Shadow Kingdom” in Weird Tales August 1929 • (1929) • interior artwork by Hugh Rankin (variant of The Shadow Kingdom)
• 69 •  Weird Tales January 1928 featuring the debut of Solomon Kane in “Red Shadows.” • interior artwork by C. C. Senf (variant of cover art for Weird Tales, August 1928 1928)
• 74 •  ”Hawks of Outremer” interior illustration. • (1931) • interior artwork by Joseph Doolin (variant of Hawks of Outremer)
• 81 •  ”Worms of the Earth” interior illustration • (1932) • interior artwork by Jayem Wilcox (variant of Worms of the Earth)
• 84 •  ”The Tower of the Elephant” interior illustration • (1933) • interior artwork by Jayem Wilcox (variant of The Tower of the Elephant)
• 88 •  May 1934 issue of Weird Tales with “Queen of the Black Coast” cover by Brundage • interior artwork by Margaret Brundage (variant of cover art for Weird Tales, May 1934 1934)
• 95 •  ”Beyond the Black River” interior illustration • (1935) • interior artwork by Hugh Rankin (variant of Beyond the Black River (Part 1 of 2))
• 100 •  ”Pigeons from Hell” interior illustration • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay (variant of Pigeons from Hell 1938)
• 109 •  June 1933 Weird Tales with “Black Colossus” cover by Brundage • (1933) • interior artwork by Margaret Brundage (variant of cover art for Weird Tales, June 1933)
• 112 •  June 1935 issue of Top-Notch with “Hawk of the Hills” cover • (1935) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 118 •  Weird Tales June 1930 with “Moon of Skulls” cover • interior artwork by Hugh Rankin (variant of cover art for Weird Tales, June 1930 1930)
• 124 •  ”The Valley of the Worm” interior illustration • (1934) • interior artwork by Hugh Rankin (variant of The Valley of the Worm)
• 136 •  Arnold Schwarzenegger (left) as Conan; Jason Momoa (right) as Conan • interior artwork by uncredited
• 147 •  The author (right) and Glenn Lord (left) in 2009 • interior artwork by uncredited
• 151 •  H. P. Lovecraft • interior artwork by uncredited
• 153 •  Weird Tales was the premier fantasy and horror pulp of the 1920s and 1930s • interior artwork by uncredited
• 165 •  A scene from the 1961 Thriller episode of “Pigeons from Hell” • interior artwork by uncredited
• 167 •  Conan the Barbarian (1982) movie poster • interior artwork by uncredited
• 171 •  The Mexican Conan comic ‘La Reina de la Costa Negra’ • interior artwork by uncredited
• 173 •  Conan the Barbarian No. 1 (Marvel 1970) • (1970) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 178 •  The Lancer Conan paperbacks with Frank Frazetta covers. • interior artwork by uncredited
• 192 •  Blood and Thunder by Mark Finn, 2010 revised edition. • interior artwork by uncredited