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Cover of The Last of the Trunk
Contains Robert E. Howard’s work
REH World editorial overlay

The Last of the Trunk

REH Foundation Press

2007
Edition format
Hardcover

Publication date: November 2007

Introduction

Robert E. Howard generated an enormous volume of written works, around 3.5 million words. In his tiny room in his house in Cross Plains, REH kept a trunk to hold all his output that was still awaiting a sale, as well as works that were rejected, unfinished, something he especially wanted to save, or simply copies of early drafts that he would reuse the back of in typing up another story. At the time of his death, that trunk held literally tens of thousands of pages of material, all hand-typed by REH. In the early 1960s, Glenn Lord obtained the contents of REH’s trunk. He had the duty, pleasure, and challenge of sorting it all out, and to begin shepherding those works into print. Hundreds of stories and poems poured forth, to see print in assorted books, magazines, and fan publications.

Ever since the publication of Glenn Lord’s The Last Celt in 1976, collectors of the works of REH have been aware of, but unable to read, more than a hundred unpublished stories and fragments. A few were published in the intervening years, but not many.

Finally, in this volume, the last of the trunk is being revealed. Virtually all the remaining prose, complete or not, is included. More than 100 works appear in this volume. While this collection may not feature his most memorable or impressive work (those works are already in print), it does fill in lots of blank spaces for the scholars and collectors, and perhaps yields a little more understanding of this great Texas writer.

This massive volume, well over 650 pages and over 180,000 words, is printed in hardback with dust jacket, in a limited quantity of 300 copies, each individually numbered. Cover artwork is by Tom Foster, cover design by Dennis McHaney. Dennis McHaney also built this book.

Notes

Edited by Patrice Louinet.
Limited edition of 300 copies
All texts taken from Howard's typescripts or manuscripts, provided by Glenn Lord, except for those indicated, which were taken from Glenn Lord's transcriptions.
Cover artist credited on copyright page.

 

Edition and production details

Language
English
Edition
1st
Edition format
Hardcover with dust jacket
Publication date
November 2007
Pages
657 plus xiii
Publisher / imprint
REH Foundation Press
Cover art
Cover artwork is by Tom Foster, cover design by Dennis McHaney.

89 linked Howard works

185 contents entries

  1. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" by Patrice Louinet
  2. Boxing Stories
  3. "Blue River Blues"
  4. "The Battling Sailor"
  5. "The Drawing Card"
  6. "The Jinx" ( transcription - see Notes )
  7. "The Wildcat and the Star"
  8. "Fistic Psychology" ( transcription - see Notes )
  9. Untitled "'Huh?' I was so dumbfounded . . ."
  10. "Fighting Nerves"
  11. "The Atavist"
  12. "A Man of Peace"
  13. "The Weeping Willow" ( transcription - see Notes )
  14. "The Right Hook" ( transcription - see Notes )
  15. "A Tough Nut to Crack"
  16. "The Trail of the Snake"
  17. "The Folly of Conceit"
  18. "The Fighting Fury"
  19. "Night Encounter" ( transcription - see Notes )
  20. "The Ferocious Ape"
  21. "The Ghost Behind the Gloves"
  22. "Misto Dempsey" ( transcription - see Notes )
  23. Other Stories
  24. "The Brand of Satan"
  25. "Incongruity"
  26. "The Slayer"
  27. "The Man Who Went Back"
  28. Untitled Synopsis "Hunwulf, an American . . ."
  29. Untitled "Thure Khan gazed out . . ."
  30. Untitled "As he approached . . ." ( transcription - see Notes)
  31. "A Room in London" (outline)
  32. "The Shadow in the Well" (draft)
  33. "Fate is the Killer"
  34. "The Grove of Lovers"
  35. "The Drifter"
  36. "The Lion Gate"
  37. Untitled "Franey was a fool."
  38. "The Ivory Camel"
  39. "Wolves - and a Sword" ( transcription - see Notes )
  40. Untitled "I'm a man of few words . . ."
  41. Untitled Synopsis "First Draft: James Norris . . ."
  42. "The Dominant Male"
  43. "The Paradox"
  44. Untitled "Mike Costigan, writer and self avowed futilist . . ."
  45. "The Splendid Brute"
  46. "Circus Charade"
  47. "The Influence of the Movies"
  48. Untitled "William Aloysius McGraw's father . . ." ( transcription - see Notes )
  49. "A Man and a Brother" ( transcription - see Notes )
  50. "Man"
  51. "Pigskin Scholar"
  52. "The Recalcitrant"
  53. Untitled "Arrange, Madame, arrange!"
  54. Untitled "'Yessah!' said Mrs. . . ."
  55. Essays
  56. "The Question of the East"
  57. "In His Own Image"
  58. "The Punch"
  59. Pre-1924 Stories
  60. "The Female of the Species"
  61. "The Last Man"
  62. "The Treasure of Henry Morgan"
  63. Untitled "The lazy quiet of the mid-summer day . . ."
  64. "Through the Ages" ( transcription - see Notes )
  65. "The White Jade Ring" ( transcription - see Notes )
  66. "The Roving Boys on a Sandburg"
  67. "Westward, Ho!"
  68. "The Wild Man"
  69. "What the Deuce?"
  70. "The Land of Forgotten Ages"
  71. "The Funniest Bout" ( transcription - see Notes )
  72. "The Red Stone"
  73. "A Unique Hat"
  74. Untitled "'A man,' said my friend Larry Aloysius 0'Leary . . ."
  75. Untitled ". . . that is, the artistry is but a symbol . . ."
  76. Untitled "I met him first in the Paradise saloon . . ."
  77. Untitled "Maybe it don't seem like anything interesting . . ."
  78. Untitled "So there I was . . ." ( transcription - see Notes )
  79. Untitled "Trail led through dense jungle . . ."
  80. Untitled "Two men were standing in the bazaar at Delhi . . ."
  81. Untitled "When Yar Ali Khan crept . . ."
  82. Untitled "Who I am it matters little . . ."
  83. High School Papers
  84. "A Twentieth Century Rip Van Winkle"
  85. "The Ghosts of Jacksonville"
  86. "A Boy, a Beehive, and a Chinaman"
  87. "Mr. Dowser Buys a Car "
  88. "A Faithful Servant "
  89. "A South Sea Storm"
  90. "The Ghost of Bald Rock Ranch"
  91. "A Fishing Trip "
  92. "Friends"
  93. "Ten Minutes on a Street Comer "
  94. "The Wings of the Bat"
  95. Notes on the Stories
  96. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly • (2007) • essay by Patrice Louinet xi · essay
  97. Blue River Blues • [Sailor Steve Costigan] • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 3 · story
  98. The Battling Sailor • [Sailor Steve Costigan] • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 21 · story
  99. The Drawing Card • [Kid Allison] • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 29 · story
  100. The Jinx • [Kid Allison] • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 40 · story
  101. The Wildcat and the Star • [Kid Allison] • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 52 · story
  102. Fistic Psychology • [Kid Allison] • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 73 · story
  103. Untitled fragment ([... ] "Huh?" I was so dumbfounded...") • [Kid Allison] • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 80 · story
  104. Fighting Nerves • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 86 · story
  105. The Atavist • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 122 · story
  106. A Man of Peace • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 138 · story
  107. The Weeping Willow • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 168 · story
  108. The Right Hook • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 175 · story
  109. A Tough Nut to Crack • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 192 · story
  110. The Trail of the Snake • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 210 · story
  111. The Folly of Conceit • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 234 · story
  112. The Fighting Fury • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 254 · story
  113. Night Encounter • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 274 · story
  114. The Ferocious Ape • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 289 · story
  115. The Ghost behind the Gloves • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 299 · story
  116. Misto Dempsey • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 302 · story
  117. The Brand of Satan • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 307 · story
  118. Incongruity • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 328 · story
  119. The Slayer • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 334 · story
  120. The Man Who Went Back • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 340 · story
  121. Untitled Synopsis ("Hunwulf, an American, and John Brill...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 349 · story
  122. Untitled fragment ("Thure Khan gazed out across...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 351 · story
  123. Untitled fragment ("As he approached the two...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 353 · story
  124. Untitled poem ("There was a thing of the shadow world...") • (1982) • poem by Robert E. Howard (variant of Shadow Thing) 355 · poem
  125. A Room in London (outline) • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 357 · story
  126. The Shadow in the Well • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 359 · story
  127. Fate Is the Killer • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 370 · story
  128. The Grove of Lovers • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 376 · story
  129. The Drifter • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 384 · story
  130. The Lion Gate • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 389 · story
  131. Untitled fragment ("Franey was a fool. Cleary...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 395 · story
  132. The Ivory Camel • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 398 · story
  133. Wolves—And a Sword • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 404 · story
  134. Untitled fragment ("I'm a man of few words...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard - also erroneously named "Shackled Mitts" 406 · story
  135. Untitled Synopsis ("James Norris...") • (1976) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 420 · story
  136. The Dominant Male • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 423 · story
  137. The Paradox • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 430 · story
  138. Untitled fragment ("Mike Costigan, writer and self-avowed...") • [Mike Costigan] • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 437 · story
  139. The Splended Brute • [Mike Costigan] • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 441 · story
  140. Circus Charade • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 446 · story
  141. The Influence of the Movies • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 449 · story
  142. Untitled fragment ("William Aloysius McGraw's father was red-headed...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 452 · story
  143. A Man and a Brother • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 455 · story
  144. Man • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 457 · story
  145. The Pigskin Scholar • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard (variant of Pigskin Scholar) 461 · story
  146. The Recalcitrant • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 468 · story
  147. Untitled fragment ("'Arrange, Madame, arrange!'...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 471 · story
  148. Untitled fragment ("'Yessah,' said Mrs...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 472 · story
  149. The Question of the East • (2007) • essay by Robert E. Howard 475 · essay
  150. In His Own Image • (2007) • essay by Robert E. Howard 477 · essay
  151. The Punch • (2007) • essay by Robert E. Howard 485 · essay
  152. The Female of the Species • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 491 · story
  153. The Last Man • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 500 · story
  154. The Treasure of Henry Morgan • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 525 · story
  155. Untitled fragment ("1. Iroquios and Huron The lazy quiet of the...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 534 · story
  156. Through the Ages • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 538 · story
  157. The White Jade Ring • [The Sonora Kid] • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 541 · story
  158. The Roving Boys on a Sandburg • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 546 · story
  159. Westward, Ho! • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 549 · story
  160. The Wild Man • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 556 · story
  161. What the Deuce? • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 565 · story
  162. The Land of Forgotten Ages • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 568 · story
  163. The Funniest Bout • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 571 · story
  164. The Red Stone • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 573 · story
  165. A Unique Hat • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard576 • Untitled fragment ("'A man,' said my friend Larry...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 575 · story
  166. Untitled fragment ("...that is, the artistry...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 578 · story
  167. Untitled fragment ("I met him first in the Paradise saloon...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 580 · story
  168. Untitled fragment ("Maybe it don't seem like anything...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 581 · story
  169. Untitled fragment ("'So there I was. Stranded in a ...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 585 · story
  170. Untitled fragment ("November 10, 1922, A.D. Trail led through ...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 589 · story
  171. Untitled fragment ("Two men were standing in the bazaar...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 594 · story
  172. Untitled fragment ("When Yar Ali Khan crept...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 596 · story
  173. Untitled fragment ("Who I am it matters little...") • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 598 · story
  174. A Twentieth-Century Rip Van Winkle • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard (variant of A Twentieth Century Rip Van Winkle) 600 · story
  175. The Ghosts of Jacksonville • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 607 · story
  176. A Boy, a Beehive, and a Chinaman • (1984) • short story by Robert E. Howard 609 · story
  177. Mr. Dowser Buys a Car • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 612 · story
  178. A Faithful Servant • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 617 · story
  179. A South Sea Storm • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 621 · story
  180. The Ghost of Bald Rock Ranch • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 623 · story
  181. A Fishing Trip • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 631 · story
  182. Friends • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 633 · story
  183. Ten Minutes on a Street Corner • (2007) • short story by Robert E. Howard 636 · story
  184. The Wings of the Bat • (2007) • short fiction by Robert E. Howard 638 · story
  185. Notes (The Last of the Trunk Och Brev I Urval) • (2007) • essay by uncredited 651 · essay

Contributors

Dennis McHaney
Cover designer
Patrice Louinet
Editor, Essayist
Tom Foster
Cover artist
Dennis McHaney.
Cover artist

Additional related terms

Preserved from the former REH World tagging system; these terms have not yet been assigned as contributors, characters or subjects.

Kid AllisonMike Costigan
Source provenance

This public record has been reviewed and combined by REH World. The preserved bibliographic source and earlier editorial layers remain stored internally for reference and future correction.