The Miscast Barbarian

A Biography of Robert E. Howard (1906 - 1936) by L. Sprague de Camp

Published by Gerry de la Ree, 1975.
[First edition limited to 900 copies, 130 numbered hardcover copies and 770 paperbound copies]

The softcover cover art is by Charles McGill (front cover) and Stephen E. Fabian (back cover). Interior illustrations are by Charles McGill, Virgil Finlay, George Barr, Stephen E. Fabian, C. Lee Healy, and Roy G. Krenkel.

Front of Hardcover

Front of Softcover

Contains the following Finlay black and white artwork
(in the order of appearance)

• Page 36: Virgil Finlay's illustration for Robert E. Howard's "Pigeons From Hell" (1936), published in May 1938 Weird Tales. Drawing from the collection of Gerry de la Ree. "Pigeons From Hell" is reproduced in The Book of Virgil Finlay, 1975.
• Page 16: Virgil Finlay's illustration for Robert E. Howard's "Dig Me No Grave" (1938), published in January 1937 Weird Tales. Drawing from the collection of Gerry de la Ree. "Dig Me No Grave" is reproduced in The Book of Virgil Finlay, 1975.

Contents:

• "Publisher's Note" by Gerry de la Ree
• "Introduction" by L. Sprague de Camp

1. "The Informative Years"
2. "The Die Is Cast"
3. "Into Manhood"
4. "Literary Influences"
5. "Celtic Heritage"
6. "A Product of His Times"
7. "His Markets Widen"
8. "Thoughts of Suicide"
9. "The Arrival of Conan"
10. "His Writing Style"
11. "Into Other Areas"
12. "Productive Years"
13. "All Fled - - All Done"
14. "Possible Reasons"
15. "The Revival"
16. "Notes"

Notes:
An original 49 page typed manuscript of The Miscast Barbarian exists, entitled Setting Copy. The manuscript is signed by the publisher and contains various corrections in ink throughout, presumably in Gerry de la Ree's hand. Includes half a dozen pages of publishers notes that are printed on one side only. The manuscript and publishers note are housed in a stiff folder.