James Hilton Bibliography

Pulpmeister · 07-31-2020, 11:31 PM

Trawling through on-line newspapers I found a crime short story by James Hilton called "Lives of Men". Hilton (died 1954) is still copyright in L+70 but is PD in Australia.

Meanwhile, I find there is a story called "Lives of Men" by Hilton with an entirely different story, online at an Australian PD website. Absolutely and utterly different, slightly eerie set in the Torres Strait. It turns out that this story is referenced in the International SF Database. The one I found in the newspaper (a crime short story set in London) must have had a different title originally. But what?

There's precedent. "The Perfect Plan", another short story by the same author, I found in a newspaper as "The Perfect Murder."

The problem? There is no easily available on-line list of all of Hilton short stories; in short, no complete bibliography. The Fiction Mags Index lists quite a few, but manifestly not all.

Surely someone must have done a full Hilton bibliography by now. Does anyone know?

skb · 08-03-2020, 05:59 PM

Now you've got me worrying about this...James Hilton is one of my all time favourite authors.

I do have "A James Hilton Companion - A Guide to the Novels, Short Stories, Nonfiction Writings and Films" by John R Hammond. McFarland 2010.

He lists "Lives of Men" as 'a short story in the Evening Standard Second Book of Strange Stories (London, Hutchinson, 1937). A thought provoking and vivid narrative of a pearl diver's experiences, with a "twist in the tail" as it's conclusion.'

The book itself looks self published (with a credit for the front cover image from Shutterstock) but I couldn't be sure.

ISBN 978-0-7864-3844-0

"John R Hammond is a former research fellow at Nottingham Trent University in England. He is the secretary of the James Hilton Society and the president of the H.G. Wells Society."

Pulpmeister · 08-05-2020, 10:53 PM

Thanks skb. Looks like probably no published compete bibliography, at least on-line anyway. Maybe someone did an academic one. I'll have a go at contacting Mr Hammond.

Jellby · 09-15-2020, 11:43 AM

So, "The Perfect Murder" is by this James Hilton? Then I'm afraid "Past Masters Nine" must go to the offline forum.

skb · 09-16-2020, 12:07 AM

I can't find a reference to "The Perfect Murder" but he did write a short murder mystery story called "The Perfect Plan".

Edited to add: In Appendix 6 of the JH Companion, it's mentioned that American scholar Frederick Ott was writing a biography (should be published by now?) and that a "fully comprehensive bibliography of Hilton's works, both fiction and non-fiction is in preparation by Sandy Weiss of Illinois". Hope that helps.

Pulpmeister · 09-16-2020, 05:53 AM

"Perfect Murder" and "Perfect Plan" are the same story. And having it in PM9 was a big oops. I was truffling for an Australian site, where Hilton is in the PD, and in a moment of madness added the story to the bottom of PM9. I've now remade PM9 without Mr Hilton's story.

I have heard back from the James Hilton Foundation, who are confident that the other story, set in London, confusingly published in an Australian newspaper under the title "Lives of Men" is not Hilton.

skb · 09-16-2020, 04:54 PM

Wow. Weird. I suppose in days when it took ages to communicate across the world (if not longer) then it was inevitable there'd be woopsies. Also, in a way, I'm not surprised that a paper would get the author wrong (perhaps deliberately). If Hilton was popular in that era or area, then no one across the other side of the universe is going to know it's not him. Of course, it could just be a local James Hilton (his relatives sell Toyotas locally to me in regional NSW

).

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the PD or PM9 terms.

Good news about the Foundation being in touch though. You've rekindled my interest in Hilton (I have lots of his books and even a play!) and I think I'll reread "Without Armour" again for the first time in years.

Pulpmeister · 09-19-2020, 02:42 AM

Hi skb

short hand

"PD" is Public Domain (on this site, Life+70 years)
"PM9" is "Past Masters Nine", the ninth of a series of anthologies of short stories I am editing. Up to PM10 as of today.

skb · 09-19-2020, 04:55 PM

Aha! I geddit, thanks. I really should've got PD.

Thanks again!

07-31-2020, 11:31 PM	#1
Pulpmeister Wizard Posts: 2,502 Karma: 28893796 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: kindle	James Hilton Bibliography Trawling through on-line newspapers I found a crime short story by James Hilton called "Lives of Men". Hilton (died 1954) is still copyright in L+70 but is PD in Australia. Meanwhile, I find there is a story called "Lives of Men" by Hilton with an entirely different story, online at an Australian PD website. Absolutely and utterly different, slightly eerie set in the Torres Strait. It turns out that this story is referenced in the International SF Database. The one I found in the newspaper (a crime short story set in London) must have had a different title originally. But what? There's precedent. "The Perfect Plan", another short story by the same author, I found in a newspaper as "The Perfect Murder." The problem? There is no easily available on-line list of all of Hilton short stories; in short, no complete bibliography. The Fiction Mags Index lists quite a few, but manifestly not all. Surely someone must have done a full Hilton bibliography by now. Does anyone know?

08-03-2020, 05:59 PM	#2
skb Evangelist Posts: 401 Karma: 1597305 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Ipod G4, MacOS 10.12, Calibre, Pocketbook Touch HD 3	Now you've got me worrying about this...James Hilton is one of my all time favourite authors. I do have "A James Hilton Companion - A Guide to the Novels, Short Stories, Nonfiction Writings and Films" by John R Hammond. McFarland 2010. He lists "Lives of Men" as 'a short story in the Evening Standard Second Book of Strange Stories (London, Hutchinson, 1937). A thought provoking and vivid narrative of a pearl diver's experiences, with a "twist in the tail" as it's conclusion.' The book itself looks self published (with a credit for the front cover image from Shutterstock) but I couldn't be sure. ISBN 978-0-7864-3844-0 "John R Hammond is a former research fellow at Nottingham Trent University in England. He is the secretary of the James Hilton Society and the president of the H.G. Wells Society." Last edited by skb; 08-03-2020 at 07:20 PM.

09-16-2020, 12:07 AM	#5
skb Evangelist Posts: 401 Karma: 1597305 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Ipod G4, MacOS 10.12, Calibre, Pocketbook Touch HD 3	I can't find a reference to "The Perfect Murder" but he did write a short murder mystery story called "The Perfect Plan". Edited to add: In Appendix 6 of the JH Companion, it's mentioned that American scholar Frederick Ott was writing a biography (should be published by now?) and that a "fully comprehensive bibliography of Hilton's works, both fiction and non-fiction is in preparation by Sandy Weiss of Illinois". Hope that helps. Last edited by skb; 09-16-2020 at 12:13 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Other Fiction Hilton, James: So Well Remembered. V1. 10 Sep 2012	crutledge	BBeB/LRF Books (offline)	0	09-10-2012 11:34 AM
Other Fiction Hilton, James: Nothing So Strange. V1. 10 Sep 2012	crutledge	BBeB/LRF Books (offline)	0	09-10-2012 07:43 AM
Short Fiction Hilton, James: To You, Mr Chips!. V1. 9 Sep 2012	crutledge	Kindle Books (offline)	0	09-09-2012 01:54 PM
Short Fiction Hilton, James: To You, Mr Chips!. V1. 9 Sep 2012	crutledge	ePub Books (offline)	0	09-09-2012 01:53 PM
Hilton, James: Was it Murder?, v.2, 23 Feb 2008.	hn_88	BBeB/LRF Books (offline)	0	02-23-2008 11:57 AM

08-05-2020, 10:53 PM	#3
Pulpmeister Wizard Posts: 2,502 Karma: 28893796 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: kindle	Thanks skb. Looks like probably no published compete bibliography, at least on-line anyway. Maybe someone did an academic one. I'll have a go at contacting Mr Hammond.

09-15-2020, 11:43 AM	#4
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,516 Karma: 18512745 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	So, "The Perfect Murder" is by this James Hilton? Then I'm afraid "Past Masters Nine" must go to the offline forum.

09-16-2020, 05:53 AM	#6
Pulpmeister Wizard Posts: 2,502 Karma: 28893796 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: kindle	"Perfect Murder" and "Perfect Plan" are the same story. And having it in PM9 was a big oops. I was truffling for an Australian site, where Hilton is in the PD, and in a moment of madness added the story to the bottom of PM9. I've now remade PM9 without Mr Hilton's story. I have heard back from the James Hilton Foundation, who are confident that the other story, set in London, confusingly published in an Australian newspaper under the title "Lives of Men" is not Hilton.

09-16-2020, 04:54 PM	#7
skb Evangelist Posts: 401 Karma: 1597305 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Ipod G4, MacOS 10.12, Calibre, Pocketbook Touch HD 3	Wow. Weird. I suppose in days when it took ages to communicate across the world (if not longer) then it was inevitable there'd be woopsies. Also, in a way, I'm not surprised that a paper would get the author wrong (perhaps deliberately). If Hilton was popular in that era or area, then no one across the other side of the universe is going to know it's not him. Of course, it could just be a local James Hilton (his relatives sell Toyotas locally to me in regional NSW ). I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the PD or PM9 terms. Good news about the Foundation being in touch though. You've rekindled my interest in Hilton (I have lots of his books and even a play!) and I think I'll reread "Without Armour" again for the first time in years.

09-19-2020, 02:42 AM	#8
Pulpmeister Wizard Posts: 2,502 Karma: 28893796 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: kindle	Hi skb short hand "PD" is Public Domain (on this site, Life+70 years) "PM9" is "Past Masters Nine", the ninth of a series of anthologies of short stories I am editing. Up to PM10 as of today.

09-19-2020, 04:55 PM	#9
skb Evangelist Posts: 401 Karma: 1597305 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Ipod G4, MacOS 10.12, Calibre, Pocketbook Touch HD 3	Aha! I geddit, thanks. I really should've got PD. Thanks again!

Advert

Advert