I've been a fan of the Ace Doubles ever since I saw one for the first time. In those days the cover price was 35 cents, and you got two novels back-to-back. How could you go wrong? You couldn't. Well, I couldn't. I know that there are those who hold some of the books in this series in disdain, but I'm not one of them. I enjoyed every one I read back in the old days, and I'd probably enjoy them again if I read them now. Over the years I picked them up when I saw them, and when the Internet made just about everything available with the click of a mouse, I decided I wanted all of the D-series, if not all the Doubles, and that explains why there are check marks by a lot of the titles in this little (86 pp) book. 
Not that the list of all the titles in the series is all you get. There's a short buy very good introduction by Donald A. Wollheim, the series editor, which is followed by James A. Corrick's 8-page history. Even if you know most of it already, it's always fun to read about it again. I was looking through the book the other day, and I ran across a couple of the later titles that I decided I need to order. That's the danger of a book like this. And the fun of it, too.
8 comments:
Few things were more pleasurable than nabbing the latest Ace sf double in the days of my yute.
I never knew about the Wolheim book. We also published an index to the Ace SF Doubles years ago when we were publishing the FADING SHADOWS magazines. I have all of the Ace SF Doubles, plus many duplicates, but haven't picked up al the Ace Mystery Doubles yet. I passed on the Ace Western Doubles, though I picked up a few. I had to draw the line somewhere (LOL).
I have the SF and mystery doubles, but not the westerns. Well, not all of them. I have a nice stack, including the L'Amour titles by "Jim Mayo," and of course the Harry Whittington titles.
UH oh. Good thing Judy doesn't read your blog.
Jeff
I bought plenty of ACE Books back in the 1960s. ACE Doubles were my favorites. But I came in at the beginning of the F-Series. I went back and bought some of the D-Series when I could find them. I love ARMCHAIR FICTION's faux-ACE Doubles today.
My favorite quote about the Ace Doubles (and I haven't a clue who said it) is that if you gave Ace the Bible, they'd make it a double by calling the Old Testament "Out of the Darkness" and the New Testament "The Thing with Three Souls".
Wollheim did have a way with titles.
I remember these well! Many hours of my misspent youth were spent between the covers of Ace Doubles. I was always partial to the SF titles, but read some mysteries, too.
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