A new printing of the very popular A Walking Tour of the Shambles is now available from American Fantasy Press. This little chapbook is chock-full of gleeful nastiness in the tradition of Edward Gorey, Gris Grimly or Charles Addams. Authors Neil Gaiman and Gene Wolfe take the reader through the most wickedly haunted neighborhood in Chicago complete with chillingly funny cautions and revelations. The book (not a comic) is illustrated by Chicago artists Randy Broecker and Earl Geier, who add a dark and menacing atmosphere, plus it has a beautiful full-color cover by Gahan Wilson.
Neil Gaiman and Gene Wolfe invite you to tour the Shambles, that historic old Chicago neighborhood which miraculously survived the Great Fire of 1871. (“Ya can’t burn Hell,” as one local politician laughingly remarked.) Uniquely Chicago, the Shambles offers an array of delights for the intrepid sightseer: Cereal House with its Terribly Strange Bed (be sure to fill out the “next of kin” form if you stay the night: a quaint touch adding to the fun of an overnight visit); the House of Clocks boasts a collection of 20,000 time pieces — make sure you arrive on the hour, for an unforgettable moment; the historic H. H. Holmes’ House with the bars on his children’s windows still intact; Saunders Park, a soothing respite from the city streets (if one is careful), with its gardens, statuary, ornamental lake and the infamous Petting Zoo (a favorite with children, but it’s best not to bring your own); plus many more intriguing sights …
This small 5 x 8, 64-page gift book has delighted people for years, “It certainly is our best selling title,” said publisher Bob Garcia. “The first printing sold out very quickly and we see copies selling for $30-$75, and if they’re signed … well, we’ve seen some outrageous prices. So we are happy to announce this new printing, because we think there are lots of fans out there of both authors who are looking to own A Walking Tour of the Shambles. Now they can get a copy easily from their local comic shops and bookstores. We feel it’s becoming a classic.”
You can find A Walking Tour of the Shambles at many local comic stores. Online readers can find the book here: A Walking Tour of the Shambles
