The Dominant Idea and Other Stories

Discover a collection of "lost" stories by Herbert E. Stover, recovered from a barn rafters bucket after nearly 100 years and meticulously restored to offer a thrilling window into early 20th-century adventure, mystery, and romance. A Century-Old Literary Resurrection: Discover a "lost" treasure trove of pulp fiction by renowned historical novelist Herbert E. Stover, meticulously restored after spending nearly 100 years hidden in a wooden bucket in a barn's rafters. High-Stakes Golden Age Noir: Immerse yourself in a diverse collection of gritty, fast-paced detective and police action-adventure tales that capture the raw energy and "remarkably fresh" voice of early 20th-century storytelling. A Master's Early Evolution: Witness the literary origins of a regional icon through these 1920s and 30s manuscripts, featuring high-speed chases, early technology like airplanes and automobiles, and Stover's signature romantic twists. Meticulously Restored Narrative: Experience stories brought back from the brink of decay through an intensive restoration process that filled gaps left by time and nature to preserve Stover's unique, original prose. Herbert Stover was best known for his full-length historical novels full of action and historic figures, always with a twist of romance. However, before he sold his first novel to a New York publishing house after World War II, Stover struggled as an upstart writer of pulp fiction short stories, the vast majority of which were written in the 1920s and early 1930s. Rejection after rejection came back in the mail, and Stover, now in the Depression, turned his focus to his education career. The letters and stories were put away, largely forgotten. After Stover's death, his property exchanged hands. One day, in the early 2000s, the current owner was exploring the old barn on the property and found an old wooden bucket in the rafters. It contained pictures, letters, and typed stories that had been returned to Stover.