The Secret (book)
The Secret is a book produced by Byron Preiss and first published by Bantam in 1982. A professional book packager and architect of the work, Preiss commissioned freelancers to carry out his vision. The text is attributed to Sean Kelly and Ted Mann. Illustrations are by John Jude Palencar, John Pierard, and Overton Loyd; JoEllen Trilling, Ben Asen, and Alex Jay also contributed to the book.
The original publication (sold in both the United States and Canada) was a quality trade paperback, with a glossy full-color insert of the key images in the book: a series of enigmatic paintings. This edition saw two printings.
A limited number of hardcover editions were sold, likely intended for library use. These consist of the original paperback, with the cover removed and re-affixed to a more durable binding.
A Japanese version was published in 1983 (in two packaging variants), and the English version was re-issued in 2014 as a print-on-demand edition.
A digitized version of Preiss’ original manuscript can also be found on 12Treasures.com.
| Year | ISBN | Language | Format | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | ISBN 0-553-01408-0 | English | Paperback | Bantam |
| Hardcover | ||||
| 1983 | 0276-831122-7339 | Japanese | Paperback | Futami-shobo |
| 2014 | ISBN 978-1-59687-444-2 | English | Hardcover | ibooks.com |
| ISBN 978-1-59687-401-5 | Paperback |
Sections of The Secret (book)
Opening credits
This two-page spread credits:
Authors: Sean Kelly and Ted Mann (even though much of the text was written by Byron Preiss himself)
Sculptress: JoEllen Trilling
Developed and Edited by: Byron Preiss
Illustrators: John Jude Palencar, John Pierard, Overton Lloyd
Photographer: Ben Asen
Designer: Alex Jay
A Byron Preiss Book
Bantam Books
Toronto
New York
London
Sydney
The Copyright page also contains the book’s dedication and an extensive list of thanks.
Contents page
The Tale, Simply Told
Described in the Contents as, “In which the reader meets the Fair People and learns of their Emigration”.
The Litany of the Jewels
Described in the Contents as, “In which the reader discovers the nature of the Fair People’s Treasures”.
The Vanishing
Described in the Contents as, “In which the fate of the Fair People and their Treasures is revealed”.
Described in the Contents as, “In which the clues to the Treasures are given in painting and verse”. The Treasure is the central section of the book, containing full-color reproductions of twelve paintings by John Jude Palencar, and twelve verses.
Described in the Contents as, “In which the reader meets the descendants of the Fair People"
Your Sightings
“In which the readers are invited to submit their own sightings of the Fair People” (Contents). An invitation to contribute additional “sightings” (whimsical definitions) of mythic creatures for a subsequent edition of The Secret. Owing to tepid sales of the first edition, no such editions were published.
Your Search for the Treasures
“In which your discoveries may be recorded and conveyed”. (Contents)
Origins and Whereabouts of the Fair People
Personae
"In which blame is attributed”. (Contents) This section features photos and bios of the book’s contributors.