How
'Arnold Paul' became a
'High Duke of Medreigia',
I posted about some years ago.
Peter Haining was the perpretator behind this curious misrepresentation of the famous
1732 Visum & Repertum. As I noted back then, in my youth I was initially impressed by Haining's prolific production of books, but later on I became increasingly sceptical of his research. Another instance is mentioned in a post under the title
Another Haining Fraud on the
Wormwoodiana blog, which concludes that
'it has become increasingly apparent that you can’t trust Peter Haining on anything.'
According to
an obituary in The Guardian, the incredibly productive author, compiler and editor Peter Alexander Haining (1940-2007)
'was rooted in, and sustained by, a childhood passion for hidden nuggets of terror, witchcraft and crime.' From 1963 to 1972 he was editor at
New English Library, and readers of his books and anthologies - or indeed anyone interested in British paperbacks published in the Seventies - may enjoy watching
this video about NEL and its books and authors that includes an interview with Haining himself.
1 comment:
I've become disenchanted with Haining, too. I uncovered another 'error' in his coverage of the nosferatu, here and here.
I still respect him for his ability to source obscure works, but researchers should definitely double-check the original material.
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