On Lafferty compilations
My problem with most of the story collections of his* work that I've encountered is exactly this. Many of them seemed hastily thrown together. I know working out thematic arrangement would be a challenge, but there are ways of doing it. It might be possible to bring together his works under kinds. For instance, this batch corresponds to muddy catfish tales. Here are some world-jumpers. Here there be the litanies. Throw in some argo-tales. I'm really oversimplifying it here but the idea is that even if the stories are very different, they all will sing out in a certain way, there will be a common breath, a common torque to them. I think such arranging could work because the invisible sameness they share will continually commend them as a set. There will be an organic yes under their apparent disparities. Another way of saying it might be here are the dorian lafferties, over here, the mixolydian lafferties. Down there, super locrian. Watch out! You're already doomed.
*R.A. Lafferty
*R.A. Lafferty