Various (Ansen, Alan; Apollinaire, Guillaume; Artaud, Antonin; Beach, Mary; Beck, Julian; Cassady, Neal; Celine, Louis-Ferdinand; Ferlinghetti, Lawrence; Ginsberg, Allen; Girodias, Maurice; Moore, Daniel; O'Hara, Frank; Pelieu, Claude; Pound, Ezra; Rimbaud, Arthur; Snyder, Gary; Trocchi, Alexander et al.)

City Lights Journal, Number Two

San Francisco, CA: City Lights Books, 1964. First Printing. Softcover. The second number of the landmark first series of the literary journal published by iconic Beat poet & publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti's City Lights imprint. Featuring a critical essay on William S. Burroughs' three works following the first publication of Naked Lunch by Alan Ansen, WSB's good friend & collaborator; English translations of works by Dada-Surrealist French writers Guillaume Apollinaire & Antonin Artaud (the former a verbatim transcription of a Chinese restaurant menu!); a poem by Living Theater co-founder & actor Julian Beck; the first chapter of Neal Cassady's memoir, The First Third; articles on Louis-Ferdinand Celine translated into English by Mary Beach; three "routines" by Ferlinghetti with an illustration by "Topor"; a 1962 poem by Allen Ginsberg ("Morning Dream"); a 1963 interview with Ginsberg conducted in San Francisco by Ernie Barry with an illustration of the poet by Peter Le Blanc; an article & letter endorsed by many illustrious writers against literary censorship & the arrest of French publisher Maurice Girodias (who printed the first edition of WSB's The Naked Lunch); a portfolio of illustrations by Daniel Moore ("Dawn visions"); four poems by Frank O'Hara, including "Hotel Particulier"; a short prose work by Claude Pelieu translated from French into English by Beach (his wife & collaborator in writing & art); an interview with poet Ezra Pound conducted in Italy by Livi Grazia with several photographs (Pound is also depicted on the front cover); notes in English by French poet Arthur Rimbaud with an illustration of the poet by Moore; a poem by Gary Snyder from what became his series Rivers and Mountains Without End ("Hymn to the goddess San Francisco in Paradise"); an essay-manifesto by Alexander Trocchi ("A Revolutionary Proposal: Invisible Insurrection of A Million Minds") & more. An original, highly collectible issue of this most significant series, with an astonishing breadth of writers & eras, including of course the Beat Generation. Softcover in sewn binding printed in England for the publisher. In fine condition with only moderate rubbing, scratching & soiling to front, back covers & spine; mild vertical creases along length of spine; very light wear, bumping & chipping to edges & corners of front, back covers & esp. bottom edge of spine. Interior very fine with pages printed on thick paper stock. Fine. [Item #2108]

Price: $50.00