[Item #3285] A Dakota Boyhood. Sam Peters, Robert Peters.
A Dakota Boyhood
A Dakota Boyhood

A Dakota Boyhood

Huntington Beach, CA: Poet-Skin Press, 1981. Limited First Edition. Tape-Bound & Stapled Sheets. Inscribed & signed by Robert Peters to James Perrizo. A memoir fragment that describes the early life of Sam Peters (1902-1969), the father of Robert Peters (1924-2014), the great American poet, playwright, critic & scholar. With an introduction & edited by Robert. Sam's earliest years were hard & lonely as his family migrated from Indiana to North Dakota & finally Wisconsin during the dawn of the 20th century; his desolate circumstances evoke the pioneers' tribulations from a small child's perspective, as recollected later in life. As Robert writes in his introduction: "Dad was known for his humor. He was a good storyteller, as this scrap of autobiography shows...He had an innate gift for the shape of a good narrative. Unlike so many people who ramble, he was economical with details. His stories move." (first page) As noted in colophon, this is one of "...an edition of 50 copies primarily for distribution to members of (Peters') family. Only 15 copies are for sale." Just above Robert's Introduction on the first page, he has hand-inscribed & signed: "For Jim/ Perrizo/ with affection,/ (signed) Robert P/ doodle-flourish." James Perrizo (1944-2006) was a major Beat-&-Beyond collector & scholar who was a friend of & frequent correspondent with Robert. This copy is therefore likely among the 35 distributed to family- & probably close friends. A meant-to-be-private glimpse of the antecedent to Robert's talent that blossomed into myriad literary works of profound imagination & innovation; & a poignant testament to the dizzying evolution of two generations over an American century. Among the scarcest & most insightful Robert Peters-related collectibles, even more so with this inscription, association & provenance. In fine condition with only very light rubbing & occasional tiny-to-small spots, stains & faint creases to front, back cover sheets; very light wear & a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; one very small area at upper edge of back cover near left corner with holes, gauges as if nibbled (by a cat?), echoing slightly onto same area of last two page leaves; very light wear & occasional spotting to edges of text block. Interior very fine except for tiny gauges on last few page leaves noted above; tiny bumps, creases at corners of page leaves esp. upper corners with very small (water?) stains. Fine. [Item #3285]

Price: $50.00

See all items by ,