Dahlberg, Edward

Reasons of the Heart

New York, NY: Horizon Press, 1965. First Edition. Hardcover. "Esteemed as one of the most eloquent and independent voices in American literature, Edward Dahlberg has written this candid, revealing work of his maturity. The insights contained in Reasons of the Heart sum up a lifetime of experience and thought. They comment incisively on all sorts of subjects, from Love and Wisdom to Sex and Dreams; America and Progress to Religion and Myth. They are a pure distillation of his genius; his ability to discover profound meanings in what may seem to be the most ordinary event, his immense learning in the service of humane concern, and his extraordinary gift for language..." (from front flap) A book of worldly-wise statements & observations by Edward Dahlberg (1900-1977), the great American writer whose itinerant, underclass early life inspired his autobiographical first novel, Bottom Dogs (1930), now a collectible classic. Dahlberg also crossed paths with the Beat Generation, having contributed to several issues of Big Table in the company of William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac et al. His writings can be considered proto- & later kindred to those of the Beats. Here in this later, seasoned work, in single sentences or at most short paragraphs, Dahlberg opines "On Writers and Writing," "On Love and Friendship," On Lust," "On Sloth," "On Futility," "On Time and Death," "On Happiness and Pleasure," "On Solitude" etc., as an index of chapter titles indicates (although interestingly the topics are divided only by blank-page pauses without headings in the body of the book). Here is an example of Dahlberg's wisdom & wit, the very first epigrammatic sentence in the first chapter about writers and writing: "A painter can hang his pictures, but a writer can only hang himself." This is the first edition, presumed first printing, larger-format hardcover in unclipped original dust jacket. A most rewarding collectible in the Dahlberg canon. Book in very fine condition with only mild wear & a few small bumps at edges & corners of front, back covers & spine; jagged circle of light indent-scratching on blank front board which is in the exact shape of title enclosure on dust jacket & therefore intended as issued (not to be confused with any flaw); light rubbing & occasional spotting to edges of text block. Interior very fine with only the lightest browning at blank margins of some page leaves. Dust jacket in relatively good condition with mild rubbing, scratching & faint creasing to front, back covers & spine; mild-to-moderate wear, creasing, small bumps & a few short, mostly closed tears at edges & corners of same; areas of spotting to left edge/area of back cover, board-edges of flaps. Very Fine / good. [Item #3392]

Price: $40.00