Burroughs, William S.

White Subway

London, England: Aloes Books, 1973. First Edition. Softcover. "The white subway gathered silent speed as buildings and landscapes slid by- faster- faster- a blur of film flakes then pictures leaped into sharp focus- mist and frogs in 1920s roads- morning sleep of detour- needle beer in Sid's. He was in a long tunnel of old photos stretching back to his childhood- back- back- "STOP." " (from "Unfinished Cigarette," pg. 1) The legendary compilation of sixteen short works of imagination by William S. Burroughs, the supreme figure of the Beat Generation & Beyond, from the late 1950s through the mid-1960s; originally published in a variety of independent journals including Big Table, Birmingham Bulletin (where the above-quoted story first appeared in its second issue of Autumn 1963), Paris Review & Transatlantic Review. Also with two short, classic essays on WSB & his milieu by Alan Ansen ("Anyone Who Can Pick Up a Frying Pan Owns Death") & Paul Bowles ("Burroughs in Tangier"), both originally published in Big Table 2. This copy is one of the first printings in an edition of 1000 published in September 1973, with all points noted in Maynard & Miles (A24a, pgs. 85-87) except that all page leaves are light grey rather than mostly white, a variation characteristic of 25 copies out of the 1000 set aside to be hand-numbered & signed by WSB. This variation is not noted in M&M or the other bibliographies, but this writer happens to have one of these signed, numbered copies & its page leaves are all light grey as here. We further consulted Jim Pennington himself, the esteemed printer, publisher, editor & scholar behind Aloes Books who is our good friend & colleague at the European Beat Studies Network. Pennington confirmed that this copy is a first printing, one of the very few among the 25 special copies with all-grey leaves that were never numbered & signed as intended. An especially rare-anomaly version of a most desirable & important WSB collectible. In very fine condition with only mild rubbing & occasional spotting, browning esp. at/near edges of front, back covers & spine; lightest wear & a few tiny bumps at edges & corners of same; mild rubbing & spotting to edges of text block esp. upper edge. Interior very fine with only mild spotting to blank inner covers; tiny bumps at corners of some page leaves. Very Fine. [Item #3471]

Price: $250.00