"The Beats, from Kerouac to Kesey: an Illustrated Journey Through the Beat Generation," by Mike Evans (1) with, Bonus Item: "A Controversy of Poets: an Anthology of Contemporary American Poetry" by Robert Kelly & Paris Leary (2)
Philadelphia, PA (1) / New York, NY (2): Running Press (1) / Anchor Books (2), 2007 (1) / (2) 1965. First Printing. Hardcover (1) / Softcover (2). (1) If the descriptor "a great coffee table book" did not mean a book whose entire existence consists of rarely being looked at, needlessly occupying table space and hopefully dodging spills and stains from them--and if it meant a book which can be picked up as easily and effectively by those interested in the topic as well as the guests one might have who aren't from the Beat-&-Beyond Multiverse, then this would be "a great coffee table book." If you are among those who love to share your enthusiasm on the Beat-&-Beyond Multiverse with others and would like to restore grace to that criminally overused descriptor, this book is for you. High-quality photo reproductions are to be found in overwhelmingly bountiful quantities. It contains an Introduction and twelve distinct chapters, along with a detailed chronology, a suite of recommendations (through a "Selected Works" section) and a bibliography to boot. William S. Burroughs, Lucien Carr, Neal Cassady, Gregory Corso, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, Herbert Huncke, Jack Kerouac: The Usual Suspects in Beat History are here, and so are all their friends--many of whom we now know and celebrate in their own brilliant rights. Book in Fine-Very Fine condition with mild rubbing to front, back covers; slight shelf-wear to fine-edges, corners; a few mild, scattered nicks to same. (2) We decided to add to this bundle an obscure and underappreciated anthology by "Deep Image"-&-Beyond Robert Kelly, a celebrated Poet's Poet and the obscure Paris Leary. The only references to Leary Your Devoted Curator(s) could find was that he taught at Bard College in the 1960s, that he was gay, and that he later moved to Oxford to continue teaching.
He appears in the "Controversy" as a poet, as well, represented by eight poems, including this interesting passage in his "Views of the Oxford Colleges:" "At night the coal-smoke settling on the town / brought the small sky closer." Another reads: "...Christ's scorched shadow / sagging from the frost-crippled altar / where breath rimes the chalice with a touch /
of cold humanity and snaps with such / frozen Amens that fingers smart and falter / in their chilled blessing over silent bread." Perhaps looking into Paris Leary might be an interesting projected for the ambitious-&-interested scholar. Since "A Controversy of Poets" is only in Fair-Poor condition, typically below our stringent condition-grading standards which themselves have made Third Mind Books a favorite of scholars, collectors, and enthusiasts worldwide, consider this unique anthology to be a complimentary tip-in we're delighted to offer beside Mike Evans' incredible Beat-&-Beyond Compendium. An extra handling fee will be added for shipping due to the weight of this item. Fine-Very Fine (1) / Fair-Poor (2). [Item #3867]
Price: $40.00