Wainio, Ken

Automatic Antiquity

ISBN: 1883197198
Cullowhee, NC: New Native Press, 2004. First Edition. Softcover. Signed by publisher Thomas Rain Crowe. "Ken Wainio cut his literary teeth in the San Francisco 1970s sitting at the feet of Nanos Valaoritis, Philip Lamantia and Bob Kaufman. One can see the evidence of these influences in his work, which represents the best of American surrealism and a true blend of East (Egypt and Turkey) and West (Greece, Western Europe and America). As frequent travelers to the Greek isles and the Near East, Wainio and his oeuvre represent a lifetime's fascination and study of ascendant ancient civilizations while being reluctantly rooted in the most seamy culture the planet has produced to date. With an alchemic blending of tabloid journalism, historical scholarship and the occult, he produces a kind of poetry unknown to American readers-- which makes him not only unique amongst few peers, but also a kind of magician, able to make myth from pulp headlines and everyday occurrence with seeming effortlessness-- a kind of automatic antiquity." (back cover) A late collection of poems & prose-poems by Ken Wainio (1952-2006), the avant garde-surrealist poet & novelist who was a close friend & associate of Thomas Rain Crowe, the acclaimed poet & publisher. Wainio & Crowe were at the center of the Baby Beat Generation/ Second San Francisco Renaissance scene during the 1970s- in our book, Starting From San Francisco (Item No. 3071, Deluxe Edition No. 3075), Crowe converses at length about Wainio, as well as their mentors who are mentioned in the quote above. A production of Crowe's New Native Press imprint, trade-format softcover original, first edition as stated on copyright page, first printing as indicated by number sequence thereon. On copyright page, next to & below printed reference to himself & NNP, Crowe has hand-written his signature in bold blue ink. A rare & rewarding Wainio collectible with supreme association & provenance. In very fine condition with only a bit of rubbing & scratching to glossy front, back covers & spine; a few tiny bumps at edges & corners of same; several very small angled smudge-tracks (possible sticker-removal residue) at middle of back cover very slightly effecting image of Wainio. Interior very fine with only miniscule bumps at lower corners of a few page leaves; otherwise substantially mint. Very Fine. [Item #4043]

Price: $25.00