Evergreen Review Vol. 4 No. 11 (January - February 1960) with: Vol. 4 No. 12 (March - April 1960)
New York, NY: Grove Press, Inc., 1960. First Printings. Softcovers. Two contiguous, early vintage numbers of the legendary literary journal chiefly edited by Barney Rosset & published by his Grove Press imprint: (1) Evergreen Review Vol. 4 No. 11 (January-February 1960)- this issue features William S. Burroughs' "Deposition: Testimony Concerning a Sickness," the classic essay that went on to serve as a fore- or afterword to most editions of WSB's breakthrough work Naked Lunch. Also in this landmark number are contributions of poetry & prose by Antonin Artaud, Robert Duncan, Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, Philip Lamantia, Jean-Paul Sartre, Terry Southern & more; a portfolio of artworks by Mark Tobey following an essay on the artist by Dore Ashton; & reviews including of Jack Gelber's play The Connection by Nat Hentoff & of Norman Mailer's Advertisements for Myself by Seymour Krim. With notes on contributors, contemporary ads (including for Hanover records' Kerouac LPs & Robert Frank's seminal portfolio The Americans). (2) Evergreen Review Vol. 4 No. 12 (March - April 1960)- this issue features a lengthy 1957 essay against capital punishment by the great French novelist & philosopher Albert Camus, who died in an accident shortly before publication in January 1960, on special yellow paper stock preceding the issue proper, as a memorial tribute. Also in this milestone number are contributions of poetry & prose by Edward Albee (his one-act play The Zoo Story), Bertolt Brecht, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Louis Ginsberg (Allen's father), LeRoi Jones (later Amiri Baraka), Alexander Trocchi & more; a portfolio of contemporary artworks including by Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg & Larry Rivers (the latter on front cover); & reviews including "An Analysis of Alain Resnais' Film Hiroshima Mon Amour" by Andre Hodeir. With notes on contributors; contemporary ads from publishers, booksellers, art galleries etc. Trade-format softcovers in sewn bindings. Two exceptionally important issues in this most highly collectible series at the forefront of mid-twentieth century literature, art & culture. (1) in good-to-near-fine condition with moderate rubbing, browning, scratching, creasing & spotting to front, back covers & esp. spine; mild wear, creasing & some tiny bumps at thin edges & corners of same; lower right corner of front cover with very small loss of paper surrounded by small, faded water(?) stain; moderate browning, rubbing, spotting & staining to edges of text block esp. side edge. Interior near-fine with very light browning mostly at blank margins of page leaves; small areas of light water(?) staining at blank lower side margins of same; previous owner's ink signature on first (copyright) page angled at upper margin, very slightly obscuring an ad. (2) also good-to-near-fine with moderate rubbing, browning, scratching, creasing & spot-staining to front, back covers & spine; mild wear & some tiny bumps, creases at thin edges & corners of same; moderate browning, rubbing & spotting to edges of text block. Interior fine with very light browning mostly at blank margins of page leaves; small water(?) stains at blank lower side margins & corners of a few page leaves; tiny bumps at corners of a few of same. Good- Near Fine. [Item #4286]
Price: $80.00