Various (Rosset, Barney (Editor); Abel, Lionel; Ashton, Dore; Beckett, Samuel; Brecht, Bertolt; Buchwald, Art; Clair, Rene; Dorn, Edward; Dubuffet, Jean; Esslin, Martin; Guston, Philip; Ionesco, Eugene; Jarry, Alfred; Parker, Charlie; Prevert, Jacques; Shattuck, Roger; Tallmer, Jerry; Whalen, Philip; Williams, Martin et al.)

Evergreen Review Vol. 4 No. 13 (May - June 1960) with: Vol. 4 No. 14 (September - October 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. 13 (May - June 1960)- This issue, titled "What is 'Pataphysics?," is introduced in a "Superliminal Note" by Roger Shattuck, who states seven definitions-principals beginning with " 'Pataphysics is the science of the realm beyond metaphysics; or, 'Pataphysics lies as far beyond metaphysics as metaphysics lies beyond physics- in one direction or another." We believe this issue is satirizing /spoofing (especially French) dense critical-theoretical bloviations that attempted to explain the works of (or were emitted by) contributors to this dizzying issue including Rene Clair, Jean Dubuffet, Eugene Ionesco, Alfred Jarry & many other artists, essayists, poets, playwrights & (above all?) provocateurs. With many images of the venerable 'Pataphysicists & graphics, illustrations that augment the humor & puzzlement of the texts; contemporary ads (including for Big Table 4 featuring William S. Burroughs' "Back Seat of Dreaming") & intact subscription promotion with sheet of removable cards. (2) Evergreen Review Vol. 4 No. 14 (September - October 1960)- with this issue we return to a relatively lucid & familiar roster including Samuel Beckett ("From an Unabandoned Work"), Lionel Abel's review of a biography of Bertolt Brecht by Martin Esslin, square-but-cool humorist Art Buchwald's dispatch "The Upbeat Beatnik" from Paris, the poem "A Fate of Unannounced Yeas" by Edward Dorn, a color portfolio of artworks by Philip Guston preceded by a short introductory essay on the artist by Dore Ashton, a critical assessment of the recordings of Jazz Giant Charlie Parker by Martin Williams, a review of the seminal Jazz documentary "Jazz on a Summer's Day" by Jerry Talmer, the poem "The Same Old Jazz" by Beat-Zen Master Philip Whalen & more. With notes on contributors, contemporary ads (including for Donald Allen's canonical anthology The New American Poets) & another intact subscription promotion with sheet of removable cards. Trade-format softcovers in sewn bindings. Two rare & significant issues of this most collectible & influential series. (1) in good-to-near-fine condition with mild-to-moderate rubbing, scratching, creasing & spotting to front, back covers & spine; mild wear & a few tiny bumps at edges & corners of same; small area of intensive creasing & slight loss of paper at upper-left edges & corner of back cover; mild rubbing & occasional spot-staining to edges of text block. Interior fine with light spotting to a few page leaves & esp. inner covers; tiny bumps at corners of some of same. (2) near-fine with mild rubbing, scratching & creasing to front, back covers & spine; very light wear & a few tiny bumps at edges & corners of same; light rubbing & occasional spotting to edges of text block. Interior fine with small, faint creases & tiny bumps at upper corners of page leaves. Good- Near Fine; Near Fine. [Item #4297]

Price: $80.00