Berriault, Gina (Cassady, Neal)

Neal's Ashes

Coventry, England: Beat Scene Press, 2014. Limited First Edition Thus. Stapled Wrappers. "The ashes of Neal Cassady are contained within a silver-gray rayon drawstring bag that fits within a crudely fancy box of varnished yellow wood shaped somewhat like a wedding cake on a platter, all of this weighing ten pounds on the bathroom scale of the woman who was his wife, the longest of three wives, in whose cupboard the ashes rest." (first sentence, unpaginated) A separate printing of an article first published in Rolling Stone magazine in its October 12, 1972 issue. The noted American author Gina Berriault (1926-1999) visited Neal Cassady's widow, Carolyn, some four years after his legendary-mysterious death in Mexico. This essay resulting from their conversation centers on his remains, a box of ashes returned home after the end of his wanderings. Carolyn's memoir Off the Road, first published in 1990, poignantly evokes the reality of her & their children left behind while Neal, Jack Kerouac & Co. famously sped off on their adventures. This shorter, earlier piece offers a similarly haunting perspective. Chapbook in stapled wrappers with flaps, from a limited edition of 125 hand-numbered copies produced during May 2014 per colophon, this is copy No. 44/125. The 44th number in the Beat Scene Pocket Book Series published by Kevin Ring in the UK. Many other of these special editions, along with issues of the indispensable Beat Scene magazine, are available here. Another beautiful production from this most important series, already quite scarce some eight-plus years since its release as of this writing. In very fine condition with only a hint of rubbing to front, back wrappers & stapled spine; a few tiny bumps at edges & corners of same; otherwise substantially as-new inside & out. Very Fine. [Item #5092]

Price: $35.00