Various (Douglas, Ann; Ginsberg, Allen; Kerouac, Jack; Kim, Chang Sik; Maher Jr., Paul A.; Sampas, Charles; Stark, Sarah; Wolfe, Thomas)

The Kerouac Quarterly: A Journal for the Appreciation of the Literature of Jack Kerouac, Vol. II No. 1

Lowell, MA: Upstart Crow Press / Paul A. Maher Jr., 1997. First Printing. Stapled Wrappers. Most interestingly (to those familiar with the episodic saga surrounding the contested estate of Jack Kerouac [1922-1969] is the fact of this pamphlet (and, by extension, journal’s) publication by Paul A. Maher, Jr. Maher Jr., as those familiar with this tangled history well know, is the nephew of Kerouac’s at the center of his famously contested, makeshift Last Will-&-Testament. What is certainly not in question, here is the totemic influence and contributions of this truly canonical Beat Generation “Daddy” (as Gregory Corso would’ve referred to William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Herbert Huncke, and Kerouac himself as being). Subtitled “A Journal For the Appreciation of the Literature of Jack Kerouac,” this is “Volume II, No. 1” of the rare, Maher Jr.-helmed periodical. It contains intriguing, thought-provoking contributions from Sarah Stark (“Jack Just In Case”); an “Unpublished Letter (excerpt)” by Allen Ginsberg; “Memorial Day” by Zen Master Chang Sik Kim; “Part 2” of a feature on the Berg Collection at the New York Public Library; an excerpt of Thomas Wolfe’s “Look Homeward, Angel”; an essay by Ann Douglas which takes its title from Kerouac’s “Essentials for Spontaneous Prose,” (among Your Devoted Managing Curator’s favorite pieces of literary instruction) titled “Telepathic Shock and Meaning Excitement”: Kerouac’s Poetics of Intimacy; a piece by (the seldom heard from) Charles Sampas, titled “Jack Kerouac: He Wrote the Great Lowell Novel,” reprinted here (as the contents page relays) after initial publication in the Lowell Sun; a feature on “Books from the Personal Library of Jack Kerouac” & an “Editor’s Endnote,” to conclude. One would be hard-pressed to find many of these contributions published elsewhere, Your Devoted Managing Curator surmises! Small-format literary magazine-journal in stapled wrappers: the first and only printing of this elusive, Kerouac-themed periodical. From the collection of Kevin Ring, publisher of Beat Scene magazine & other indispensable productions (many available here), & our good friend. In very fine condition with only minute-to-moderate shelf-wear, bumping to fine-edges & corners of front, back covers; lone bump-crease to top right-hand corner of front cover near; slight rusting (albeit no bleeding, as of this writing) to staples at interior, else pristine. Very Fine. [Item #5182]

Price: $60.00 save 15% $51.00