Various (Griffey, Alan; Kerouac, Jack; Moore, Dave et al.)

The Kerouac Connection, No. 1 (January 1984)

Bristol, UK: The Kerouac Connection, 1984. First Printing. Stapled Wrappers. Subtitled a “Beat Brotherhood Newsletter,” here we have the elusive inaugural issue of “The Kerouac Connection,” Dave Moore & Alan Griffey’s charming Jack Kerouac-focused periodical. As Moore himself notes in the work’s blurb-length Editorial Note, “We don’t want to bore you by contributing all the material ourselves, so please let’s have any articles, reviews, poems, letters, photographs and general comments from you that we can use in the next issues of Kerouac Connection. It’s your magazine, so use it, and let’s make it a forum for the exchange of opinion on all aspects of Kerouac’s life and work.” As Moore’s co-Editor, Alan Griffey notes in his (slightly lengthier & far more impassioned) introductory note, “We’re on the road to getting Jack Kerouac better read by the public, and better recognized by a snobbish and reactionary literary establishment….I wouldn’t advise anybody to try drugs, other than beer and pot….Look me up for a drink and a cheerful chat over matters Kerouacian. Stay vibrant!” he writes. Page 3 contains “News,” all of which is compiled by Moore and tells of recent developments (or things to come) related to Kerouac. For example, he speaks of John Antonelli’s documentary “Kerouac” as forthcoming, along with Tom Clark’s biography of Kerouac as similarly forthcoming. Page 4 tells of an upcoming Kerouac-centric event titled “Visions of Kerouac,” billed as “A day of events celebrating the work of Jack Kerouac through Film, Poetry and Jazz” at the “Northampton Arts Centre, Sat. 19th November, 1983.” Page 5 contains a full page-length review of Gerry Nicosia’s excellent, authoritative biography of Kerouac, “Memory Babe” [See TMB Item #1745; #4997] — still today considered the best biography of Kerouac, despite Clark’s own excellent, Cambridge-grade scholarship. Page 6 contains a hodgepodge of information one might reasonably term “oddball,” such as this notation: “Jonathan Morris recommends ‘The Green Hills of Africa’ by Ernest Hemingway (‘Neal’s favorite tome!’).” Does anyone actually know whether or not this was “Neal’s favorite” book? Seems like a strange choice for Cassady, a little slow-moving for the Man Who Tossed the Hammers—but as far as the machismo is concerned, that choice might check out. Magazine in stapled wrappers: the very first printing (of the very first issue) of this delightful journalistic shrine to All-Things-Kerouac. In remarkably very fine condition with only slightest shelf-wear to fine-edges & corners of front, back wrappers; some faint vertical creasing along leftmost fine-edge of front and back wrappers, else pristine. Very Fine. [Item #5194]

Price: $100.00