Miller, Henry

Plexus: The Rosy Crucifixion, Book Two

Paris, France: The Olympia Press, 1962. First Edition Thus. Softcover. The second volume of The Rosy Crucifixion trilogy by Henry Miller (1891-1980), the great American writer & artist whose earlier works were an influential precedent for the Beat Generation, especially its Founding Father Jack Kerouac. Preceded by Sexus (1949) & followed by Nexus (1959, see our item No. 4552), this installment of Miller's epic-intimate fictionalized autobiography was first published in English in a two-volume set by Maurice Girodias' legendary Olympia Press in 1953. Here we have the one-volume "Complete and unabridged" (front cover) Olympia edition of 1962, issued as the 68th number in its Traveller's Companion Series (which of course famously included the first appearance of William S. Burroughs' (The) Naked Lunch in 1959). Mass-market format softcover in sewn binding, first edition thus, first printing of "October, 1962/ Depot legal: 4 trimestre 1962" as stated on copyright page. A most collectible version (of many by various imprints over the years) of this Miller classic, in relatively quite near-fine condition: Light rubbing, fading, faint scratching & creasing, mild-to-moderate browning to front, back covers & spine; mild wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; mild rubbing & mild-to-moderate browning to edges of text block. Interior near-fine with mild-to-moderate browning of blank inner covers & page leaves esp. at blank margins/edges; tiny bumps, folds & short, faint creases at esp. lower corners of a few leaves; small stamp stating "GIBBARD" flanked by small horizontal lines in blue ink at upper right area of blank first leaf recto. Interestingly, below printed price of "30 N.F." at lower right corner of back cover is the statement: "NOT TO BE SOLD/ IN U.S.A. & U.K." As with the first edition of WSB's Naked Lunch, & many other numbers in the Travellers' Companion Series, this work was then still considered obscene & unpublishable in those countries, which did not prevent many contraband copies (undoubtedly including this one) from being smuggled in. Near Fine. [Item #5361]

Price: $80.00