Various (Broom, Dave; Burns, Jim; Campbell, Al; Conn, Jeanne; Cunliffe, Dave; Dunton, John; Floyd, Tony; Gaillard, Slim; Griffey, Alan; Moore, Steven; Morton, James et al.)

The Kerouac Connection No. 14 (Summer 1987)

Bristol, England: The Kerouac Connection, 1987. First Printing. Stapled. “You might have to make up your mind about Jack Kerouac. He writes long sentences, sometimes a page long, which contain digressions, false starts and perplexing jumps in narrative events….There have always been some cracks in the hole, and the boys in the gang are trying to mend things straight. And when I say ‘boys’ I am being completely non-sexist, - even Sisters can be Brothers. The problem for me is that I am caught in the cap and sliding down: I have a beard, but I’m not a librarian” (from “Help, I’m Drowning in Beards! - The Current Argument About Jack Kerouac, Explained” by James Morton. Subtitled a “Beat Brotherhood Newsletter,” here we have the elusive thirteenth issue of “The Kerouac Connection,” Dave Moore’s charming Jack Kerouac [1922-1969]-focused periodical. As the graphic on the issue’s front cover promises, this issue is to be differentiated by its extensive coverage of the “Beat Dreams – Plymouth Sounds” festival/gathering of Kerouacians, which had just taken place. One is reminded of the imposing, pugnacious Italian journalist, Oriana Fallaci, and the trademark exhortation eponymously proffered during her interview with the late, great Mike Wallace. “A journalist is an historian who writes history in the same moment history happens, and it is the best damn way to write history.” If Fallaci’s philosophy is taken here as this issue’s [unofficial] “guiding principle,” we can look at the events it chronicles — the two-day Kerouac Festival at the Plymouth Arts Centre, “Beat Dreams – Plymouth Sounds” — in a new, perceptively enhanced light. For the ultimate “Beat Dreams – Plymouth Sounds” package, we recommend bundling this item with TMB Item #2842, “Broadside Flyer for “Beat Dreams and Plymouth Sounds” Event,” — a steal at $50.00. Click [or copy-paste into your browser] the following link to be redirected to that listing: https://tinyurl.com/5n8uprf8. Contents list, in full, reads as follows: [1] “On the Road to Plymouth,” by Editor, Dave Moore; [2] “The Beat Weekend,” by Jeanne Conn; [3] “Plymouth – An Early Report,” by Al Campbell; [4] Untitled Contribution (beginning “The American girl and I…”) by TKC stalwart, Alan Griffey; [5] similarly untitled contributions by Jim Burns, & [6] James Morton; [7] “Plymouth Sounds-Oroon!” by Tony Floyd; [8] “And the Beat goes on…” by Dave Broom; [9] “He Scorns ‘Beatniks,’” a Detroit News article on Kerouac from August 24th, 1958; [10] “Some British Beat History: 4 – Alexander Trocchi: Cultural Guerilla”; [11] a review of “What Happened to Kerouac?” by Tony Floyd; [12-17] reviews by James Morton, John Dunton, Jim Burns, Steven Moore, Dave Broom, & Jeanne Conn; [18] “Notes on ‘New’ Contributors, by Editor, Dave Moore; [19] “Letter” to the Editor by Joy Walsh; & [20] the ever-present “News” section. Small-format literary magazine-journal in stapled wrappers: the first and only printing of this 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 slightest minute shelf-wear to fine-edges & corners of front, back cover & moderate-to-enunciated rusting, bleeding to staples at interior & exterior, else pristine. Very Fine. [Item #5478]

Price: $25.00