Mottram, Eric (Ginsberg, Allen)

Allen Ginsberg in the Sixties

Brighton, England, UK: Unicorn Bookshop, 1972. First Printing. Softcover. (Morgan E74, pg. 329). A widely-underread essay, “Allen Ginsberg in the Sixties” burst forth from the acute and fruitful pen of Eric Mottram (1924-1995) and was published in the form found here by the great Bill Butler’s Unicorn Bookshop in 1972. The scholar who would publish his landmark, boundary-breaking study on Burroughs the preceding year, 1971’s “William Burroughs: the Algebra of Need,” here excels analogously — appears in fulsome, clear command of his vast critical power. The noble result is a text that does right by Allen without collapsing into adulation or fandom. Furthermore, in so many senses this slim though potent volume exemplifies Burroughs’ legendary call, or exhortation to what he termed “TOTAL ASSAULT ON THE CULTURE!” This is intimated, assuredly by the mere fact of its publication by Butler — whose storied Unicorn Bookshop was no stranger to the fascistic impositions of Control foisted upon it by local (and, naturally, Nova) police forces in over the UK. While Butler’s impact and legacy remains to most little more than a Beat-scholastic obscurity, Those In-the-Know understand that the Unicorn Bookshop bears first-order relation to the larger Beat phenomenon — to the Beat Generation as a literary-&-cultural force; understand, critically why Butler’s life and work (taken together) colorize a milieu and comprise an Achievement. Mottram is dependable, here as elsewhere: his perch unobstructed by the critical pitfalls known to most others. Ginsberg, himself recognized this — writing to Mottram on receipt of the essay and declaring it “one of the few serious textual exams of what I’ve written,” as the book’s back cover blurb reveals. The reader of this work will benefit heartily from consultation with Mottram, whose scholarship, hearty and nutritive, makes him something of a Beat-critical arsonist — a known node and vector of Beat-critical passions. It is thus understandably our hope that You, Dear Reader are “the stout and wellshaped heir who approaches” (as in Whitman), — and that the next great fire he lights, is in you. Enjoy this lamentably under-studied work from Mottram on Ginsberg, and apprentice to an arsonist. [ISBN: 0-85659-003-7]. Book in strong near fine condition with only moderate shelf-wear & light bumping to fine-edges & corners of front, back covers & spine-edge; moderate-to-enunciated age-toning, rubbing & spotting to same; lone closed tear & instance of chipping at upper right-hand corner of back cover, else serviceably clean. Near Fine. [Item #5960]

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