Clark, Tom (Olson, Charles)

Charles Olson: The Allegory of a Poet's Life

ISBN: 0393029581
New York, NY, USA: W.W. Norton & Company, 1991. First Edition. Hardcover. “The American poet Charles Olson (1910-70) was a large man, not only in physical size, energies, and appetites, but in the mythic dimension with which he invested both his work and his life. He believed that ‘the whole world & all experience is, no matter how real, only a system of metaphor for the allegory (Keats called it) a man’s life is,’ and his own life had all the elements of a parabolic tale. It was a difficult voyage of self-exploration, taking him from obscure beginnings to great achievement, at no little personal cost.” (from front flap) This highly controversial biography of Charles Olson by Tom Clark (1941-2018) has been contended by numerous sources for its warts-and-all portrayal of Olson and for a few conjectures Clark makes about Olson from a psychological standpoint. Whatever can be said of this biography, it is sure that Clark diligently composed a detailed, comprehensive portrait of a man fiercely motivated by accusations of incompetence and his own surging ambition. From the collection of scholar, poet and our dear friend Robin Eichele (b. 1941), noted Mimeograph Revolutionary & co-founder of the Detroit Artists’ Workshop with the late, great John Sinclair (1941-2024). Hardcover in unclipped first-issue dust jacket (with “4-91” and “$27.95” price on front flap): First Edition, as stated on copyright page, first printing, as indicated by number sequence thereon. Book is in fine condition with minor rubbing, discoloration to the top and bottom edges of covers & spine; minor spotting, rubbing to the top right corner of first front endpaper. Dust jacket is in near fine condition with minor-to-moderate yellowing from age; minor-to-moderate bumping to the fine edges and corners of front, back covers & spine; small residue spot at bottom of spine; minor color-fading to text on spine. An extra handling fee of $1.00 will be added for shipping due to the size and weight of this item. Fine / Near Fine. [Item #6594]

Price: $35.00