Dorn, Edward

The Rites of Passage

Buffalo, NY: Frontier Press, 1965. First Edition. Softcover. A rare prose work by Edward Dorn (1929-1999), among the greatest of the Black Mountain Poets along with his contemporaries Robert Creeley (1926-2005), Robert Duncan (1919-1988) & Charles Olson (1910-1970). The Rites of Passage; A Brief History as seen here would eventually be revised and published by Black Sparrow Press in 1971 under the new name By the Sound — and you dear reader are in luck because (as of writing this) we offer a nearly pristine copy of By the Sound (Item #2393)! The Rites of Passage is a vivid depiction of life for those who have slipped through the cracks of society or those who have or will eventually become mere statistics of a perverse society. This early work was heavily influenced by Dorn’s personal history of poverty while living in Washington state with his first wife Helene. 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). Eichele's owner signature can be found along the top edge of the title page—and smeared a bit onto the inside of the front cover. Softcover original: First edition & first printing though neither explicated at very vague copyright page. Book is in fine condition with aging & toning around upper and outer edge of front and back cover; minor creasing at upper left corner near spine of front cover; minor bumping and mild closed tear at bottom of spine; minor creasing or bumping at upper left corner; mild amount of scuffing at back cover; mild marking and rubbing at top and bottom of page block; minor bending/creasing at upper outer corner of first few pages. Fine. [Item #6703]

Price: $100.00