Ferlinghetti, Lawrence

Tyrannus Nix? (Second Printing/Edition)

San Francisco, CA: New Directions, 1973. Second Printing. Softcover. Signed by Lawrence Ferlinghetti. (Morgan A21, p. 33-34). "Yes even you who now in seventy-three / turn out to be beyond our wildest 'paranoid' fantasy / of the depths of your deceptions / Behind the Berlin Wall of your little White House Shadow Cabinet / Yes You who now turn out to be a too-true caricature / of yourself, too truly fantasized in this 'populist hymn' sent to unheeded years ago" (from Poem Excerpt on Attached Band). This is one we don't often stumble across, folks. We at TMB have been fortunate enough to work with and offer for sale Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919-2021) collectibles that span his creative life in totality. We state this only to remind our readers that, when we tell you "we haven't seen something in a while," we really mean it. This is one such opportunity: a copy of Ferlinghetti’s masterful diatribe against Richard Milhous Nixon (1913-1994), “Tyrannus Nix.” Ferlinghetti is unique among West Coast mid-century American writers in that he retained his capacity for beatitude and wonderment while never once adopting a fake-positive posture (whether that be in life, his poetry—or in the comparatively rarer instance, his prose). This—along with remarkable, passionate lifelong engagement in politics—never threw him off his horse. Your Devoted Vice President of Third Mind Books is reminded of John Tytell's great quote from his landmark critical biography, "Naked Angels: the Lives and Literature of the Beat Generation," which was addressed to Burroughs. Tytell writes, "Writing to Ginsberg in Chile in 1960, Burroughs said that politics was a trap for the writer; by 1970, he admitted that American writers could no longer pretend indifference to political questions which were now essential to survival." This, we believe, nears closer to the spirit of Ferlinghetti's engagement: for Hunter S. Thompson was right when he said politics itself was somewhat like a drug; creating pusher/user dichotomy and solving the riddles of our addlement as humans: trenchant final answers to algebra of need. If this is the case, Ferlinghetti "uses" or "drinks" responsibly; and when it comes to something that's "Better Than Sex," —that's more than we can say for most. From the collection of one of the featured writers Thomas Fitzsimmons (1926-2017), a noted American poet, academician & editor, which we have been honored to obtain from his son, Ian Fitzsimmons. Oblong small-format Trade Softcover: the “2nd Printing” per copyright page, in accordance with Morgan. This copy is additionally signed by Ferlinghetti on the title page. Ferlinghetti signature, in thin, black pen ink, reads: “lawrence ferlinghetti.” Book in near fine condition with only minor shelf-wear, light bumping, & some mutely enunciated bump-creasing at fine-edges & corners of front, back covers & spine-edge; moderate-to-lightly enunciated presence—(visible though un-tarnishing, in other words)—of binder’s glue along leftmost fine-edge of title page (e.g., not affecting signature); similarly moderate-to-enunciated age-toning, spotting, foxing & related age-based wear & coloration present variously throughout. Second-Edition-Exclusive Promotional band is in strong near fine condition with only minor-to-enunciated shelf-wear, light bumping, rubbing, some exhibits of bump-creasing, & variously enunciated exhibits of age-toning (correspondent to those described above) & lone instance of minute chipping present at lower right-hand corner of band at front cover fold, otherwise clean. The intact presence of this band is exceedingly rare and unique to the second edition, per Morgan. Near Fine. [Item #6808]

Price: $125.00