Various (Stettner, Irving (Editor); Aguila, Pancho; Bowles, Paul; Merton, Thomas; Miller, Henry; Mrabet, Mohammed; Trantino, Tommy et al.)

Stroker No. 22 (1982)

New York, NY, USA: Stroker, 1982. First Printing. Stapled Wrappers. This number of the literary-art-cultural journal edited by NYC St. Marks Place underground denizen Irving Stettner (1922-2004) features a thirteen-page section of facsimile letters written by Henry mIller (1891-1980), the celebrated American author & artist whose earlier works were an influence & inspiration to the Beat Generation. Written between 1978-1980, these letters & notes are all addressed to Stettner, & are interspersed with reproductions of late Miller drawings (pgs. 13-25). Also in this issue: The poem "Sex Goddesses" by Pancho Aguila (b. 1945), the Nicaraguan-born then-inmate of Folsom Prison who later absconded & has never yet been apprehended; an excerpt from "The Dance of Life" (1923) by Havelock Ellis (1859-1939), the controversial English-French physician & author who pioneered the study of human sexuality; transcriptions of two letters to Stettner by the legendary Moroccan storyteller Mohammed Mrabet (translated from the Moghrebi language into English, as ever, by the great Paul Bowles), one of which is printed on fine handmade paper attached between pgs. 12-13; an excerpt from "Seeds of Contemplation" first published in 1948 by Thomas Merton (1915-1968), the great American Catholic monk, poet & activist (pg. 26); reproductions of drawings & facsimile hand-writings by Thomas "Tommy" Trantino (b. 1938), a convicted murderer who spent four decades in prison & who exhibited talent in art & writing (pgs. 2, 28-34) including an artwork printed on fine handmade paper attached between pgs. 44-45, on the verso of which are two poems by Aguila; & much more. Chapbook-format journal in stapled wrappers, presumed first-&-only printing. Quite inexplicably, there is no reference to this issue & its Miller contributions in Shifreen & Jackson's dependably super-comprehensive bibliography- did we or you miss this? Please enlighten us if you see this, S&J. In any case, here we have another rich & varied issue in this series that exemplifies the later Mimeograph Revolution NYC Lower East Side Zine era, as usual of particular interest to Miller devotees. In relative exceptionally very fine condition with only a touch of rubbing, faint scratching & slight fading to front, back covers & esp. stapled spine; a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; a hint of rubbing, browning to edges of text block. Interior very fine with only a bit of browning at blank margins/edges of page leaves; tiny bumps at corners of a few of same. Very Fine. [Item #6866]

Price: $50.00