Wainio, Ken

Patmos

San Francisco, CA: Ken Wainio, 1991. First Edition. Spiralbound. "Travel: What a moment ago was unknown, lived in without a clue, is now solid as a tomb, fully furnished, with tv piped in, if you can believe the undertaker, virtually forever. this is or must be Patmos, microphone of St. John, bug of Revelations, dream of Flipper, a burning lake full of Romans like pan-fried whitebait, heads and guts still in place, add a tad of the Old Testament, just a dash of desert wisdom, a bunch of crazy guys running around in sheets, women and kids packed with the animals in smoky huts, gawky messiahs guarding the scummy drinking hole, add all this a few thousand years later to a watery paradise, everybody blundering around with walkmans listening to the same channel, and you have life in the modern world: Nothing seen, everything hidden behind the ikonostasis but tourists...and talking dolphins...and clam shells that sing..." (first paragraph, pg. "54") A mind-bending short story/travelogue/memoir by Ken Wainio (1952-2006), the avant garde-Surrealist poet & author who was a close friend & associate of Thomas Rain Crowe (b. 1949), the acclaimed poet & publisher who co-founded & was at the center of the Baby Beat Generation/ Second San Francisco Renaissance during the 1970s. Set in the Greek island of Patmos, veering between its ancient & contemporary history, here is an exemplar of Wainio's prescient, archeological & anthropological sui generis oeuvre. Perforated sheets (paginated 54-59) including covers in plastic spiral binding, a self-published production. With illustration, presumably by Wainio & dated "8/31/91," reproduced at front cover & recto of first leaf. From the Thomas Rain Crowe archive, which was acquired, catalogued & offered as a single item by Third Mind Books (see our item No.1010). The individual items in the TRC archive are now being separately curated & incrementally presented throughout this year of 2025. See also Starting From San Francisco (item No. 3071), wherein Crowe provides a complete anecdotal history of the BBG/SSFR & its critical collaborations/mentorships with the key original members of the Beat Generation/ San Francisco Renaissance. Wainio is extensively referred to in SFSF, & was renowned among Crowe & his group as a well-traveled & learned talent who carried on the tradition of Philip Lamantia with his own twist. It is most probable that this is among very few existing copies, produced & distributed by Wainio only to close associates such as Crowe. An all-but-one-of-a-kind Wainio collectible in its ultra-scarce singular original form, with ultimately distinguished & relevant provenance. In relatively quite fine condition with only very slight rubbing, a touch of age-toning & occasional spotting to illustrated front & blank back covers; a bit of wear & some tiny bumps, creases at/from edges & corners of same. Interior fine with a hint of rubbing, light age-toning to page leaves; very light wear & some tiny bumps, creases at/from edges & corners, esp. side-edges, corners as interior sheets extend there about an inch beyond covers. Fine. [Item #7770]

Price: $40.00