Ferlinghetti, Lawrence

The Populist Manifestos, plus an Intereview with Jean-Jaques Lebel

San Francisco, CA: Grey Fox Press, 1981. First Edition. Softcover. A volume of poetry by Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919-2021), the great American versifier & mastermind behind City Lights Booksellers & Publishers. At the heart of this volume, published by Grey Fox Press in 1981, are Ferlinghetti’s Populist Manifestos. The first of these — whose title, in full, is: “Populist Manifesto (For Poets, With Love),” — was authored largely in response to the rise of the Second San Francisco Renaissance in the mid-to-late 1970s; and is profitably considered in the context it provides. [The full story of the SSFR’s relation to the first “Populist Manifesto” can be found in TMB Item Nos. 3071 & 7356, Starting from San Francisco: Thomas Rain Crowe in Conversation with Third Mind Books (Item No. 3071)], which also contains a full-color image of the hyper rare, very first printing (of “2/75”) of the first “Populist Manifesto (For Poets, With Love”)]. The second work in this series, whose full title is, “Adieu à Charlot (Second Populist Manifesto”), masterfully furthers a similar thread of thought to the first. While there are important differences, analytically/scholastically, we’ll leave some of those ‘easter eggs’ there: to be excitedly found, we hope, by the future poet-owner of this lot, here. Also compiled here in this volume is the rarely anthologized & seldom reprinted “Third Populist Manifesto” — a work of curious value to Ferlinghetti scholars, especially. Lastly, the work is rounded out by two prose supplements. The first of these, titled “Prose Take,” is another of LF’s candid critical-prose vignettes; & is great on account if it. The final supplement comes in the form of an interview (LF) conducted by Jean-Jacques Lebel (b. 1936) — the French multi-hyphenate & great Man of Letters, whose association with Beat Generation authors began in the late 1950s, in Paris. From the collection of Kevin Ring, editor-publisher of & contributor to Beat Scene magazine & other indispensable productions (many available here), & our good friend in the UK. Trade-format softcover original: the First & only Edition of this vintage Ferlinghetti collectible. In strong Near Fine condition, with only minute-to-moderate shelf-wear, rubbing, & some light bumping to/near fine-edges & corners of front, back covers & spine-edge; some age-toning, & a few low-impact exhibits of rubbing, throughout; otherwise, pristine with interior unmarked. Near Fine. [Item #8009]

Price: $45.00