Baer, William

The Unfortunates: Poems

ISBN: 0943549469
Kirksville, MO: New Odyssey Press, 1997. First Edition. Hardcover. Dated, inscribed & signed by William Baer to Laurence Goldstein. "The Unfortunates by William Baer, recipient of the 1997 T.S. Eliot Prize, is a unique collection of poetic portraits...these uncompromising poems introduce us to a wide range of the unfortunate inhabitants of the contemporary landscape: the young man attracted to cults, the woman who works for a psychic hotline, the housebreaker, the disgruntled librarian, the professional con artist, the pyrophile, and many more. Each poetic portrait has a specific, unsettling tale to tell, and the sum total of these poems provides a powerful commentary on contemporary life in the American fin de siecle." (from front flap) A prize-winning collection of deeply disturbing & insightful poems by William Baer (b. 1948), the acclaimed American poet, translator, editor & academician. Hardcover in unclipped dust jacket, "First New Odyssey edition published 1997" as stated at copyright page, first printing though not specified thereon. On the title page, Baer has hand-dated, inscribed & signed: "5/98/ Dear Larry-/ Thanks(underlined) (for your?) fascinating (?)/ the Arthur Miller Symposium!/ Yours,/ (signed) Bill Baer." "Larry" is Lawrence Goldstein (1943-2023), a renowned American poet, film critic, editor & educator here at the University of Michigan. Baer & Goldstein were contemporary acquaintances & colleagues with similar interests in cinema, etc. An essential Baer collectible in its quite scarce rarest original form, greatly enriched by his warm poet-to-poet inscription & signature dated close to time of publication, & with distinguished, highly relevant association & provenance. Book in very fine condition, appearing substantially mint inside & out. Dust jacket very fine with only a bit of rubbing, faint scratching to front, back covers, spine & flaps; a touch of wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; some slight apparent fading of yellow background at spine. Very Fine / Very Fine. [Item #8052]

Price: $60.00