Butterick, George (Olson, Charles)

Editing the Maximus Poems

ISBN: 0917590090
Storrs, CT: The University of Connecticut Library, 1983. First Edition. Softcover. “There can be no question that the making of The Maximus Poems, or at least the final volume of the series, is one of the more unusual events in recent poetry. Although there have been a number of instances where an author’s work has been finished for him by a colleague or editor or other professional, there is no other instance I am aware of, at least in English and American literary history, where a poet’s major undertaking has been “made” for him, given final shape, after his death. The most essential, if obvious, thing that can be said in this case is that the poems, the words, are all Olson's own; none were written or "finished" for him. If anything, the editorial responsibility was to make them more like he wrote them, by observing as scrupulously as possible his spellings and punctuation and spacings, as well as the general order of the poems (which continues to be generally chronological). What was practiced was an act of assembling, although without the creative liberties of an assemblage; editing as an act of recognition more than of judgment, although, as will be seen, judgment certainly had its role. Olson had given few specific directions at the end, but he had made amply clear the direction the poem had taken before his death. The contours were there to be filled in” (from Introduction, p. v). A volume of series-specific literary criticism by the great George Butterick (1942-1988), a poet, scholar, and the unofficial Dean of Olsonians on account of his tireless works of scholarship and bibliography on the poet, Charles Olson (1910-1970), of which this is one. As the above-quoted excerpt from the Introduction of this volume suggests, it details the exhaustive (and occasionally inventive) scholarship Butterick was forced to endeavour upon as part of his assembling a “complete” edition of Olson’s multi-part masterwork, The Maximus Poems. For Olson scholars, specifically, and poets-&-students of Mid-Century American Literature, generally, this is an indispensable & intriguing volume: a window into the editing & assembly of a true American epic. Large-format softcover original: First Edition, First Printing, though not explicated as such on copyright page; “Published August 1983 in conjunction with the publication of the collected / edition of Charles Olson’s The Maximus Poems by the University of California / Press,” as noted thereon. From the collection of Albert Glover (b. 1942), the acclaimed American poet, author, bibliographer, editor & publisher whom we're honored to be acquainted with, & who is the foremost living authority on Charles Olson, the canonical American poet among the most Gigantic (literally & literarily) men-of-letters of the twentieth century—our favorite Maximus Obscurantist. Glover studied with & was anointed by the Maximus Master himself, & has outstandingly served as his bibliographer & editor (see for example our item No. 8126). In strong near fine condition with only mild-to-moderate shelf-wear, age-toning, yellowing, rubbing, some light bumping & select, low-visibility exhibits of bump-creasing to fine-edges & corners of front, back covers & spine-edge; otherwise, generally clean. Near Fine. [Item #8431]

Price: $80.00