Dorn, Edward; Dunbar, Jennifer

Manchester Square

ISBN: 0905258002
London, England, UK: Permanent Press, 1975. Limited First Edition, First Printing. Stapled Wrappers. "I left my room key | in the pigeon hole | there are some books there | I forgot to mention | please take them, even | if they scream out | that they are not | worthy of your attention." ("Dear Herbie," unpaginated). A vintage 1975 collection of poems by Edward Dorn (1929-1999), among the greatest of the Black Mountain school of poets along with his colleagues/mentors the minimalist Robert Creeley (1926-2005), the esoteric Robert Duncan (1919-1988) & the maximus obscurantist Charles Olson (1910-1970); and his second wife, Russian-born Jennifer Dunbar. Dorn and Dunbar met in London in 1969, one year after the release of what would become Dorn's magnum opus, part one of his long form political poem about a demigod cowboy, a saloon madam, and a talking horse, Gunslinger. The eleven unpaginated short poems in "Manchester Square" all share the broader theme of the poets' love- for people (each other), places (Manchester Square), things (businesses) & ideas (love itself). They would go on to co-edit the literary newspaper "Rolling Stock," a newspaper of ideas and a chronicler of the 1980s published in Boulder, Colorado. From the collection of Richard Cupidi (b. 1945), our esteemed mate in the UK who managed the fabled Unicorn Bookshop in Brighton, England for founder Bill Butler (1934-1977, the famed American-expatriate bookseller & publisher). From the late 1960s through the early 1970s, Unicorn proffered & published many outstanding productions by William S. Burroughs, J.G. Ballard et al., some of which have become the scarcest, all-but-unobtainable Beat-&-Beyond collectibles (see for example our Item No.s 8217 & 8366). After prevailing against censorious harassment efforts, Unicorn closed & Butler died in short order. Cupidi went on to found the Public House Bookshop in Brighton, which had a long & successful run but is also now closed, & he still resides there. We have been honored to obtain what Cupidi has termed "The Last Hurrah," all the remaining treasures of Unicorn & Public House, some of which have become the stuff of myth. Chapbook in Stapled Wrappers: Limited First Edition & First Printing per endpage colophon: "600 copies of this first edition...." A most collectible Black Mountain Poetry book from the poetic powerhouse couple Dorn & Dunbar, in its rarest contemporary form, with very distinguished provenance. In relatively very fine condition with only mild bumping/wear to fine edges & corners of front, back covers & stapled spine; mild rubbing & age-toning to text block. Interior very fine with only some light scratching to some page leaves; minor bumping of corners to same. Very Fine. [Item #8465]

Price: $40.00