Huffstickler, Albert

The Wander Years

ISBN: 0965768732
Austin, TX: SRLR Press, 1998. First Edition. Softcover. Inscribed, signed & dated by Albert Huffstickler. "Yes, The Wander Years- those years of torment when you search outside yourself for that thing you finally come to know can only be found inside you. But all this a preparation for coming home-- to the only home that's really yours, that home inside you that you build for yourself out of joy and faith and anguish, mortaring it with your life's blood, that home that belongs to both you and everyone else at the same time, bought at the cost of everything, bought for the soul to dwell in when The Wander Years are over." (from Introduction, "The Wander Years," pg. 2) A collection of poems by Albert Huffstickler (1927-2002), the prolific & peripatetic Texas born-&-based poet. As Huffstickler explains in his introductory piece partly quoted above, most of these poems look back at the period of the mid-late 1960s when his wanderings reached their peak of breadth & intensity, financed by his earnings as a writer of pornography under a pseudonym. While sui generis & most insightfully rewarding in their own right, there is a Beat, especially Kerouacian quality of the "Lonesome Traveler" "On the Road" in these observant works. Trade-format softcover original, first edition, first printing as stated at copyright page. Complete with a self-published list of then-available books by Huffstickler between pgs. 42-43, single sheet folded twice horizontally into three panels, in fine condition with light wear, tiny bumps & creases at/from edges, corners & folds; & "order 22/5" written in blue ink by a previous owner. We presume this was loosely included as part of the first printing, & therefore do not consider it ephemera as such. At recto first leaf/ title page, below his printed name, Huffstickler has has hand-written, signed & dated in black ink: "Best wishes/ to Henry Denansler(?)/ from/ (signed) Albert Huffstickler/ May 30, 2000." An essential, exemplary, rich & rewarding Huffstickler collectible in its rarest contemporary form, greatly enhanced by his inscription, signature & date not long after publication. In relatively fine-to-very-fine condition with light rubbing, faint scratching & a hint of age-toning to front, back covers & spine; a bit of wear & some tiny bumps, creases at/from edges & corners of same; very slight, almost imperceptible rubbing to small areas at edges of text block. Interior very fine with only tiny bumps & small, faint creases at esp. upper corners of some page leaves. Fine-Very Fine. [Item #8731]

Price: $50.00