Various (Magill, Frank N. (Editor); Bukowski, Charles; Matthews, Jack; Wakoski, Diane et al.)

The Contemporary Literary Scene 1973

Englewoods Cliffs, N.J. Salem Press Inc., 1974. First Edition, First Printing. Hardcover. "I had known about Charles Bukowski for years, since my work and his had occasionally appeared in the same magazines" (opening sentence, "Search for Bukowski," pg. 220). The Contemporary Literary Scene 1973 is a reference volume published by Salem Press, Inc. & edited by Dr. Frank N. Magill (1907-1997). It was issued in 1974 as a survey of 1973's significant literary output & trends, and it became the first installment of what grew into a series, Magill later edited The Contemporary Literary Scene II. The Contemporary Literary Scene fits squarely in the literary referance annual style: essay-length overviews & capsule treatments of authors, works, and movements, aimed at libraries, students & general readers. Featured is an account of the interview process of the "Deity of the Derelict" Charles Bukowski (1920-1994) by American essayist & avid antiquarian book collector Jack Matthews (1925-2013). The essay ("Search for Bukowski," pgs. 220-230; Debritto, C12, pg. 443) reads as a fellow-writer's profile that takes the standard "Bukowski as wild man" image and quietly complicates it, acknowledging the mythology (the violence, the chaos) while suggesting the reality is more ordinary, more domestic, possibly more interesting because of that gap. The title "Search for Bukowski" has a double sense: the bibliographic search through the small magazines where Matthews first encountered him & the actual trip to find the person behind the byline, with the implicit punchline that what you find when you arrive isn't quite the figure the legend promised. Also of note: the Beat Generation's Diane Wakoski (b. 1937) asks "Who can be a poet?" in her article based on a previously written letter "Poetry as the Dialogue We All Hope Someone is Listening To" (pgs. 211-219) as well as multitudes of entries from other contibutors. Hardcover in Unclipped Dust Jacket: First Edition, first printing per copyright page. A most collectible compendium from 1973 in its rarest contemporary form. Book in relatively fine condition with mild-to-moderate rubbing to fine edges & corners of front, back covers & spine; an occasion of spot-staining to front cover near fine edge of side; mild-to-moderate age-toning & mild rubbing to text block; vertical yellow ink stain (likely a remainder mark) to center of bottom of same, red stained fine edges of top of text block, as published. Interior fine-to-very fine with mild age-toning to blank margins & fine edges of page leaves. Dust Jacket fine with moderate rubbing/scratching to front, back covers, spine & flaps; very mild creasing to corners of same; appx. 2 cm enclosed tear to bottom fine edge of front cover; appx. 2 cm enclosed tear to bottom fine edge of back cover near flap; moderate chipping to left side of top of spine. Fine / Fine. [Item #8964]

Price: $40.00