Charters, Ann (Olson, Charles; Melville, Herman)

Olson/Melville: A Study in Affinity

Berkeley, CA: Oyez Press, 1968. First Edition. Hardcover. "This study, the first to be published on Charles Olson, discusses, significantly, the poet's first book, Call Me Ishmael, his now famous creative response to Herman Melville. It also treats in depth Olson's other writings on Melville: his essays, reviews, and the poem "Letter for Melville 1951." Charles Olson has made available unpublished earlier essays on Melville from his Black Mountain College lectures in the 1950's, & Mrs. Charters was able to discuss with Olson aspects of his involvement with Melville." (from front flap) The pioneering study of Black Mountain-&-Beyond Poet's Poet Charles Olson's (1910-1970) work on & affinity with author of Moby Dick Herman Melville (1819-1891) by Ann Charters (b. 1936), the acclaimed scholar & academician whom we at Third Mind Books know best for her definitive biographical & bibliographical works on Jack Kerouac (see our item No. 4572), & who is our esteemed colleague at the European Beat Studies Network (ebsn.eu). Olson, our favorite Sphinx-like Maximus Obscurantist, first published his groundbreaking Call Me Ishmael, on the life & work of the canonical American author Melville during 1947 (see our item No. 8989), & wrote & lectured on Melville at Black Mountain College & State University of New York at Buffalo thereafter. Charters traces the kindred sagas of Melville & Olson, the insightful result of close readings of the works & extensive correspondence with Olson. With two sections of beautiful, haunting, some now-iconic black-&-white photographs taken by Charters of Olson & Co., & the Melvillian Mileu of Gloucester, Massachusetts that was his home & inspiration. Hardcover in unclipped dust jacket, first edition, first printing though neither specified at sparse copyright page- an exemplary Oyez production. From the collection of Robin Eichele (b. 1941), the esteemed American poet who co-founded the Detroit Artists' Workshop with the legendary John Sinclair (1941-2024), & is our good nearby friend. Eichele attended the legendary Berkeley Poetry Conference of July 1965, where he witnessed Olson's reading-lecture, an exultant experience that he wrote about- & which changed his life & work thereafter. An essential, deeply informative Olson-related Charters collectible in its rarest contemporary form, with very distinguished provenance. See also our item No. 8479. Book in relatively quite very fine condition with only very slightr wear & a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of dark green-cloth front, back covers & spine; a touch of rubbing, age-toning & occasional spotting to edges of text block; otherwise appearing substantially mint inside & out. Dust jacket fine with mild rubbing, faint scratching & a hint of age-toning to front, back covers, spine & flaps; light wear & some tiny bumps to edges & corners of same; one short, closed tear from upper left edge of front cover near spine. Very Fine / Fine. [Item #8985]

Price: $75.00