Fawcett, Brian

Friends

Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN: New Star Books, 1971. Limited First Edition. Stapled Sheets with Glued Wrappers. "Please read this writing aloud or move your lips when you read." (dedication page). Friends is Canadian writer & cultural analyst Brian Fawcett's (1944-2022) second book, published in 1971. It came out through the Georgia Straight Writing Supplement (Vancouver Series #4), an imprint associated with New Star Books, edited at the time by fellow Beat Generation & San Francisco Renaissance acolyte Stan Persky (1944-2024). Persky had invited Fawcett to put together a collection, and the result was Friends, which helped kick off both Fawcett's publishing career & a lifelong creative friendship with Persky. Friends is a poetic & prose anthology exploring intimacy, companionship & the emotional bonds that define personal life. It uses lyrical & reflective writing to examine the nature of friendship, loyalty & shared experience. Published before Fawcett’s rise to prominence, Friends reflects his early engagement with poetic form & short-form writing. The combination of verse & prose is a hallmark of Canadian literary experimentation in the mid-20th century, where poets often blended genres to explore complex ideas. From the collection of Albert Glover (1942-2026), the great American scholar, bibliographer, author & publisher who until recently was the foremost remaining authority on literary giant Charles Olson (1910-1970), with whom we're honored to have been acquainted. Large-Format Softcover Original: Limited Edition, "400 copies printed July, 1971 at York Street Commune" per endpage colophon. A most collectible early Fawcett entry in its rarest contemporary form with very distinguished provenance. In relatively fine condition with mild-to-moderate age-toning, rubbing & spot staining mostly to fine edges of front, back covers & spine; mild scratching to front cover; mild creasing & rubbing to front & back covers at spine; mild age-toning & rubbing to text block. Interior fine with mild age-toning to page leaves; very minor bumping of corners to some of same. Fine. [Item #9019]

Price: $40.00