Outlying Districts by Anselm Hollo (1987)

 Outlying Districts

Anselm Hollo

Smithereens Press

Bolinas, CA

(c) 1987

Yes, this copy has a coffee stain on the front. I knew that before I got it. But it's hand-painted by Hollo's wife, Jane Dalrymple-Hollo. And the seller said that this copy was signed and inscribed to "Allan and Cinda" - and my brain stopped me right there and said "The only Allan and Cinda you know of are the Kornblums; Toothpaste Press and Coffee House Press. You know? You met him!" 

Yes, I had. I have been incredibly inspired by Allan's letterpress work with and on Toothpaste Press. 

Smithereens Press appears to have been Hollo's imprint. It's a staple-bound mimeo. (late in the game for mimeos but that's what it looks like). Single page poems. 

Each book printed was painted differently. Making each book (250 printed, 10 were signed by poet and artist) unique. 

Happy New Year. 

Sutter Anniversary Edition by Goedsche & Glaettli (25th printing)

 Sutter Anniversary Edition

C. R. Goedsche & W. E. Glaettli

Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.

25th printing

In German. For elementary level German reading. It's a biography of the Sutter of Sutter's Mill notoriety (the California Gold Rush started on discovery of gold on land his workers were working). It's staple bound and I am bound to mention it here. 

His full name was Johann August Sutter and he was born in 1803 in the Holy Roman Empire (Baden, in what is now Germany)

Marginalia Issue no.II (2022)

Marginalia Issue No. II

Logan Garner

somewhere in Oregon

(c) 2022

Not sure this is actual marginalia as I understand them to be. I think of marginalia as a word or a phrase or a rebuttal. But I am not here to split hairs. I am bald. Not going there. 

This is a beautiful item. The images that Mr. Garner has chosen are all in the public domain. Nicely done. 
 

le cyclop by Association le cyclop (1993)

 booklet in French regarding the sculpture entitled "le cyclop" which is located in Milly-la-foret, France. It is the work of Jean Tinguely. Printed in French. Produce of France. Staple-bound. Most interesting. 

Steps by Erik Muller (2011)

 Steps

Erik Muller

self published

Eugene, OR

(c) 2011

This might take a bit to set up and the payoff might not work but here goes : I think I have mentioned that part of the reason I write about chapbooks is that I also wear a publisher's hat (Plan B Press) and we have been publishing, mostly chapbooks, since 1999. 

Well, this year we published a book by an Eve Muller entitled A Guide to the Ruins. In the process I learned that Eve had a father who wrote poetry and also ran a few publishing operations in the Eugene, OR area. I was intrigued. Fireweed and Traprock Books were among the publications that he edited and brought out along with the Coos Writer Series. And apparently he self published some of his collections as well. Like this one. According to Eve his books are hard to come by so I was elated to find a signed copy of one of his books that his daughter admitted that she never read. 

I am familiar with a chapbooks with the same title, Steps, as that was the title of ruth weiss's first chapbook that I got a copy of long ago and then sold to a collector for a significant amount of money. ruth told me the story about how that chapbook came about. I am unable to have a conversation with Mr. Muller since he passed in 2021. 

Eve Muller is working with the University of Oregon to put together a collection of his work at the college. Special collections, anyone?

Hope they have a copy of this one in that collection. (Not that I am parting with this one anytime soon)

right churn tool by bentspoon blog (????)

 It's hard to say why this item was preserved in the manner that it was, but it was. It's Canadian and they do things differently up there? There is an envelope that this item came in and it is stamped FINAL COPY so perhaps it was. Maybe in the 2012 time frame as other items from this "collective" date from that moment. Shadowy presence. Very DIY. Reminds me of the collage mailings of the early punk era and fluxus before that, and even earlier artists who were literally cutting and pasting their work together with glue and tape. 

It's not poetry. It's not prose. It's not confessional. It's not anything but word vomiting. The visuals are a bit more interesting. But I have seen better. 

Kalliope : Literary Magazine (1985)

Kalliope: The Penn State Literary Magazine 

volume 5 : number 1

Pennsylvania State University

College Park, PA

(c) 1985

Staple bound book. Recognize none of the writers, nor the advisors, not the supporters. 

But it exists - there ya go. 

 

Abraham Lincoln : a digest of the wit and wisdom of Abraham Lincoln by King Hostick (1958)

Abraham Lincoln : a digest of the wit and wisdom of Abraham Lincoln

 King V. Hostick 

(c)1958

Compliments of the Lincoln Exhibit

Sponsored by Lincoln Savings and Loan Association

Los Angeles, CA

Tiny booklet stuffed with images and sayings of an American icon. 

Book in Thai language, embossed

 

Okay I am not even going to try and do this justice because I don't speak Thai and I know the culture enough (I have drunk my share of Thai beer) to know that the image of the king is on everything - EVERYthing - made in Thailand and this book is in the Thai language except for a name that appears on the  last page that is in English -Ajahn Jayasaro - I mean, even the page count is in Thai !

BUT - it's got an embossed cover, front and back,  and I find that very interesting, so I am mentioning the book here. 

From The Hometown of Ken Carpenter, Charles "Amos" Correll, and Fibber McGee and Molly.... (??)

 From the Hometown of Ken Carpenter, Charles "Amos" Correll

Fibber McGee and Molly....

Nostalgic Radio 

Peoria, IL 

(c) UNKNOWN (possibly 1974)

This is a staple-bound radio program catalogue. 50 pages of old time radio programs on tape (pre-CD format period) There is an envelope in the catalogue with the year 1974 stamped on the back of it, so maybe it was published then?

This item reminds me of something the writer Daniel Nester sent me years ago, an 8 track tape magazine that was shaped like an 8 track tape. I still have it (somewhere). This item harkens back to an earlier period. Recordings of live radio broadcasts. 

D. W. by garth graeper (2013)

 D.W.

garth graeper

greying ghost

(c) 2013

I have always admired what greying ghost did and the way that they presented work, and shipped their books with odd ephemera. I scored a number of these "not-broadsides, not-books" from them somewhere along the lines. Good stuff. 

Water Bugs and Dragonflies : Explaining death to children (1983)

 Water Bugs and Dragonflies : Explaining death to children

The Pilgrim Press 

New York, NY

(c)1983

Happy little booklet. Illustrations by Gloria Ortiz. It's a tiny tiny. And I have to found some poetry chapbooks right quick. 

Making the Difference : The Story of Wal-Mart (??)

 Making the Difference : The Story of Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart Visitors Center

Bentonville, AR

date uncertain

This is an oversized self congratulatory bit of propaganda that I am including here since it's a staple-bound "booklet" filled with zombie capitalism at its worst. How much does the Walton family avoid in taxes? Why are employees of Wal-Mart dependent on Medicare and Medicaid? 

I have not shopped in a Wal-Mart in 23 years (who said I am counting?)

Stories, Anecdotes, and Humor from the Civil War (1983)

Stories, Anecdotes and Humor from the Civil War

Hugh and Judy Gowan

 Daisy Productions

Martinsburg, PA

(c) 1983

Staple bound booklet showing "lighter moments" of the US Civil War with B&W photos. um - okay
 

Indian Beadwork: A Help for Students of Design by Clark Wissler (1927)

 Indian Beadwork : A Help for Students of Design

Clark Wissler

Guide Leaflet No. 50

American Museum of Natural History

(c) 1927 , 2nd edition

This is a beautiful booklet that I found to be handsome, informative, and charming - especially how they called it a "leaflet". But it also is an interesting relic in the sense that it is a booklet about Native people's crafts and craftsmenship written by a white man less than 30 years after the Wounded Knee massacre that makes the end of the "Indian Wars" in the United States. The booklet almost bleeds with irony. 

what'a hole History Geology of the Carlsbad Caverns by John Moseley (1948)

what'ahole History Geology of the Carlsbad Caverns

John Moseley & W A Dunagan

(c) 1948

Full disclosure : I have been to the Carlsbad Caverns. It's amazing and claustrophobic and I refused to go back for the evening event - that being the thousands upon thousands of bats who flew out of the cave entrance to do their night hunting. I don't like bats. 

I also did not get this gem at the time, I happened across it much more recently at a local library donation drop. It was too handsome to disregard, so I brought it come with me. It really is an amazing tiny staple-bound booklet with information and B&W photos and illustrations; really, what's not to like? 
 

20 Poems by Lauri Otonkoski (1999)

 20 Poems

Lauri Otonkoski

duration press 

(c)1999

Number  12 in their series. Translated from the Finnish by Anselm Hollo. Some interesting design features in this one. 

Fashion Blast Quarter by Krystal Languell / Chalky Undertaste by Emily Skillings (2014)

Fashion Blast Quarter by Krystal Languell / Chalky Undertaste by Emily Skillings

Flying Object 

flying-object.org

Hadley, MA

(c) 2014

This is a unique piece. Although it contains but 2 poems, it's a fold out. Meaning that when it is completely unfolded opened to its maximum size is roughly 3 feet by 4 feet. With images. Created by Flying Object.  Very cool. Interesting as heck. 

Empedocles's Sandal by Habib Tengour (1999)

 Empedocles's Sandal 

Habib Tengour

Translated from the French by Pierre Joris

Duration Press

Sausalito, CA

(c) 1999

Another in the series of International poets in translation published by Duration in 1999, with afterword by translator. #7 in the series. Unpaginated. 

twist riffs and stiff hits by Buck Downs (2008)

twist riffs and stiff hits

Buck Downs

self published

Washington, DC

(c)2008

The dude is that and more. 

Plague Love by Louisa Schnaitmann (2021)

 Plague Love

Louisa Schnaithmann

Moonstone Press

Philadephia, PA

(c)2021

A collection of poems based on an on-line romance that becomes a life partnership. Refreshing and timely - otherwise ruined by slap dash production by the publisher. Sad. 

A Guide to the Lizards of the Granite Mountains by Winfred F Frick (????)

 A Guide to the Lizards of the Granite Mountains

Written by Winifred Frick

Illustrated by Katie Tillotson

and that literately is all she wrote - publication date, no publication location. 60 pages of staple bound lizards on pages that were not trimmed. Kind of amazing and kind of helpless. 

Enigmas by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz (2015)

 Enigmas

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

Senal #2

BOMB magazine/ Ugly Ducking Presse

(c) 2015

Second volume that is part of a series done by this collaborative effort. Translated by Stalina Emmanuelle Villarreal. 25 pages. Bilingual edition. Afterword by translator. 

The Sky is a Well by Claudia Smith (2007)

 The Sky is a Well and other stories

Claudia Smith

Rose Metal Press

Brookline, MA 

(c) 2007

Well written collection of short stories and other "short-shorts"

Man of Moderation by Michael McClure (1975)

 Man of Moderation 

Michael McClure

Frank Hallman

New York, NY

(c)1975

Unpaginated staple-bound chapbook. Two poems. Dedicated to Anne Waldman. Lovely item. 

We Know Better by James Aswell (1927)

We Know Better by James Aswell. 

Gordon Lewis Publisher 

Charlottesville, VA

(C) 1927

On 9/16/23 our family was in Philadelphia and went to the Italian Market in South Philly, and there was a bookstore there - Molly’s Books and Records - so we went into it. Our kids were interested in vinyl and ended up buying some 45s while I looked around, and looked around, and then looked up between the top of the bookshelf that hosted the poetry section there and the ceiling and there were a few larger books that didn’t fit on the shelves arranged just out of my reach - one of which caught my eye though. 

It was a black cover with what looked like woodcut letter pressed words but I couldn’t make it out from the distance I was from the book, so I got the employee’s attention and asked to see that book and it was We Know Better by James Aswell. Instantly I knew I was dealing with something unique because this book was published in Charlottesville, VA - in 1927. 

So, what makes it unique? Well, the “black cover” that first attracted my eye was a cardboard box, a clamshell cover, for a staple-bound book of poetry with woodcut images throughout by Don Millar. 

It’s 72 pages, but it’s staple bound. And I had never seen a book published in 1927 be presented like this before - so, yeah, unique. And it was signed by James Aswell. 

I haven’t found much about the author but of the publisher - Gordon Lewis was an owner of Charlottesville's landmark bookstore The New Dominion Bookshop from at least 1923 as well as a contributor the University of Virginia Magazine in the 1920s.

Perhaps he published other uniquely presented books as well. 

Sor Juana y otros monstruos by Luis Felipe Fabre (2015)

 Sor Juana y otros monstruos

Luis Felipe Fabre

Senal / BOMB magazine

(c) 2015

Senal is a chapbook series for contemporary poetry from Latin America in transition, published collectively by BOMB magazine, Libros Antena Books, and Ugly Duckling Presse. Translated by John Pluecker. This is the first book in that series. In Spanish and English. 

Poems of Osip Mandelstam - Translated by Peter France (2014)

 Poems of Osip Mandelstam

Translated by Peter France

New Directions Poetry Pamphlet #16

New Direction Books

(c) 2014

The book is not a pamphlet, for goodness sake it's 72 pages long. But it is staple-bound so..... and I didn't have anything by Osip Mandelstam before. Now I have this. 

Falling Backwards into the World by Stephen Dunn (2012)

 Falling Backwards into the World 

Stephen Dunn

Jane Street Press

New York City

(c) 2012

I am always intrigued when beginning to research a recently found book and realize that there are rabbit holes leading to rabbit holes leading to hours of possible reviewing and investigating when all I wanted to say was "small formatted staple-bound chapbook from a previously unknown press". 

And yet, that is no longer sufficient to say because I do know more. Jane Street Press began in the early aughts as the brainchild of poet Douglas Goetsch. Several of the first books published by this press were collections of his work. If you go the website for this press you will find a link to his personal website. Don't bother clicking, the link is no longer up. Dead end. 

But this is a fine small collection of Stephen Dunn's work. For a Dunn completist, it's worth getting. 

Sleepwalk by Ingrid M. Calderon-Collins (2023)

 Sleepwalk 

Ingrid M. Calderon-Collins

resurrection press

(c) 2023

Not to be confused with a Catholic Church related press. 

This one is a spin off of resurrection magazine, also run by Ms. Calderon-Collins. This item, brilliantly collaborated with artist mark m. mellon, blends his collage with her text for a haunting/surreal collection. 

Subway Issue 11 Fall 2019

 Subway

Issue 11

Fall 2019

A staple-bound zine. Interesting. 

36th & Samson : Book 5 by Na Kim (2023)

 36th & Samson (Book 5)

Na Kim

First Last Booklet Series

Philadelphia, PA

(c) 2023

Quoting an insert 

"This series of images was created as a sketch for Na Kim's installation. FFC on 6, 7,  8 she brings her two dimensional investigations to life in space and at architectural scale. The installation is inspired by architect Adele Maude Santos' original vision of ICA's building, which embraced the potential of its location as a nexus where the Penn campus meets the city, using large glass windows to connect people with the art inside and life on the street. Bringing renewed attention to the building's gridded structure. FFC on 6, 7, 8 spans from the eastside windows into the lobby, mezzanine, and beyond, animating what Kin describes as the "social conscious' of ICA. 

I am glad to have had that insert in the booklet : I thought it was a poor knock-off of Mondrian. 

Appreciate the correction. 

 

The New Believers : Welcome to the Amazing World of Crystals

 

The New Believers: Welcome to the Amazing World of Crystals

Philadelphia, PA

I went to an event in the Crane Building in the Northern Liberties in Philadelphia recently and ran into a book seller there and chose to support their effort by buying a few things. This was one of them.

The best thing I can say about it is that I like that they were trying out a stitching machine. 

It is a booklet of random images intended to tell a story visually about, my take at least, the rise of new age religion in the US during the 1990s (harkening back to the 1970s?)

I am mentioning it to acknowledge it. I can not recommend it. It's a clusterfuck in fine stitching. 

Les Averses by Christopher Edgar (2012)

 Les Averses

Christopher Edgar

The Song Cave 

Northampton, MA

(c) 2012

I found a very thorough review of this chapbook Here.

I can neither add to this review nor would I be willing to try. I am writing about it because it exists, I have a copy of it, it is signed by the poet and that's it. There are days like this and this one of those days. 

The Lynching of Elizabeth Taylor by Jean Williams (1966 - assumed)

 The Lynching of Elizabeth Taylor

The Press of the Territorian 

Santa Fe, NM

assumed 1966 publication

Number 11 of a Series of Western Americana

40 page historical record of the lynching of this particular Elizabeth Taylor and her brother, Thomas Jones,  in 1885. The west was wild and untamed as were the people who "claimed" it. Brutal is a more likely description. It's useful to remember that "lynching" came from a judge. Judge Lynch. Justice at the end of a rope is not justice at all. 

Natural Selection by Robert Mezey (1995)

 

Natural Selection

Robert Mezey

Robert L Barth 

Edgewood, KY

(c) 1995

I visited the Baldwin Book Barn in West Chester, PA recently and found a number of chapbooks all published by this small enterprise. I opted for this one because it had a poetry postcard inside that I have yet to send out but that's another story. 

Now, I have done just enough research to link to this Robert Barth individual as well as the author of this collection. 

The Blue Guitar Vol. 2 No. 1 edited by Rick Kearns (date unknown)

 The Blue Guitar Vol. 2 No. 1

Rick Kearns, editor

Harrisburg, PA

(date unknown)

This a a glimpse at a journal in transition. The editor wasn't throwing in the towel but also wasn't committing all his energy in making this guitar play either. I got it because I am familiar with a number of the poets whose work in included in this "crossroads" issue. Lamont Steptoe, Aaron Yeatts Perry, Barbara Crooker, Martin Espada, Jack Veasey among them. 

A journal like this is a time capsule showing a melding of Philadelphia with poets from Central and Eastern PA in one staple-bound booklet. A treasure indeed. 

Shutdown Strategies : Citizen Efforts...... by Joseph Kriesberg (1987)

 Shutdown Strategies : Citizen Efforts to Close Nuclear Power Plants

Joseph Kriesberg

Critical Mass Energy Project

Washington, DC

(c) 1987

Full disclosure: I am an anti-nuker. I marched against. I protested against. I am still committed to decommissioning all nukes. I was Green Party material before it was popular. 

This booklet is 68 pages of strategies that obviously have not stopped the Nuclear industry. Three Mile Island was the closest thing that we have experienced in the US to a "full stop" moment. That was 1979. In fact, ironically, I had gone to a late night viewing of the movie "the China Syndrome" the night before and I woke up to that news. It suddenly didn't seem like an only in the movies moment. 

beauty beauty .....beYOUty by Richard Henry Lee (1975)

beauty beauty beauty beauty beauty beYOUty

Richard Henry Less

acorn publishing 

Newburyport, MA

(c) 1975

There was a Richard Henry Lee who wrote and lived from 1732-1794

This is not him. This is poetry of a strong Christian and moral nature that comes across as homespun and folksy. Spiral bound. Oddly sized. 

War on a Lunchbreak by Ana Bozicevic (2011)

 

War on a Lunchbreak

Ana Bozicevic

Belladonna Chapbook Series

#137 

Brooklyn, NY

(c) 2011

Great series. 17 pages. Nearly invisible (what spine can there be?)

Five Copy Zine (2012)

 Five Copy Zine

Bentspoon Blog

Calgary AB Canada

(c) 2012

It is exactly what it says it is. "Ross" created this tiny zine. 

Rock & Roll of San Francisco's East Bay by Cory Linstrum (2015)

 Rock & Roll of San Francisco's East Bay

by Cory Linstrum

Microcosm 

(c)2015

 Volume 2 of their Scene History series

Staple-bound booklet. 32 pages of informative content. B&W band photos as well. Pretty cool stuff. 

Eyeberries by vera chase (1999)

Eyeberries

vera chase

(c) 1999

published in India

Spiral bound, printed in English and Czech. 300 copies printed. 

I scored this copy from a neighbor who had visited Prague and met Ms. Chase. 
 

The Story of Minot, North Dakota Punk 2001-2018 (2019)

The Story of Minot, North Dakota Punk 2001-2018

edited by Alexander Herbert

volume 4 in series

(c) 2019

Across the street from Philly legendary punk spot 'ZIPPERHEADS' is a record store of note and in that store there were, when we visited there recently, some punk zines and I bought a few of them including this one. 

The production of this booklet is actually better than true xeroxed punk publications of the late 1970s, and the photos are in actual non-squinting visibility. High quality for price and very informative for the majority of Americans who would never superglue Minot to Punk, but there was a scene. It eventually ended. What's next?

Worth the read for die-hard punk rockers and historians. 
 

The Closing of a Corner Store by Amelia Bjesse-Puffin (2020)

 The Closing of a Corner Store

Amelia Bjesse-Puffin

Microcosm.Pub

Portland, OR

(c) 2020

I have read a number of books, both non-fiction and poetry, about the demise of "zombie capitalism" and its effects on the land and the communities negatively impacted by the CLOSING of America, as it were, and this unpaginated staple-bound booklet emphasizes this uncontrolled collapse as well as any $50.00 academic book published by a major publisher. Probably more accurate since it is not written by anyone in the ivory tower but by someone who lives on the ground and feels the street level withdrawal more acutely. This is the same city that has generated the conditions that led to Mimi German's insightful Beneath the Gravel Weight of Stars (capturing the plight of the homeless in an unforgiving city) and Loaners: The Making of a Street Library by Ben Hodgson and Laura Moulton (about a portable library "catering" to street people).

It should surprise no one that the publisher, Microcosm.Pub, also brings out books about punk of local music scenes across the country. More on that part next. 

Niagara and the Daredevils by Philip Mason (unstated)

 Niagara and the Daredevils

Philip Mason

Interesting and informative booklet of those (crazy) daredevils who took on the Falls. B&W photos throughout. Cool, right 

(also, not poetry)

(also, printed in Canada)

the bowen street poems by Brian Bagdonas (1992)

 the bowen street poems

Brian Bagdonas 

Grime City Productions

Dayton, OH 

(c)1992

This was an Ebay find, have to say. 

Actually when I saw the image it was a deja vu moment, I felt I had seen the image before - had held the book before, but no, I had not. The cover of the booklet/chapbook was both cover and mailer. The other side, the "back cover" of the book, was actually designed to be for addressing and mailing the book out. 

This has GOT to be among the first things that Brian Bagdonas created. I researched a bit and found that: 

"Brian Scott Bagdonas has worked in the commercial print industry since 1992. He first got a taste for print and small "mom and pop" print shop culture as a result of making zines and record covers in support of his hometown underground music scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s."

and this book has all the markings of a creative should working out how to present a concept. He even created "Grime City Productions" with a Dayton, Ohio address. 

Very inventive, for the completist - this one is a must. Especially since this one is addressed and signed by Brian himself. 

 

EIK by M. R. Trower (2013)

 EIK

M R Trower

An Inkmaggot Comic!

(c)2013

Staple-bound chapbook sized comic. Never saw one of these before.