Eunoia by Michael Nicoloff & Alli Warren (2011)

 Eunoia

Michael Nicoloff & Alli Warren

Abraham Lincoln Press

Ashland, OR

(c) 2011

Both of these poets have been achieving a "rep" : 

ALLI  WARREN’s first book, Here Come the Warm Jets, was published by City Lights. Previous chapbooks include Grindin’ (Lew Gallery), Acting Out (Editions Louis Wain), and Well-Meaning White Girl (Mitzvah Chaps). With Michael Nicoloff, she wrote Eunoia (Abraham Lincoln Press) and Bruised Dick. She edits the magazine Dreamboat, co-edits the Poetic Labor Project and formerly co-curated The (New) Reading Series at 21 Grand. Alli lives in Oakland. 

MICHAEL NICOLOFF is the author of the chapbooks "Punks", Mixed Grill (Monologue Version), and I Hope You Die, as well as the CD "Punkses" (After Ketjak). With Alli Warren, he wrote Bruised Dick and Eunoia. Formerly a curator of the (New) Reading Series at 21 Grand and Artifact, he presently serves on the board of Small Press Traffic and is an organizer with the Bay Area Public School.

I found nothing about this apparently micro-press, Abraham Lincoln Press. 

These two poets have merged their work so seamlessly in this collection I have no idea who's words are whose. If words have ownership, which they don't. Interesting chapbook. 

Neverheart by Loren Walker (2021)

 Neverheart

Loren Walker

dancing girl press & studio

Chicago, IL 

(c)2021

No one is perfect. And I am starting with myself, I am a no one who is also not perfect. I am starting this little piece with a tiny bit of "me-ism" in the sense that I am a flawed person who, among my many pursuits and interests, collects and writes about chapbooks. And I have seen some amazing work done on this small scale production because - honestly - making chapbooks is not high end, large budget book production. It isn't for the faint at heart or for those with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads. It's for the dedicated, the committed; those living and thriving on the banks of the literary river that comprise this art form going back to cuneiform. To Ur. To the beginning of humans writing down their thoughts and deeds at the dawn of our being on this planet. 

Kristy Bowen has created this press and puts on her Sisyphus skin every time she brings out a chapbook of a female artist (that's what dancing girl press does; work with female artists). I applaud her for that. 

But as a publisher myself, I would have hoped that after nearly 20 years of doing this, it might have evolved out of the Xeroxed production era and this one hasn't. The cover image is good but the paper stock is very Xerox. I know this paper stock since I have used it myself. The words on the page are somewhat demeaned by the quality of the paper the words are printed on. As El Lissitzky wrote back in 1931, The book must be the unified work of the author and the designer. As long as this is not the case, splendid exteriors will constantly be produced for unimportant contents, and visa-versa.

"prime cuts" by Hot Whiskey Press (2006)

 "prime cuts"

Hot Whiskey Press 

Boulder, CO

(c) 2006

My apologies to those involved with this anthology. I take it to be an anthology. It lists poets and states that some of the poems were previously published elsewhere. It is a unique item to be sure. I am apologizing for titling the collection "prime cuts" since that is what it appears to be showing in the cover image and it does not actually list a title that I have seen anywhere. I hope my temporary title will suffice in the moment. 

This is indeed an interesting hand sewn anthology of work published by Hot Whiskey Press, a press I had not heard of before. A handful of the poets I have heard of and have read before : Linh Dinh, Elizabeth Robinson, Clayton Eshleman, Lisa Jarnot - but some were new to me. Wonderful mix. 

Sri Kundalini Sakthi - Serpent Power by Late Y. Subbaraya Sharma (1992)

 Sri Kundalini Sakthi - Serpent Power

Late Y. Subbaraya Sharma

Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Ashram

Bangalore, India 

(c) 1992

One of only 1,000 copies printed. This is a chapbook in the sense that it is staple-bound and of the dimensions of a chapbook but it is also 102 pages, which means it NOT a chapbook and yet I am including it because the language is exquisite and the images as beautiful. It is a profoundly charming book. 

Phylum by Laura Goldstein (2013)

 

Phylum

Laura Goldstein

Horse Less Press

Grand Rapids, MI

(c)2013

Ms. Goldstein added another 'a' to her first name since I knew her in Philadelphia. Nice wraparound cover effect. Good writing. hand sewn booklet. Worth the read. 

Stories and Articles of Eastern Native Americans by Reed Runk (2003)

 Stories and Articles of Eastern Native Americans

Reed Ruck

N&R Publishing 

St. Thomas, PA

(c)2003

More accurately this title should include A Compliation of Articles from Gene Niswander's Historical Indian Newsletter of Franklin County and Surrounding Area. Franklin County, PA. Informative collection of articles about the Native Americans encounters and then forcibly relocated from their lands by the descendants of those chronicling these tales. 52 pages. The tales are well written and yet thoroughly heartbreaking when you realize the outcome that led to them. The book might as well have been titled "white men remember those they killed off to take their land from". Such a tragedy. Such a loss. 

Spit-Curls by Keith Waldrop (1999)

 Spit-Curls

Keith Waldrop

duration press

(c) 1999

This one is special in the sense that it is duration press's first chapbook (stated on back as "duration.number.one.1999" and it one of only 200 printed. 31 pages of language gymnastics at its best. 

street mystery by Julia Vinograd (1985)

 street mystery

Julia Vinograd

J/S Press

(c) 1985

Through the arc of her publishing career, with the visual effects of her changing body as shown with her annual book release with corresponding cover photo; a sort of Dorian Gray in real time with written work that continues to become more perfected while she wanes due to the toll she pays for the life she chose to live; all represented in this 1985 chapbook published 40 page blast by a mysterious publisher who left no trace - puff of smoke. 

Packing by Hailey Higdon (2012)

 Packing 

Hailey Higdon

Bloof Books

(c) 2012

This chapbook was well received and reviewed upon it's release in 2012. I remember reading with her at a rather bizarre event outside of Towson, Maryland a few years ago. It was a odd meddling of country fair with absurdist/difficult poetry being read in a building but it might as well have been a freak show tent to the blue hairs who wandered in. I remember Hailey reading well that day whereas some of the other poets attended seemed determined to "shock and awe". 

This is #86 of the 100 numbered copies that were printed. Bloof has done good work presenting quality writing and this is an early example of that. I mean, I could quote heavily from one of those reviews but we are talking about a chapbook that is almost a decade old and has been digitalized for on-line consumption. But you can't feel the cover electronically, and I do enjoy holding a book that actually feels like something. Not slick plastic that makes me want to wash my hands afterward to remove the slickiness of the cover. Be that as it may, the writing is good here and the presentation is worthwhile and e-books are just texts, aren't they? 

Concrete Meat by Julia Vinograd (1981)

 

Concrete Meat

Julia Vinograd

Arc Press

Berkeley, CA

(c) 1981

Due to the nature of Ms. Vinograd's life and publishing history (a book a year for most of her life) we can to see the ever observant poet watching the world from street level while we also watch her age and wither year by year. At least until her sister began to provide the cover art for her annual missives. This is no exception. It is as she describes at the beginning of 'The Mirror's Edge' :

                          "We scare the monsters but not too far away"

no, indeed not. Otherwise, what would we write about?

Easter Sunday by Barbara Jane Reyes (2008)

 

Easter Sunday

Barbara Jane Reyes

ypolita press

(c) 2008

Back in 2015 I wrote a detailed accounting of this poet and her book printed the same year by Portable Press at Yo-Yo Labs. Reyes had two books out the same year (Cherry). Pretty cool. This one came courtesy of a gentleman at Iowa State who was downsizing his massive chapbook collection (he works in that department and scores of items have ended up in his files over the years). Some of the pieces remind me of the work in Cherry , the chapbook printed by Brenda Iijima's press. Spatially, at least. It would not surprise me at all if the work in both of these 2008 chapbooks were merged in a book with a spine sometime later. 

Good stuff !

Complete Thought by Barrett Watten (1982)

 Complete Thought

Barrett Watten

TUUMBA 38

TUUMBA Press

(c) 1982

TUUMBA Press is one of those small presses that does not disappoint. Lyn Hejinian, who started the press in 1976, has done an incredible job creating a very distinctive series of poetry booklets. And this one just dazzles. 

2 Poets by Robert & Charles Bodner (2020)

 

I am giving this chapbook a title and an image here but nothing more. 

It definitely qualifies as a "no tree deserves this ending" item. 

Tough year plus

 I haven't posted much, sorry. The pandemic has shifted my focus from one place to another and back and I just remembered that I have this platform to use (not abuse) and here I am - not ready to discuss any specific chapbook just yet but to thank those who have posted useful and informative comments - as in the case of Carl W who revealed the "mystery" of Jean Stair. Thank you, kind sir.

I don't know if any of you are aware of or have been published by dancing girl press out of Chicago but they are NOT on the up & up. I paid for a 5 chapbook bundle from them in June and never received anything. Not a thank you for your purchase, nothing. When I wrote the owner - I didn't even get crickets back. BE WARNED. 

Firewater & Pixie Dust by Karen Lillis (2013)

 

Firewater & Pixie Dust

Karen Lillis

Words Like Kudzu Press

Pittsburgh, PA

(c) 2013

There is a history here - both of a small "micro" press and the poet helmswoman in charge of it. 2 years before this item appeared, in a review of a previous book published by WLK, a reviewer mentioned Ms. Lillis's background and her time spent in Austin, Texas. 

I will save those details for another time, should I have the opportunity to review Emergency Room Wrestling by The Dirty Poet. 

I want to say that this story, illustrated by Nate McDonough, is quite something in its own write. The story was originally published in Trip City while Words Like Kudzu Press started in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NYC in 2000 to publish experimental work by women and "other outsiders". 

eurekas by Albert Goldbarth (1981)

 Eurekas

Albert Goldbarth

Ion Press/raccoon series

Memphis, TN

(c) 1981

Albert Goldbarth is a much published poet with more than 40 books in print. He has won numerous awards as well. This collection is somewhere in the middle of his writing career. 

Well made book of well crafted interconnected poems, or perhaps it should be read as single piece. 

 Somewhere on the Interstate

Roy Neil Graves

raccoon /Ion Books

Memphis, TN

(c) 1987

The 23rd publication put out by the raccoon series. The author was a long time English Professor at the University of Tennessee - Martin Campus. 

A typically good production of the press; the writing is very good and the presentation is notable. 

Drawing Music Poem by Kirby Congdon (1976)

 Drawing * Music * Poem

Kirby Congdon

The Cycle Press 

Brooklyn, NY

(c)1976

Cycle Press was co-founded by Kirby Congdon in 1976. This book is a mimeo oversized book. It contains, as the title states, a drawing - a piece of music - and a poem. 

It's a beautifully made book to be sure. 

loosely tied hands by Joe Rosenblatt (1978)

 loosely tied hands 

Joe Rosenblatt

Black Moss Press

Ontario, Canada

(c) 1978

Small format chapbook. Illustrated and unpaginated. 

I became familiar with this author's work when I was in Toronto in 2018 (found one of his books in a used bookstore). And recently found this item online. It's pretty interesting. The subtitle is "an experiment in punk". Well, kinda but not really. The author is too old to "get" punk and the thrust of the booklet is Eve leaving the Garden. Possibly. It's not exactly spelled out precisely. There is more interest in the snake. The snake as a metaphor yadda yadda. 

I wanted to like it more than I ended up liking it but that's not unique to this book. There are a number of concepts that don't quite reach their goal. I fear that is the situation with this book. All the same, you should read it. It's worth the adventure. 

The Dry Season by Malcolm Cowley (1941)

 The Dry Season

Malcolm Cowley

New Directions

Norfolk, CT

(c) 1941

Malcolm Cowley was a writer, talent scout, editor, historian, literary critic, and poet. He is most well known for his book Exiles Return by he was also the author of Blue Juniata a book of poetry that was published in 1929. 

This collection of poetry, staple-bound, marked his return to poetry as well as marking an evolutionary step for New Directions as it moved from chapbooks into books with spines. Unpaginated. A fine representation of Cowley's poetic work. 

Chicago in Autumn and other poems by Flora Bishop Hendricks (1987)

 Chicago in Autumn and other poems

 Flora Bishop Hendricks 

The Estate of Flora Bishop Hendricks

(c) 1987

This 45 page collection of poetry is as much a remembrance of the author as a volume of work. As one can see, it was published by the Estate of - Ms. Hendricks and at the end of the book is a mention of where the poems in this small book came from: a 1928 book entitled Bowls of Phantasy published by Robert Packard in Chicago and an unpublished collection of work written in the 1930s. 

Ms. Hendricks died in Putney, Vermont but had Chicago roots. Her poetry is emblematic of her time (not my shot of Bourbon) but it is beautiful in its own way. 

The Amphora 6 (Fall, 1971)

 The Amphora 6

edited by David Gitin

The Headstone Press

Thorp Springs Press 

Berkeley, CA

(c) 1971

I got this gem because it was edited by David Gitin who I believe to be an under appreciated poet and it was only after it arrived that I realized the uniqueness of this book. It was printed by Thorp Springs Press which was quite active in the Berkeley/SF poetry world in the late 1960s - early 1970s. The Press was headed by Paul Foreman who I have written about earlier in this on-going blog. So, he printed it. For The Headstone Press which I never heard of before. 

This volume contains work by some of the best poets writing at the time. Am I kidding? Hardly. I am talking about Diane di Palma, Larry Eigner, Clark Coolidge, Ron Silliman, Carl Rakosi, Lewis MacAdams, Denise Levertov and the editor of this volume himself.  One of Silliman's pieces is a great concrete poem. This is a great find. So happy to have been the one to find it! (okay, it's a slight brag)

The Girl Who Came Out with the Stars by David T Manning (2012)

 

The Girl Who Came Out with the Stars

David T Manning

Old Mountain Press

Webster, NC

(c) 2012

David T Manning is a former Poet Laureate of North Carolina and the author of several books. Old Mountain Press is a self publishing operation. It's 37 pages, with a spine. So thin a spine that no text could appear on the tiny sliver of nothing, but it's all a trick of the eye. A blink and it's gone. Lost on the bookshelf of time. 

Three Suite by christophe casanmassimo

Three Suite
christophe casanmassiimo

Fortezza Press

Bari, Italy

3 chapbooks by this fine poet and Baltimore poetry FORCE. 3 book set. #24 of 250 printing. 

26rd / end lines / maa laa

great writing. 

Vancouver Mainland Ice and Cold Storage by Bill Bissett (1974)

Vancouver Mainland Ice and Cold Storage

Bill Bissett

writers forum

Canada

(c) 1974

Uniquely original. 2nd printing. Not even listed on his Wikipedia bibliography page. Hard to describe other than it's worth collecting. Bissett is and has been a poet worth reading or "experiencing" to put it more accurately. 

Throwing Spitballs at the Nuns by Rose Lesniak (1982)

 

Throwing Spitballs at the Nuns

Rose Lesniak

Toothpaste Press

Iowa City, IA

(c) 1982

This copy was signed by author and illustrator, the talented Ann Mikolowski who did in fact provide stunning images for this chapbook. Hand-sewn binding on hand made paper. Unpaginated. A beautiful piece of art in its own right. And the poetry is great as well. I love me some Toothpaste Press!

Cutis-Lee Mansion : The Robert E. Lee Memorial (1962)

 

Custis-Lee Mansion : The Robert E. Lee Memorial

National Park Service

1962

It took the events of 2020, in particular the knee on the neck of George Floyd, to crystallize a clearer vision of Americans. A realization among citizens that perhaps we ought to stop praising people who in fact were traitors to the United States. This booklet was part of that time and heaped a degree of awe when vile disgust would have been more appropriate. 

It was published by the National Park Service because it has been, for over 100 years now, a tourist destination. Perhaps separate from the Arlington National Cemetery which surrounds it now and in part because it attracts believers and deniers who wish to pay homage to the "noble cause" (enslaving black people). 

These 48 pages containing B&W photos of the well mannered house is nothing more than an advertisement for a slave plantation which overlooked lowly Washington DC from it's peak atop the hill. This plantation and honored resting place for our nation's war dead and an assassinated US President is at least a mixed metaphor and at worst is an encapsulation of the "Grand Experiment" which is the United States. 

Imagine the South by George Woodcock (1947)

 Imagine the South

George Woodcock

The Untide Press

Pasadena, CA

(c) 1947

It is my contention that the poetry chapbook movement, if it could be called that, had an epicenter and that location was called Civilian Public Service Camp #56, outside of Waldport, Oregon where a group of conscientious objectors during World War II made a movement out of letterpress ink and staples and hand-sewn thread. 

This is not the earliest of these efforts but it is certainly one of them. 

There is a well written history of this collaborative effort that took place as Camp Waldport entitled Here on the Edge authored by Steve McQuiddy and published by Oregon State University Press. At the heart of this story and of the enterprise that grew out of it was William Everson. Some of the ideals that led to The Untide Press made their way to San Francisco and were incorporated into the "Renaissance" there which coincided with the birth of the Beat Generation. 

There may well be more than one birth site for the poetry chapbooks at the time of the second Great War but this place was better than most and had far most influence that any I am aware of. 

This particular item was published in 1947, after the war and once the Camp had closed. Those who made up The Untide Press had scattered hither and yarn but George Woodcock was one of the founders and was a Canadian at the Camp. The true begins of the "press" dates back to early 1943 as a newsletter distributed to other CO Camps across the country and grew into a "press" afterwards. 

One of 1000 printed. Unpaginated. And gorgeous!

follow-up with previous post

 the 1876 book I just mentioned was snatched almost instantly when I posted it on ebay for possible sale. I usually keep my chapbooks but this one was different. And poof - it disappeared. 

Inaugural Ceremonies of the Freedmen's Memorial Monument to Abraham Lincoln, Washington City, April 14, 1876

 

Inaugural Ceremonies of the Freedmen's Memorial Monument to Abraham Lincoln, 

Washington City, April 14, 1876

   Levison & Blythe

   St. Louis, MO

  (c) 1876

  There are times that it just pays to follow a hunch. Today is the day after Christmas and I felt that it would be a good day to go thrifting. I believe I was right. 

  Not that this item leapt into my hands, mind you. My wife and I went looking for Christmas things that might have sold and we did find some stuff for next Christmas, but while we were there we also looking through the music and book section as well. I saw one of the employees wheel out a bin filled with books and noticed a couple "helping" this gentleman and unsurprisingly the couple had a book scanner with them (cheapers) and then they devoured the bin, finding whatever it was that their scanner said - it seemed. I checked out other areas of the store and doubled back to the book area, and the couple had by then depleted the bin of about half its contents and had started doing through a second cart. This gave me to opportunity to go through the bin myself and close to the bottom of the bin I saw this booklet. 

   I didn't need a scanner. It looked old. The cover image, the font used, the date on the cover. My only question was was it an original or a reprint? I opened the booklet and saw that it was printed in St. Louis by Levison and Blythe : Printers, Stationers, and Blank Book Manufacturers and that they were located at 219 Olive Street in St. Louis. 

   Okay, it's an original. 

   Printed the same year as the event discussed in the text of the booklet. A historically significant moment. 28 pages of history. And I was gingerly holding it in my hand. It belongs in a collection somewhere, or perhaps in the new Afro-American Museum in Washington, DC. 

Street Spiels by Julia Vinograd

 Street Spiels

Julia Vinograd

Earthsign Press

I have a number of chapbooks by Julia Vinograd who died nearly two years ago, but this one was published by a Press associated with a bookstore (maybe) in the Berkeley, CA area (reasonably certain) and like many of the books I have of hers, it's signed by Ms. Vinograd herself. Earthsign might have been the name of the bookstore that also had a publishing operation. 

There is no listing of Earthsign other than the current user of that name who is a female artist who makes public art. A listing of all of Ms. Vinograd's books on wikipedia does not offer a publication date for this chapbook either. A bit of a mystery. 

These Hips by Tonya Maria Matthews (1999)

 These Hips (and other songs to Minista to a people's soul)

Tonya Maria Matthews

Black Words Poetry Series

Alexandria, VA 

(c) 1999

This seems like such a small and insignificant thing : a chapbook. Published by a small press that doesn't exist anymore. 40 pages of staple-bound insight. Except maybe in the details

Being : #1 - the Press imagined itself, in the statement about its own shadow at the end of this chapbook, to be "By the year 2k, we plan to be well on our way to becoming the Motown, or Def Jam, if you will, of Publishing" according to founder Kwame Alexander. 

Founded in 1995, the small press did have some early successes; publishing 360: A Revolution of Black Poets and Tough Love: The Life and Death of Tupac Shakur. But the success now belongs to Alexander himself who is a well published and respect author. 

Ms. Matthews, even at the time of this publication, was also pursuing a non-literary career in medicine. She now teaches at Wayne State University as Tonya M. Matthews. She is also the author of Blind Man's Map (2012), Still Swingin' (2005), as well as some compilations. 

Some of the poems in this collection were added to a larger reprint of Still Swingin'

The Paul Simon Project by Karen Lillis (2017)

 

The Paul Simon Project

Karen Lillis

NightBallet Press

Pittsburgh, PA

(c) 2017

As concepts go, this isn't a bad one. But, the author seems to have not been aware of what Daniel Nester did with the entire Queen discography. Also curious about the cover image, but that's a minor point. 

The Whetting Stone by Taylor Mali (2017)

 The Whetting Stone

Taylor Mali

2017 Rattle Chapbook Prize Winner

Rattle 

(c) 2017

I have heard about and read about this publication for some time now and am familiar with this poet. Rattle is worth investigating. Mali is a spoken word artist. My belief is that spoken word artists ought to made CDs instead of books. The language is dead on the page. 

Relation/Couch/Dreaming by Diane Schenker (2009)

Relation/Couch/Dreaming

Diane Schenker

Finishing Line Press

Georgetown, KY

(c) 2009

Finishing Line Press. Finishing Line Press. On repeat. Too much, darling, too much

 

Still and The Gift by Roland Flint (1984)

 Still and The Gift

Roland Flint

Friends of the Library

North Carolina Wesleyan College

(c) 1984

Inscribed and signed. A 2 poem booklet. A great rare item. 

October by Frederic Koeppel (1987)

 October

Frederic Koeppel

Ion Books/raccoon 

Memphis, TN

(c)1987

I have been on a bit of a Memphis kick of late. I did get a number of chapbooks from my friend Corey Mesler who runs Burke's Books in Memphis and these were among that bouquet. I had no idea that there was a press called raccoon. Let alone that raccoon seems to have been the chapbook series of Ion Books. When it comes to Memphis, TN publishing community, I am the novice. 

The same David Spicer who I recently wrote about was involved in the cover design of this chapbook. I find it quite handsome. The writing here is quite good as well. Nice work all the way around. 

Tribe of Two by David Spicer (2019)

 

Tribe of Two

David Spicer

Seven Circlepress

Seattle, WA

(c) 2019

This relatively new press has put a spine on a 21 pages chapbook. Like lipstick on a pig. It's still a chapbook. Cover art by poet's wife. He is a much published poet and lives in Memphis. 

Chin-Chin in Eden by Corey Mesler (2002)

 

Chin-Chin in Eden

Corey Mesler

Still Water Press

Galloway, NJ

(c) 2002

Corey Mesler is a publishing machine. Not Lyn Lifshin level but Mesler is a great writer as well as a book seller in Memphis, TN. He and his wife run Burkes Books which started operation in 1875. 

The production of this chapbook is a bit on the bland side but the work is good. 

Love in the Ruins by Gordon Osing (2017)

 

Love in the Ruins

Gordon Osing

Spuyten Duyvil

New York City

(c) 2017

They made it like a book with a spine but it's only 16 pages. It's a chapbook, that's for sure. It's my understanding that this gentleman has "been there" whether or not he has "done that" I can not say. Not familiar with this press either but when I turned the book over and saw this 

I cringed. Who thought this was a good idea? It's almost a wonderful wrap-around cover spoiled was the photo of the author and the oversized bar code. Lord have mercy on my eyes!

Red Land, Black Land by Tina Barr (2002)

Red Land, Black Land

Tina Barr

Longleaf Press at Methodist College

Stony Creek, CT

(c)2002

26 page staple-bound chapbook. Contest winning chapbook. Nice piece of writing.  

The Gatekeeper by William Page (1982)

The Gatekeeper

William Page

raccoon  Books, Inc.

Memphis, TN

(c) 1982

Several years ago now, my humble little press (Plan B Press) ran a "Beat" poetry chapbook contest and the winner was Corey Mesler for a section of a much larger work which was published as Following Richard Brautigan. The chapbook has a foreword written by the great poet ruth weiss who died in July, 2020. 

I wrote Corey not long ago about ruth's passing and our little chapbook in common (with the judge of that contest as well - William Brandon III who is now an accomplished author in his own right) and one thing led to another which resulted in me purchasing a number of chapbooks from his store in Memphis, the legendary Burkes Books. 

The first of these chapbooks that I will be writing about is this one. William Page's 1982 chapbook, The Gatekeeper, primarily because it was published by raccoon Books, Inc. and I never heard of this press before. They were (yes, were - apparently defunct now) a Memphis press which had a journal as well as a publishing arm. The operation started in 1979 and ended operation more recently. 

raccoon Books was associated with or was part of St. Jude Press in Memphis where the books were printed. William Page taught at Memphis State University and edited the Memphis State Review. 

Tactics of Survival by George Hitchcock (1964)

Tactics of Survival

George Hitchcock 

The Bindweed Press

San Francisco, CA

(c)1964

Bindweed Press was best known for their SF rock concert posters of the mid-1960s. Headed by Frank Westlake, the posters became synonymous with "the scene" and various SF venues. This handsome letter pressed book was published prior to that as George Hitchcock was just himself coming onto "the scene" in the poetry/playwright sphere.

The Bindweed Press started operation in 1962, publishing an earlier George Hitchcock book, Poems & Prints, with poetry by Hitchcock and illustrations by Adrian Wilson. 

 One of 700 printed. 8 drawings by Ann Parisi grace the pages. Handmade paper for cover stock. Staple-bound. 35 pages. Quite the item!

15-Second Plays published by Ugly Duckling Presse (2012)

15-Second Plays

curated by The Debate Society

....

I was in the local second hand shop which supports the local hospital, and I went to the book section and saw a "little sliver of nothing" colored green and I pulled it out and looked at the front and wondered 'what the hell is this?' and then I turned it over and 

went "ah ha" because Ugly Duckling Presse I was quite familiar with.  Now, 15 second plays by a slew of unfamiliar names, well - again, a curious selection ...

....

Ugly Duckling Presse

New York City, NY

(c)2012

.....

Unpaginated staple-bound chapbook, one of 1000 printed. The generous (but likely befuddled) volunteers at the shop posted it for sale at .50 cents. I could afford that. And it is an interesting collection of plays if something 15 seconds short can count. Not surprisingly, it is out of print. 

Pushing Out the Envelope by Tsaurah Litzky (1992)

Pushing Out the Envelope

Tsaurah Litsky

Apathy Press Poets

Baltimore, MD

(c)1992

I found this woman's first chapbook on a small online bookselling presence, kind of like a virtual street corner shop, and bought it primarily because I was familiar with the image on the front cover. Turns out that Tsauarh Litzky is alive and living in NY. 

It seems that long ago Apathy Press hosted a reading series in NY and Ms. Litzky attended these readings and the folks at Apathy Press offered to publish her - first chapbook, in fact. 

I will have to research more about Apathy Press Poets and Ms. Litsky

THERE AIN'T NO FLIES ON THE LAMB OF GOD Morgan Press anthology (1974)

 

There Ain't No Flies on the Lamb of God

Morgan Press

Milwaukee, WI

(c) 1974

Unique book comprised of poems by poems and images of artists associated with or chosen by publisher Ed Burton. Plywood back cover. One of only 50 copies made. Hand printed with teak and hand woven wool cover. Jim Sorcic is among those presented in this collection. Jim Gibbons, Lyn Lifshin, Paul Grillo, and others round out this handsome and extremely rare book.