Praised unflinchingly by Djuna Barnes and Gertrude Stein, this stunning work, first published in 1933 by the Obelisk Press, Paris, is a non-judgemental depiction of gay life and men who earn their living there, told through characters like Julian (modeled on Ford) and Karel (based on Tyler).
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Praised unflinchingly by Djuna Barnes and Gertrude Stein, this stunning work, first published in 1933 by the Obelisk Press, Paris, is a non-judgemental depiction of gay life and men who earn their living there, told through characters like Julian (modeled on Ford) and Karel (based on Tyler).
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Seller's Description:
Good. First edition, trade issue. Self-wrappers. Brown butcher paper wrappers printed in red. Paper spine almost entirely eroded, faint stain and tears, a good only but sound copy. A notorious and exceptionally scarce impressionistic and joyous novel of homosexual life in Greenwich Village. Parker met Ford while writing for Ford's amateurishly produced *Blues* magazine, which was published in Ford's parents' home in Mississippi during 1929-30. Tyler encouraged him to move to New York and there they spent a year exploring the gay subcultures of Greenwich Village and Harlem before writing the book. Considered by some to be the first modern "out" gay novel, it was turned down by several mainstream publishers, until being championed by Gertrude Stein when it finally found a home with the obscure Paris-based imprint Obelisk Press, an English language publishing house specializing in the erotic and outré. The front flap of the self-wrapper has blurbs by Stein and Djuna Barnes; according to G. Thomas Tanselle in his 1971 paper "Book-Jackets, Blurbs, and Bibliographers" (citing another source) this was the only wrapper blurb contributed by Stein during her lifetime, and possibly the only one from Barnes as well. The trade issue was estimated to have been about 2500 copies, of which at least 500 were seized and burned by British customs. There was also an issue of 50 copies on different paper, signed by Ford.
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Seller's Description:
Very Good. First edition, limited issue. Self-wrappers. Brown butcher paper wrappers printed in red. A near very good copy with modest loss at the spine ends (affecting one letter in the title), and a few pages roughly opened have caused chips in the margins, nevertheless a handsome and pleasing copy, lacking the rare wraparound band. This copy is from the library of the Obelisk Press publisher Jack Kahane and is copy 6 of 50 numbered copies printed on Pure Rag Lafuma. While intended to be signed by both authors, this copy is Signed by Ford only (as is the only other known copy of the limited issue of which we are aware). A notorious and exceptionally scarce novel of homosexual life in Greenwich Village. Parker met Ford while writing for Ford's amateurishly produced *Blues* magazine, which was published in Ford's parents' home in Mississippi during 1929-30. Tyler encouraged him to move to New York and there they spent a year exploring the gay subculture of Greenwich Village and Harlem before writing the book. Considered by some to be the first modern gay novel, Gertrude Stein called this book "The novel that beat the Beat Generation by a generation." The front flap of the self-wrapper has blurbs by Stein and Djuna Barnes; according to G. Thomas Tanselle in his 1971 paper "Book-Jackets, Blurbs, and Bibliographers" (citing another source) this was the only wrapper blurb contributed by Stein during her lifetime, and possibly the only one from Barnes as well.
