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8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" A superb collection of Loujon Press correspondence between Jon and Gypsy Lou (Louise) Webb, and Outsider contributor Marcus Jack Grapes. See extensive discussion of the Grapes / Webb relationship in Weddle: BOHEMIAN NEW ORLEANS: THE STORY OF THE OUTSIDER AND LOUJON PRESS. Spanning the years 1964 to 1970, this choice collection of 34 letters (many multi-page), 5 postcards, and 6 related items (some letters with additional material, inscribed ephemera, etc.), spans the greatest years of Loujon Press, and sees the press migrate from New Orleans to New Mexico, Tucson, and Nashville. Jack Grapes (b. 1940), was a Tulane undergraduate and aspiring poet. In addition to being an OUTSIDER author, poet, editor, and publisher, he was also one of the Webb s closest friends (one of only two people besides Charles Bukowski being allowed at the Webb s home during the production of CRUCIFIX IN A DEATHHAND) and a Loujon supporter. Grapes, who early in life began publishing chapbooks, was later founder of the Bombshelter Press and ONTHEBUS, and can be numbered at the fore of those influenced by Loujon and the Webbs. OUTSIDER 4/5 features an Album of Grapes untitled poems, 15 in all. As befits letters sent by a noted printers of hand-made books, the letters, in addition to remarkable content, are graphically quite interesting, and would both publish and exhibit well. BRIEF EXCERPTS (all from letters by Jon Webb): 9/16/64 "… Now I ve gone over your work thoroughly… Your earlier work shows, it seems, a kind of influence, I d say, from Wolfe, tho I could be wrong. But it has a flavor of the creative sentimentality of Wolfe, a good flavor, still it s a seeming derivative flavor, one which you ve managed to get out of in your "8 poems about this and that". These poems, best you ve done yet, can stand some reworking, but not too much. I ve enough confidence in your redoing them right, that I m setting aside a two-page spread for them in Outsider #4…" 11/26/64 I want to congratulate you on two things: One, is the immense improvement in your work. I was and continue to be pleasantly surprised at the speed in which you jumped from a kind of creative fumbling to a much more surefooted touch in your writing, which is immediately evident in your latest stuff sent recently… It s hard to believe, the vast improvement in your handling of your material, and your good and promising leaning away from the "establishment"… that is, poetry as it has been established and known among the academics, that is (again), poetry that follows the old ruts and is fast passing into boredom and obscurity; the old poetic poetry. You ve escaped this tunnel… Second, I congratulate you on your discipline in this respect: your ability to stay away from the editor until you ve produced a sizeable piece of work; as you did… it is always a bad thing for writer and editor to be too close while a writer is developing…" 7/12/65 "… Our sudden leaving gave us no chance to contact you I have held off writing till we got settled somewhere - have tried Arizona whole hog but everywhere is Goldwater. No place for us to publish Outsider from. So we re off this Thursday by train to Santa Fe… All I hope is that the press keeps surviving the travels…" 10/13/65 "Got your two fine letters, also the books and my god you ve done a remarkable job of publishing, and the contents are more than exceptional… must say again the book is a great start as a book by you, and it s far better looking than the usual first book of poetry, better than any of Buk s first books…" Buk will be here to visit for 3 days on the 15th. Sure wish you could be here. But it s really only 2 ½ days and 2 nights. And right after his visit, that is on the 20th, we ll be moving out of Santa Fe. Just can t take the altitude, and also can t get the supplies I ll need for #4. The 7000 feet has my heart pumping with exertion, so best to get out. And am short of breath most of the time. Can t risk a stroke. Breaks my.
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