Werner Hindrichs

I'm a 58-year-old disabled and decorated veteran who started his interest in the California literary vanguard while stationed at the Army language school (DLI) in the early Seventies. At that time, I also ran a small rare book shop in Monterey, and through fluke, luck and lots of perseverance, became personally acquainted with Henry Miller, Charles Bukowski, various members of the Grabhorn family, and the dean of West Coast booksellers, Warren Howell. As my interest in books progressed, so did my list of contacts and friends, culminating in one of the most wonderful contacts one can have when studying the California literary scene: John Martin of the Black Sparrow Press. Initially I corresponded with him, and finally had the pleasure of becoming friends with him and Barbara, who single-handedly designed most of the books of the press. Over the years, I built up a tremendous collection of the books of the press, not only through John's efforts, but also from Maury Neville and Ralph Sipper. I stayed in the military for more than a quarter of a century, serving in positions as unusual as President Reagan's Russian translator on the Moscow Hotline and liaison officer to the Commander-in-Chief of the Group of Soviet Forces, Germany. I led a double existance - fighting the Cold War by day and haunting the German bookstores by night. Due to family situations, I've had to start over a couple of times, but I haven't let it get to me.

I reside in the beautiful Hunt Country of Northern Virginia, with my beautiful young wife, Lydia, a blind cocker spaniel named Joyko, and a barn full of books.

Honi soit qui mal i pense.

Werner Saemmler-Hindrichs (Vladimir or Vova)