Amazing & Incredible (or maybe I'm just bored)!!! The Days Run Away (1 Viewer)

Moving some books from one shelf to another, I noticed that the first printing softcovers of Days Run Away and Mockingbird are larger than later BSP printings.
Thus, the full extent of my Bukowski scholarship.

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The same is true of the hardcovers through South of No North (well, I don't have a HC of Post Office, but I'm assuming it's the same size as the Dorbin biblio, Days, Mockingbird and SoNN). Burning in Water is where they moved to the size they used through the rest of the run, although there is some variability in those. Burning in Water and Factotum are both slightly taller than Love is a Dog, but then Women is the same height as BiW and Factotum. Fascinating stuff, innit?
 
binery-sniffing
"bindery-sniffing" that is (mods feel free to correct)

thanks zobraks, but this post:
Shit, I forgot to note what the bindings smell like. I may have to go edit the post again (there, now I've completely blown the chance to sell to anyone who doesn't get that inside joke, my work here is done).
makes me believe, there must be an even earlier reference.
 
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So, just noticed: my 1980 softcover Days Run Away is 153 pages. A recently purchased 2000 softcover BSP of the same title is 204 pages!
Further investigation revealed a slightly larger font, which substantially lengthens the book. Exhibit A: the last page in Poem For Personnel Managers. This latest "find" represents the full extent of my Bukowski scholarship and is not to be used without my express permission.

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Seems like it's either very early or very late. Early before the HC covers were available, or late when the HC covers ran out and they cannibalized a softcover to use as this paste-on. Either way, I haven't seen one either.
 
Interesting. I'd tend to agree on the very early or very late concept. I'm thinking maybe it was a prototype - since At Terror Street ended up with most of the copies having a paste-over cover - and this being the next book out (and the first in the new format that would become more or less standard), perhaps someone considered retaining the paste-over format and then thought better of it.
 
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My guess is early, I think this copy was a test and not for sale, although it being signed kind of contradicts that.
Without a limitation number or any other markers it's just guesswork, although Krumhansl certainly doesn't mention it. I will say this: it looks like it was printed yesterday. No shit, it looks like no other older BSP I've ever seen.
 
Well, he did use 2 felt tip pens, which was a lot better effort than he did in the early days. (Ex. No ball point pen that he stole from the Post Office.) My guess is that Martin sent the pens with the pages. I could have gotten this one instead of Ski, but he blinded me with science... I think this is copy is one-of-a-kind. Congrats Ski... share more if you see anything interesting.
 

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