Loujon Press publications (2 Viewers)

Does anyone know of a good website detailing Loujon Press publications?

Of course, I know of Buk's 2 books. But I am interested in learning more of the other books produced.

Not expecting a collectingbukowski.com description but something similar would be nice.

I picked up the DVD recently but wanted a bit more. Also picked up a Henry Miller Loujon Press book (cork cover like It Catches) so want to see what else is out there.

Thanks
 
Hi,
There is no website that I know of.

LouJon published

1961 Outsider 1
1962 Outsider 2
1963 Outsider 3
1963 Charles Bukowski - It Catches My Heart In Its Hands
1965 Charles Bukowski - Crucifix In A Deathhand
1966 Henry Miller - Order & Chaos
1969 Outsider 4/5
1970 Henry Miller - Insomnia or the Devil At Large

Add to that the occasional broadside announcement and you have it.... I know that they did a poster of Henry Miller riding a bicycle and they did a poster for a Bukowski poetry reading on NOLA. they also tended to letterpress announcements for books, so there are some collectible ephemeral things out there.

To add to that, Lou Webb worked with Ed Blair on Perdido Press occasionally, including the "Two for Jon" project and the Bukowski broadside that came out in 1994.

Bill
 
I know that they did a poster of Henry Miller riding a bicycle.

PICT0005.jpg
 
Thanks for the quick replies and information.

What a shame more books were not produced - so beautifully made.

But at least it will save me money so I will not have to catch a BSP disease and try and have all the cool looking spines!!
 
Yes, that's right. I reviewed both the book and DVD for Chiron Review, and they are excellent. MJP, I know that author Jeff Weddle is a member here, but I can't remember his handle. Can you help with that?

Thanks,

Harry
 
The DVD is great.

I always assumed they did more books than that, Bill. Of course, those books are monumental works of art and labors of love, so it's not like Jon & Gypsy Lou were dogging it.
 
Post #10 mentions that JOHNSON REPRINT CORPORATION was going to reprint 1-3 of outsider as a book for $27.50.

I guess that is as far as it got...

Bill
 
also, the post 10 announcement says, "sorry, no stiffcover copies left...so only the hardcovers are available."
what does this mean? first of all, stiffcover and hardcover seem like the same thing to me. second, i've only seen one format of #4/5, and that is the hardcover book.
any thoughts or ideas on this?
 
There was a hardcover and a paperback version. I have seen and held both. The "Stiffcover" was really a fancy way of saying Paperback...

Bill
 
The paperback must be uncommon. Every time you see someone selling that issue it's the hardcover.
 
i wouldn't be surprised if all the pb copies fell apart... knowing the fragility of those books, and considering how the outsider probably wasn't cherished like the award books.
 
i've never heard of this "paperback" edition of the outsider 4/5. never seen one on ebay or abe for the last 9 years or so. anyone own one or have an image?

though i do believe you bill!
 
There are several paperback copies on abe...

__________________________________________________________________________

The Outsider, Vol. 2, Nos. 4 and 5
Bookseller: Pleasant Street Books
Price: US$ 125.00

Book Description: Loujon Press, Arizona, 1969. Soft Cover. Book Condition: Fine. No Jacket. Handsomely presented journal of poetry, essays and cartoons. Endpages are thick paper of different colors and length. Great copy. Bookseller Inventory # 017232
__________________________________________________________________________


The Outsider 4 and 5 (Embracing a 46-page homage to Patchen)
Bookseller: Vagabond Books, A.B.A.A.
Price: US$ 262.50
[Convert Currency]

Book Description: LoUJON, 1969. Soft Cover. Dust Jacket Included. FiRST. One of a limited edition of 500 copies; THIS IS ALLEN GINGSBERG COPY WITH A LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHERS TO HIM. beautiful copy with half of the scarce dj. along with a a newsclipping about the floor at the printers, an order form for CRUCIFIX IN A DEATHHAND, PLUS A FLYER FROM THE PRESS.; "Embracing a 46-page homage to Patchen"; an extremely attractive and scarce production including works by Charles Bukowski, Larry Eigner, Denise Levertov, Thomas Merton and Jean Cocteau among many others; includes a lengthy tribute to Kenneth Patchen; Signed. Bookseller Inventory # FIR 11/26-2

__________________________________________________________________________

THE OUTSIDER 45
Bookseller: THE BOOK BIN -- ATTN: Carl
Price: US$ 105.00

Book Description: Tucson: Loujon Press, 1969, 1969. 25.2 cm, 196 pp. Bound in self-dustjackets stiff wraps. With contributions by Charles Bukowski, Diane Di Prima, Denise Levertov, Lawrence Durrell, Michael Hamburger, Miriam Patchen, Allen Ginsberg, Hugh MacDiarmid, Kenneth Rexroth, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Henry Miller, Thomas Merton, Robert Bly, David Antin, Anselm Hollo, and others. A very good copy, with subscription card, ALS from the publisher, offprint (The Editor's Bit, & Obit.) from this issue, and copy of an article about the flood at the home of the Loujon Press laid in. 191 pp. Bookseller Inventory # BBC-0K6598y

__________________________________________________________________________

The Outsider Volume 4/5
Bookseller: The Brother in Elysium (c/o Hermitage)
Price: US$ 100.00

Book Description: Loujon Press, Tucson, Arizona, 1969. Original Wrappers. Book Condition: Very Good +. First Edition. Issue dedicated largely to Kenneth Patchen featuring an excellent 46 page spread filled with photographs and words of affection by other writers such as Bern Porter, Kenneth Rexroth, Harold Norse, Allen Gisberg, Brother Antonius, among others. The rest of the issue is filled with writing by Charles Plymell, Larry Eigner, Bukowski, Denise Levertov, David Meltzer, d.a. levy, Douglas Blazek, Dick Higgins, David Antin, Emmett Williams, Jackson Mac Low, among a whole long list of others. A visual piece each by Ray Johnson and Al Hansen. Only The Outsider could be this inclusive and still be so strong. One of the best small (yet physically impressive) journals ever done in America. This is a very nice copy with a strong binding. Wrappers show very light rubbing. Protected in mylar. A very nice copy of the best issue of The Outsider. Bookseller Inventory # 001232
__________________________________________________________________________

Just in case anyone wants to question me in the future :)

Best,
Bill
 
of course i wasn't doubting you bill. :)

but, with some of those i would just assume they were talking about the hc, as in the ones offered by the book bin and the brother in elysium. maybe i just never paid close enough attention to the description. when i see "stiff wraps" i think hardcover. stiff isn't soft to me! (that's what she said???)
 
They could be wrong, but I have held and owned a paperback copy before the finances got the worst of me a few years ago.

I would bet that at least half of those 4 on abe are actually the paperback version. The cover is really heavy cardstock, but it is not a hardback.

Bill
 
The bigger question may be, "why the hell would anyone produce a hardcover version of a magazine/periodical?" I asked Jon Webb and he didn't answer.



Which isn't surprising, considering his current condition.
 
well, i like that they produced a hardcover, since it's a nice book to own, even considering the fact that it is a periodical. matrix journal does the same thing- a limited edition hardcover release for each issue- and they get away with it because each issue of matrix is so much more than just a periodical. i think loujon was going for the high-end private press thing with this book, and luckily they achieved it, if only for "beef tongue."
 
Here's a pic of the paperback version. Bill is correct. It's a pretty tough book. To call it a "paperback" doesn't do it justice, which is probably why Webb didn't use that term. And I agree with mjp. I've seen MANY more hardback versions for sale than paperback.

My copy belonged to contributor David Meltzer. It has the proof page of his contribution laid in along with a few pieces of correspondence. I've included a pic of a hand written letter from Jon Webb that gives a pretty fascinating snapshot of how the Loujon press toiled over this book.

outsider 5 paperback.jpg letter 1a.jpg letter 1.jpg
 
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The bigger question may be, "why the hell would anyone produce a hardcover version of a magazine/periodical?"
Webb considered "The Outsider" a "book periodical," not strictly a magazine. I guess you can produce HC versions of a "book periodical."

In the TOC to issue 4/5, he even says it's a "book issue."

00992.jpg
 
thanks for the images, nymark. never seen the stiffcover copy before. like roni said, this one may be the real collectable!
here's a few more images of the (issue 4/5 hc) extras for those who haven't seen them before...

scan0006-5.jpg scan0007-5.jpg

and here's the inscription in the copy i bought from edwin blair.
(bob and hope morgan were financial contributors)

scan0008-4.jpg

mods: feel free to reduce the images to links if they take up too much space. it's the only way i know to post 'em...
 
I just received the Loujon book - Order and Chaos - Henry Miller.

I bought the cork edition - beautiful! Like the Buk publications but with a sensational slipcase.

I wish Loujon would have continued with the slipcases - although we all love our new clamshells at bukowski.net (mine are currently in the mail).

For a bit over $100 - I think this book is a steal.
 
we came very, very close to buying a crucifix in a death hand at the book fair on the weekend, but when we came round for the final inspection we realised the book is just impossible to open unless someone else has previously cracked the spine. we all know jordan isn't going to be the one to do that, so i think this might be the one and only circumstance in which he will acquiesce to me buying a beaten up version of a book for cheap.
 
Mine opens and the spine is not cracked. I don't think Jordan pulled it off the shelf when you were here though, did he? I know he showed you the library bound It Catches...

I tell you, it took a week to get those shelves back in order. It was like a pack of hungry wolves blew through!

Just kidding. You were both very kind and careful with everything. Even my feelings. Oh my...I'm going to cry again...

But Loujon did use some glue at times that is now very brittle (a couple of copies of Outsider 3 I've seen have this problem). So you may have come across a particularly crispy copy of Crucifix.
 
ha! yes, i recall commenting on how i LIKED your library copy of it catches, and jordan had to try and hide his horror.

there were at least 6 copies of crucifx at the book fair; the one we looked at was in beautiful condition but we couldn't open the cover by more than a few inches. another one we picked up, which had a big sketch as well as a signature, was fine to open (but it was $950 - and you KNOW how i feel about bukowski's art...). i think i'll keep an eye out for a beaten-up copy for under $150. these kind of books, i think they look good with a bit of wear and tear - they wear it well - so i'm not at all concerned with having a pristine copy, especially if it's only going to quickly degrade.
 
The bindings that smell like oranges are the easiest ones to open without cracking the spine. Beware the ones that smell like leather or gym socks as they will not open without cracking.

Bill
 

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