[Rarebooks] FS: Book from Elizabeth Bishop's Library, Signed by her

[Charles Agvent]

 From our new catalog of Modern First Editons (155 items) now on our 
website:  http://www.erols.com/agvent

[BISHOP, Elizabeth] GREENBERG, Samuel. POEMS BY SAMUEL  GREENBERG.
New  York:  Henry Hold and Company (1947). First Edition.  Preface  by
Allen  Tate.  Elizabeth  Bishop's  copy SIGNED by  her  on  the  front
endpaper.  In  a  letter to Robert Lowell dated 27  June  1950  Bishop
writes  of  THIS  book: "I spent most of the  weekend  reading  Samuel
Greenberg--have  you? I got so mad at the introductions,  particularly
Tate's--and  if you haven't read the poems I recommend them highly. He
was  certainly  one  of the finest poetic characters I  know  anything
about,  and phrases are magnificent--and no critic has ever apparently
appreciated  either at their real value" (ONE ART: ELIZABETH  BISHOP'S
LETTERS,  p.  204).  In another letter to Robert Lowell  dated  August
1950,  Bishop  writes:  "I'm  reading The 'Green  Huntsman'  and  it's
marvelous--also  just  finished Samuel Greenberg and  Isaac  Rosenberg
who  have  many strange points in common" (WORDS IN AIR: THE  COMPLETE
CORRESPONDENCE  OF  ELIZABETH BISHOP AND ROBERT LOWELL). Clearly  even
two  months  later  this book was still in the forefront  of  Bishop's
mind.  While  we have handled several copies of Bishop's books  signed
by  her  as  well as correspondence, this is the first book  from  the
poet's  library  that we have encountered. It appears, also,  to  be a
book  that  had  some  influence on Bishop's development  as  a  poet.
Greenberg  was also a huge influence on the poet Hart Crane, who first
read  Greenberg  in  manuscript. Crane was so taken by  Greenberg,  he
lifted  entire lines for his own poems. The cloth was damaged by water
at  some  point with the result that it is discolored. There  is  only
slight  water  damage  to the dustwrapper. Still Very Good in  a  Very
Good dustwrapper.                                             $1500.00

-- 

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CHARLES AGVENT
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Mertztown, PA  19539-8750
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agvent at erols.com
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