ALL THE ASSHOLES IN THE WORLD AND MINE - THE DEDICATION COPY, INSCRIBED TO WILLIAM WANTLING
Bensenville, IL: Open Skull Press, 1966. First Edition. A humorous, early foray into prose, chronicling (in painful detail) the account of the author's hemorrhoid operation and hospitalization, which kept him away from work for several months. Bukowski became familiar with Wantling through their mutual publisher, Douglas Blazek, and they began corresponding in 1965. The contents of their letters from the 60s is largely centered around poetry, poets, art, women, drinking, small press vs. mainstream publishers, books, and music, occasionally descending into philosophy and the deep stuff of life. Bukowski also carried on a simultaneous correspondence with Wantling's wife, Ruth, covering some similar topics. We've handled fewer than a handful of Bukowski dedication copies over the years, this being the earliest. Krumhansl 23; Dorbin A10. Item #7125
One of ca.400 copies. Slim octavo (21.5cm); mimeographed sheets stapled into beige pictorial card wrappers illustrated by the author; [32]pp. The dedication copy, inscribed on the title page in the month of publication to poet and novelist William Wantling (1933-1974), beneath primitive drawings of a flower and a man smoking: "For William Wantling – this exercise of my precious futility / Charles Bukowski / 9-19-66." The printed dedication following the copyright page reads: "This one for Wm. Wantling / ah, Billyboy, there's a lot of terror in the world and shit too. but let's run a few blocks longer / c.b.". At some later date, a subsequent owner has tipped an abstract oil painting by Bukowski onto the verso of the front wrapper (signed "Buk" in felt-tipped pen at lower right corner). A few faint moisture spots to front wrapper, mild external wear, subtle toning to text edges, with a discreet staple hole at right margin of front wrapper, also affecting the right margin of the preliminary leaf; Very Good+.
Price: $6,500.00