Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker

Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting

It was a good day when I finally got my hands on Fuck You Vol. 5/No. 7. Quite possibly the coolest, hippest magazine of the mimeo revolution (Fuck You epitomized the revolution as demonstrated by naming the Steve Clay book “A Secret Location on the Lower East Side”) and the most desirable piece in my collection with serious competition from Dead Fingers Talk, Floating Bear, Rhinozeros, and Time. They are all great pieces; all signed. The cover by Robert LaVigne (who discovered and drew Peter Orlovsky in the mid-1950’s before Allen Ginsberg came into the picture) of an infant demon is awesome. The Burroughs cut up “Fluck You, Fluck You, Fluck You” in three column newspaper layout is wonderful. But what makes Fuck You so wonderful is its construction. Literally on multi-colored construction paper (supposedly it would not be unusual to get a copy of the magazine with a footprint on it) scattered with freaky, turned-on hieroglyphics.

The writing of the magazine is sometimes spectacular, yet uneven. Editor Ed Sanders claimed “I’ll publish anything.” The list of contributors is impressive. Charles Olson, Philip Whalen, Gregory Corso, Gary Snyder, W.H. Auden, Pound, Allen Ginsberg, Norman Mailer, Antonin Artaud, Robert Duncan. The editorial comments are priceless, especially the notes on contributors, the advertisements for a secretary, or the search for a literary assistant for Allen Ginsberg.

Here is a visual archive of materials from the Fuck You Press.

Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts

	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Number 1
	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Number 2
	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Number 3
	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Number 4
	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Volume 5, Number 1
	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Volume 5, Number 2
	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Volume 5, Number 3
	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Volume 5, Number 4
	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Volume 5, Number 5
	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Volume 5, Number 6
	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Volume 5, Number 7
	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Volume 5, Number 8
	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Volume 5, Number 8 (Warhol cover)
	Fuck You, A Magazine of the Arts Volume 5, Number 9

Fuck You Press Publications

	Flyer The flyer advertises a reading by Herbert Huncke to take place at Le Metro Cafe in New York on 1 July 1964
	Roosevelt After Inauguration
	The Toe Queen Poems
	Fuck You Press News Flash
	Bugger: An Anthology
	Marijuana Newsletter No. 1
	Marijuana Newsletter No. 2
	Peace Eye Peace Eye was not actually published by Fuck You but by Frontier Press. However, it provides an interesting bridge between two great mimeo scenes — Fuck You Press headed by Ed Sanders in New York and Frontier Press in Buffalo.

Miscellaneous Items

Phoenix Book Shop Check Number One

Phoenix Book Shop Check Number Two (John Weiners)

Phoenix Book Shop Check Number Three

Phoenix Book Shop Check Number Four (Carol Berge)

Phoenix Book Shop Check Number Five (Michael McClure)

Phoenix Book Shop Check Number Six (Ed Sanders)

Phoenix Book Shop Check Number Seven (Gerald Malaga)

Herbert Huncke 80th Birthday Card