INSOMNIA OR THE DEVIL AT LARGE - INSCRIBED - 1970

Albuquerque: Loujon Press, 1970. First Edition. Easily the most elaborate production by Jon and Louise "Gypsy Lou" Webb of the Loujon Press, the last title they would produce together before Jon's death in 1971. 'Insomnia' was the second of Miller's books published by Loujon. In the mid-1960's, Miller became infatuated with a Japanese cabaret singer named Hoki Tokuda. He'd spend hours at the piano bar in the Imperial Gardens Restaurant in Hollywood, listening to Hoki sing. Miller eventually married her, and sometime in 1965-66 he got insomnia worrying about the relationship, prompting him to write this book. The Economy Edition was produced because many of the regular Loujon Press subscribers could not afford the deluxe edition; it was an expensive item ($1200.00, in 1970), produced in tiny numbers and issued in a special wooden box, complete with a suite of 12 watercolors. For the Economy Edition, subscribers could purchase 'Insomnia' with or without the watercolors, the present copy offered without them. Shifreen & Jackson A175h. First Printing, "Economy Issue," one of 199 copies. Quarto; variously-colored offset and letterpress-printed sheets, comb-bound into unprinted off-white pebbleboard covers; gold, yellow, teal, and black floral-patterned foil dustjacket; [x], [50pp] + colophon; illus. Though not called for, this copy is inscribed by Miller on the first page: "To Mag - Long may it wave! Henry Miller, 1/16/71. Hint of toning to lower edges of pebbleboard covers, else fresh and Fine. Dustjacket with light wear to corners, and a small chip to lower left corner of front panel discreetly mended on verso; Very Good+. With an illustrated announcement letter laid in, measuring 11.25" x 14", printed on recto and verso; light wear to extremities, with old horizontal fold at center; Near Fine.