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What Michael Said to the Census-Taker
by Rorty, James; Sinel, Joseph (Woodcut)
- Used
- near fine
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Near fine
- Seller
-
Walnut Creek, California, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
(San Francisco): (Printed by Edwin Grabhorn) [Privately for James Rorty], 1922. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Near fine. Sinel, Joseph. One of 150 copies, ocatvo size, 12 pp. This long-form poem is by journalist, poet, and life-long social activist James Hancock Rorty (1890-1973); during WWI he served as a stretcher-bearer on the Argonne front, which (understandably) led to him becoming a pacifist. He afterwards moved to San Francisco, where he would have met Edwin Grabhorn when looking for a printer for this poem.
The poem can, and has been, interpreted in various ways; our reading leads us to believe Rorty is crying out against an inhuman and uncaring God/universe - the "Census-taker" who counts "the young of the field mouse" and "the seeds of the milk-weed". This "Census-taker" apparently cares nothing for humanity and wrongs done throughout the ages, recounting the inhuman acts done to great men (by Rorty's standards) by other men; among others, he recounts the Crucifixion, the martyrdom of John Huss by the Catholic Church, and the imprisonment of Eugene Debs.
Privately printed for Rorty by Edwin Grabhorn, this volume is in a variant binding, as there is no title page illustration on the front cover, although with the silver lettering on the shelfback.
___DESCRIPTION: Full blue paper, silver lettering on the spine, fore- and bottom edges uncut, title page with blue woodcut by Joseph Sinel; handset Oxford type, Whatman paper, octavo size (8.75" by 6"), pagination: [i-ii] [1] 2-10, one of 150 copies, unnumbered.
___CONDITION: Volume is near fine, with clean boards, straight corners without rubbing, a strong, square text block with solid hinges, the interior is clean and bright, and entirely free of prior owner markings; a hint of rubbing at the head of the spine, some sunning to the spine and fore- and top edges of the boards, else fine.
___CITATION: Grabhorn Press Bibliography, no. 38.
___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.
___Swan's Fine Books is pleased to be a member of the ABAA, ILAB, and IOBA and we stand behind every book we sell. Please contact us with any questions you may have, we are here to help.
The poem can, and has been, interpreted in various ways; our reading leads us to believe Rorty is crying out against an inhuman and uncaring God/universe - the "Census-taker" who counts "the young of the field mouse" and "the seeds of the milk-weed". This "Census-taker" apparently cares nothing for humanity and wrongs done throughout the ages, recounting the inhuman acts done to great men (by Rorty's standards) by other men; among others, he recounts the Crucifixion, the martyrdom of John Huss by the Catholic Church, and the imprisonment of Eugene Debs.
Privately printed for Rorty by Edwin Grabhorn, this volume is in a variant binding, as there is no title page illustration on the front cover, although with the silver lettering on the shelfback.
___DESCRIPTION: Full blue paper, silver lettering on the spine, fore- and bottom edges uncut, title page with blue woodcut by Joseph Sinel; handset Oxford type, Whatman paper, octavo size (8.75" by 6"), pagination: [i-ii] [1] 2-10, one of 150 copies, unnumbered.
___CONDITION: Volume is near fine, with clean boards, straight corners without rubbing, a strong, square text block with solid hinges, the interior is clean and bright, and entirely free of prior owner markings; a hint of rubbing at the head of the spine, some sunning to the spine and fore- and top edges of the boards, else fine.
___CITATION: Grabhorn Press Bibliography, no. 38.
___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.
___Swan's Fine Books is pleased to be a member of the ABAA, ILAB, and IOBA and we stand behind every book we sell. Please contact us with any questions you may have, we are here to help.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Swan's Fine Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 19031208
- Title
- What Michael Said to the Census-Taker
- Author
- Rorty, James; Sinel, Joseph (Woodcut)
- Illustrator
- Sinel, Joseph
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Near fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- Limited Edition
- Publisher
- (Printed by Edwin Grabhorn) [Privately for James Rorty]
- Place of Publication
- (San Francisco)
- Date Published
- 1922
- Keywords
- Fine Press, Grabhorn Press, Poetry, Joseph Sinel, Environmentalism, Conservationism, Ecology, Political Activism
Terms of Sale
Swan's Fine Books
We cheerfully accept returns for any reason within 30 days, so long as the book(s) is/are returned in the same condition as when sent. We will refund the price you paid for the book, plus shipping if the book was misdescribed.
About the Seller
Swan's Fine Books
Biblio member since 2017
Walnut Creek, California
About Swan's Fine Books
Swan's Fine Books specializes in Fine Press, Illustrated Books, and Books About Books. We also carry a wide array of general antiquarian stock and recently acquired a very nice collection of modern lit. Enjoy browsing our web site and visit our brick-and-mortar shop if you are in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Text Block
- Most simply the inside pages of a book. More precisely, the block of paper formed by the cut and stacked pages of a book....
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- IOBA
- ...
- ABAA
- ...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- ILAB
- ...
- Rubbing
- Abrasion or wear to the surface. Usually used in reference to a book's boards or dust-jacket.
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