GR 1st editions

[Peter Petto]

I probably should have given this one the subject "20-20 Hindsight."

All the recent discussion of first editions hit home when I had occasion
this morning to refer to Gravity's Rainbow. I have a first edition
hardcover. After reading it the first time, I realized that I'd probably be
reading it again and again. Not thinking to ask a librarian how they
protect books, I devised my own system. I encased in "contact" paper -- the
self adhesive plastic sheeting used to line shelves and the like. The spine
is transparent, and the end covers are in a tasteful (for the times)
faux-marble that blends green, blue, and black.

The pages are in "very fine" shape though!

As for the dust cover...I cut it up to create a poster for my dorm room
wall that featured alongside it dust covers from V. and Crying of Lot
49...to compete with others of Dylan and Hendrix and their brethren that
were more popular than home-made jobs of my sort. (I still have this
creation alongside some of the competition in my arkhives.)

And now, though I'm more diligent, the mathematics of a 200,000 copy print
run makes it all rather moot.



Peter Petto         |       ppetto at apk.net
Bay Village, Ohio   |   PGP public key available