permutation
With a new name and logo, the Small Press Center became the Center for Independent Publishing on May 31, 2007. Being associated, to an extent, with the publishing community (I'm one of those fringe purist writers - don't mess with my words), I was in attendance. After all, I've been to a variety of events at the (former) Small press Center, and I know Lloyd Jassin, a publishing attorney and the Chair of the NYCIP Executive Committee.
The event was well-attended, scattered with those of us who have a love for books, writing, and the spirit of independence - and wine. Ah, yes, there was a cocktail reception consisting of, from what I could see, wine. There weren't any cocktails. Still, I indulged in several plastic cups of the red stuff. I also felt compelled to engage in a Fight Club gag:
The guest of honor was Barney Rosset. Who is Barney Rosset? Read closely and learn, ye in need of a publishing history lesson. He is the man responsible for bringing literary classics such as "Lady Chatterley's Lover" (D.H. Lawrence), "Naked Lunch" (William S. Burroughs), and "Tropic of Cancer" (Henry Miller) to the United States when those books were still banned due to alleged obscenity due to provocative cotent and so-called scatalogical themes. In other words, these books had balls, and the Puritanical sect of the mid-20th Century U.S. couldn't handle it.
Adversity and the long arm of the law shoved aside, Rosset founded the independent Grove Press and published these works, among others. In doing so, he subjected himself to years of costly legal hassles. But in the end, he broke through the heavy lead curtain of censorship and created new paths and possibilities for the independent publishing community. Here is your blog writer meeting Mr. Rosset:
"Our new name more accurately describes who we are," said Lloyd J. Jassin (below).
More here about the Center for Independent Publishing and the opening night cocktail reception.
The event was well-attended, scattered with those of us who have a love for books, writing, and the spirit of independence - and wine. Ah, yes, there was a cocktail reception consisting of, from what I could see, wine. There weren't any cocktails. Still, I indulged in several plastic cups of the red stuff. I also felt compelled to engage in a Fight Club gag:
The guest of honor was Barney Rosset. Who is Barney Rosset? Read closely and learn, ye in need of a publishing history lesson. He is the man responsible for bringing literary classics such as "Lady Chatterley's Lover" (D.H. Lawrence), "Naked Lunch" (William S. Burroughs), and "Tropic of Cancer" (Henry Miller) to the United States when those books were still banned due to alleged obscenity due to provocative cotent and so-called scatalogical themes. In other words, these books had balls, and the Puritanical sect of the mid-20th Century U.S. couldn't handle it.
Adversity and the long arm of the law shoved aside, Rosset founded the independent Grove Press and published these works, among others. In doing so, he subjected himself to years of costly legal hassles. But in the end, he broke through the heavy lead curtain of censorship and created new paths and possibilities for the independent publishing community. Here is your blog writer meeting Mr. Rosset:
"Our new name more accurately describes who we are," said Lloyd J. Jassin (below).
More here about the Center for Independent Publishing and the opening night cocktail reception.
posted by Walls Falling at 12:36 AM
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