Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$60.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Near fine copy in wraps. Light fading near edges of cover.
Seller: Jackson Street Booksellers, Omaha, NE, U.S.A.
BUKOWSKI, Charles.. If We Take--.. [Los Angeles]: Black Sparrow, (1970)., 1970.
Price: US$75.00 + shipping
Description: [8 pp]. Near fine in sewn wrappers with toning along spine. A single poem, issued as a New Year's Greeting for friends of the press. One of 300 copies. Krumhansl 31a.
Seller: Jeff Maser, Bookseller - ABAA, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.
Price: US$94.24 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Soft cover. 16mo (102x138mm). Pp. 8. Edition of 400 copies. Wraps as issued. A single poem published for New Year's Day of 1970 to readers of the Black Sparrow Press. Near fine copy.
Seller: Karol Krysik Books ABAC/ILAB, IOBA, PBFA, Toronto, ON, Canada
BUKOWSKI, Charles.. If We Take--.. [Los Angeles]: Black Sparrow,, 1970.
Price: US$100.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: [Los Angeles]: Black Sparrow, January 1970 Binding: NEAR FINE COPY $NRP
Seller: Visible Voice Books, Cleveland, OH, U.S.A.
Bukowski, Charles. IF WE TAKE--. Santa Barbara:Black Sparrow Press, 1970.
Price: US$100.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Santa Barbara, CA:Black Sparrow Press. 1970. Limited edition of 400 copies. 8pp. Sewn wrps. Covers in very good condition. Internally clean. A very good copy. *A single poem issued as a New Years Greeting for the friends of the Press.
Seller: Parnassus Book Service, Inc, YarmouthPort, MA, U.S.A.
Charles Bukowski. If We Take. Black Sparrow Press, 1970, 1970.
Price: US$100.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: A Fine copy of this 1970 New Years booklet in a Black Sparrow Press envelope. Handsewn green paper covers. 1 of 400 copies. 8pp 4 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Seller: Jackson Street Booksellers, Omaha, NE, U.S.A.
BUKOWSKI, Charles.. If We Take--.. [Los Angeles]: Black Sparrow, (1970)., 1970.
Price: US$125.00 + shipping
Description: [8 pp]. Fine in sewn wrappers. A single poem, issued as a New Year's Greeting for friends of the press. One of 300 copies. Krumhansl 31a.
Seller: Jeff Maser, Bookseller - ABAA, Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.
Bukowski, Charles; [Norse, Hal]. IF WE TAKE. Black Sparrow Press, [Los Angeles], 1970.
Price: US$5000.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: First edition, association copy, with an extraordinary inscription and drawing from Bukowski at a pivotal moment in his career to Hal Norse, perennial literary scenester and author of the classic cut-up novel BEAT HOTEL. Norse was a frequent Bukowski correspondent beginning in the mid 1960s, and it was Norse who recommended Bukowski to Penguin Press for their Modern Poets series - then Bukowski's highest-profile appearance to date (they appeared together in the thirteenth installment). But the two didn't meet in person until January of 1969, a little less than a year before this inscription. Norse recalls the experience in his book MEMOIRS OF A BASTARD ANGEL: "I knew that a wild Falstaffian ruffian had come to shake things up with more fiction than fact, more fantasy than truth [.] Bukowski was misshapen [.] He looked [.] during down and out" (p. 420). Indeed, the poet was down and out, frustrated at his job for the post office and desperate to find a way to support himself from his writing alone. He would find that opportunity later the same year when Black Sparrow publisher John Martin famously offered Bukowski a guaranteed $100 a month for life if he wrote for the press full time. According to Martin, their agreement went into effect January 2nd, 1970 - just six days after this inscription and only a few weeks before Bukowski completed his first novel, POST OFFICE. (IF WE TAKE was the first of many Black Sparrow greetings Bukowski would do for Black Sparrow Press.) Norse and Bukowski remained life-long - if contentious - friends and correspondents (a collection of their letters has been slated, but delayed, for publication since 2002). Quite simply, one of the closest and warmest Bukowski associations we've seen. 5.5'' x 4.5''. Original string-tied stiff printed wrappers. One of 350 copies. [8] pages. Inscribed by Bukowski to Harold Norse: "12 -27 - 69 / For Hal Norse - / We've both been / through the fire, / dear friend, and / there's more to come - / more fire more o / so much more fire, / and we can only / wonder if we will / kill ourselves first, / or they. No matter - / they will never know. / yrs, / Charles Bukowski." Bukowski has also added to inside of front cover an illustration of a man smoking, signed "Buk." Touches of rubbing, soil. Well preserved.
Seller: Brian Cassidy Books at Type Punch Matrix, Silver Spring, MD, U.S.A.
Bukowski, Charles. If We Take. Black Sparrow Press, [Los Angeles], 1970.
Price: US$5000.00 + shipping
Description: First Edition. Original Wraps. INSCRIBED by Bukowski to Harold Norse: "12 -27 - 69 / For Hal Norse - / We've both been / through the fire, / dear friend, and / there's more to come - / more fire more o / so much more fire, / and we can only / wonder if we will / kill ourselves first, / or they. No matter - / they will never know. / yrs, / Charles Bukowski." Bukowski has also added to inside of front cover an illustration of a man smoking, signed "Buk." An extraordinary and warm inscription in the first of many Black Sparrow greetings Bukowski would do for the press. Norse, perennial literary scenester and author of the classic cut-up novel Beat Hotel, was a frequent Bukowski correspondent beginning in the mid 1960's, and it was Norse who recommended Bukowski to Penguin Press for their Modern Poets series (he and Norse appeared together in the thirteenth installment) -- then Bukowski's highest-profile appearance to date. But the two didn't meet in person until January of 1969, a little less than a year before this inscription. Norse recalls the experience in his book MEMOIRS OF A BASTARD ANGEL: "I knew that a wild Falstaffian ruffian had come to shake things up with more fiction than fact, more fantasy than truth [.] Bukowski was misshapen [.] He looked [.] down and out" (p. 420). And indeed, the poet was down and out: frustrated at his job for the Post Office and desperate to find a way to support himself from his writing alone. He would soon find that opportunity later the same year when Black Sparrow publisher John Martin famously offered Bukowski a guaranteed $100 a month for life if he wrote for the press full time. According to Martin, their agreement went into effect January 2nd, 1970 - just six days after this inscription and only a few weeks before Bukowski completed his first novel, Post Office. Norse and Bukowski remained life-long -- if contentious -- friends and correspondents (a collection of their letter has been slated, but delayed, for publication since 2002). Quite simply, one of the closest and warmest Bukowski associations we've seen, capturing the poet at a pivotal moment in his career. [Krumhansl 31]. [Morrow and Cooney 74]. Minor edge/shelf wear, inscribed/illustrated by Bukowski, else tight, bright, and unmarred. Pale blue paper wraps, color ink lettering and decorative elements. 12mo. np [8 blank leaves]. Inscribed by Bukowski at ffep, sketch at verso of front wrap.
Seller: Lux Mentis, Booksellers, ABAA/ILAB, Portland, ME, U.S.A.