John Fuller & The Sycamore Press; A Bibliographic History
Oxford, UK; New Castle, DE: The Bodleian Library, 2010. 2010. Hardcover. 148pp. Octavo [22 cm] Gray paper over boards. New / new. Item #50533
ISBN: 9781584562818
From the Publisher- "Set up in 1968, John Fuller's Sycamore Press published some of the most influential and critically acclaimed writers of the past half-century. Operating from a garage, the press published established authors, such as W. H. Auden, Philip Larkin and Peter Porter, as well as promoting young poets, including James Fenton and Alan Hollinghurst. The Sycamore Press ceased operations in 1992, but it remains an excellent example of the unique qualities associated with the small press movement in England.
In addition to a full descriptive bibliography, the book includes an evocative foreword by John Fuller, who wryly describes the trials and tribulations of 'garage' publishing. In a transcribed interview with the author, John Fuller explains why a pamphlet of poems took almost a year to produce as he experimented with letterpress technology. Personal reflections by Sycamore Press authors, such as Andrew Motion and Thom Gunn, illuminate the publishing process further and show what a powerful role John Fuller played in the lives of young poets lucky enough to be published by him.
While this book is full of entertaining anecdotes about the hazards of small book publishing, it also provides invaluable advice for small press printers.
Ryan Roberts is a Professor and Librarian at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, Illinois. He also maintains the official websites for Ian McEwan, Julian Barnes, Hermione Lee, and James Fenton. He is co-editor of a volume of interviews with Julian Barnes and editor of a volume of interviews with Ian McEwan for the University Press of Mississippi's Literary Conversations Series."
Price: $49.95