Between the Covers

Hardcover. Two volumes. Octavo and 24mo. 212pp.; 184pp. Black leather boards and three quarter maroon leather with pink and purple decorated cloth-covered boards with silver spine decorations. The 24mo journal has light edgewear with a small mark on the front board else near fine. The octavo journal has edgewear, bumped spine ends and corners, with tears on the spine, very good. Two journals of a young woman featuring her musings from 1978 to 1988, postcards from friends around the world, and an account of her trip to Europe in the spring of 1981. Contains poems, quotes, drawings, and other written ideas and thoughts by the author; additionally features three color photographs measuring 4.5” x 3.5” and several postcards measuring between 5.5” x 3.5” and 6.5” x 4.5”.

Two handwritten journals by a young woman from Monmouth County, New Jersey from 1978 to 1988 with pieces of ephemera from her adolescence. The woman was 21 when she first started writing in her larger journal. The written pieces include poems, quotes from books and movies, drawings, and her thoughts; most of which are interesting and boarder on the obscure and morbid. She frequently writes of her dreams though they are often nightmares: “Nightmare this past night-time. Left me numb- Silence in the shower.” Between dream descriptions she jots down passing thoughts: “I saw the energy steaming from the top of my head and the top of my shoulder today- in my shadow- on my paper. Fan-out,” and poems: “Easily distracted / you think me insane… Don’t drag me down… All you are is in your pants / Why don’t you wear it out?”

During her visit to Arizona in 1978, she complains of the muggy weather and devotes one page to drawings of the bugs she finds, labeling them “Friends of Arizona.” Her drawings are odd, one of which is a portrait of herself with the word, “psycho” written below. Another drawing is of a person holding a gun and shooting a wall covered in cupids and hearts. The words “that potential psychotic killer who comes into the library and stares at us… the unsuspected hatchet murderer awaits,” are written to the side of the page with a drawing of a man. Several drawings are of skeletons and the words “Dead Head," likely a Grateful Dead reference. She returned home in May 1978 and writes how nice it is to see everyone and later writes about her friend Lois, who is featured in one of the two photographs in the larger journal. Lois is mentioned several times in both books, often commenting on the writer's actions, “You’ve got a scheming evil look in your eyes…”

The included postcards are from friends in London, Washington, DC, Florida, New York, and New Jersey. One is a postcard from a friend of hers pretending to be James Taylor asking “Kimbo” to come see him in the movie *Two-Lane Blacktop* “before my receding hairline has no place left to go. Catch ‘ya later, babe J.T.” with a peace sign. The others include warm letters to the writer and ask how she’s been and that she is missed by her friends.

The smaller journal is of her trip through Europe, with her friends Lois and Ginny. Most of the book includes notes to herself on what not to do in certain places like, “walking up a hill to your hostile(sic) when it isn’t even open,” and “what you pack, you carry.” One entry describes two men with “fat bellies” dancing with her and her friends during their stay in Leipzig, Germany: “One sat at our table and tried to communicate in German. After a bit of confusion, Sue came up with the brilliant conclusion that he wanted a kiss. I kiss the fat guy (on the cheek) and he brought us nuts & chips, to quote Ginny ‘Good going!"” Most of the stories are of the joyous and interesting moments she experienced; as contrasted to her larger, more juvenile and emotional journal. Also included in the smaller journal is a color picture of her dancing.

An extensive look at a young woman’s interior life from 1978-1988 with wide vacillations between happiness and morbidity.

Item #413630