New York: Privately printed, 1944.
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Softcover. Second printing, published the same year as the first. Illustrated by Melvin Tapley (including the epic zoot-suit clad hep cat who appears on the front wrap). Small octavo. 157pp. Perfect bound wrappers. Tiny ink notation on front wrap, pages a little toned as always, else a beautiful fine copy, and extremely uncommon thus. Published six years after Cab Calloway's classic *Cab Calloway's Cat-ologue: A Hepster Dictionary*, the first dictionary of jive slang. Calloway's book was simply a glossary of terms whereas this book cleverly utilizes the language of jive in a variety of contexts that more fully explore the use of the lingo to illuminate the Harlem jazz and hipster scene of the period. Burley was an African-American who had distinguished careers as both a journalist and as a jazz musician; Burley's *Handbook* was reprinted in many languages and attracted the attention of H.L. Mencken, Gertrude Stein, and others. Despite enjoying a fairly large printing, it is now rare.
Item #533892
