The Olympia Reader: Selections from the Traveller's Companion Series

I was always a big fan of American publishers like Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Barney Rossett for their role in liberating and promoting subversive literature in America. I am sure that many deplore the famed publisher Rossett who introduced "Tropic of Cancer" and "Naked Lunch" and "Lady Chatterly's Lover" to American readers. These are people who will probably not appreciate the importance of a book like "The Olympia Reader". Maurice Girodias was the founder of the Olympia Press. This French publisher was responsible for the first publication of many literary icons. Girodias followed in the footsteps of his father Jack Kahane who founded the Obelisk Press in the 30's. Kahane, it should be noted, is famed for discovering Henry Miller. The Olympia Press was a shoestring operation and labor of love for Girodias. These paperbacks were put out as The Traveller's Companion series. Girodias also faced censorship pressure in France. Luckily for us, he was able to put so much work out in spite these problems. He published writers like Raymond Queneau, Paline Reagé and Jean Genet among others. (It should be noted that he published the first version of Nabakov's "Lolita" but Nabakov refused permission for reprint in this book.) Publishing banned English books was a grand scheme for making money. The 'not to be sold in USA or Britain' category was a surefire way to spark sales. American G.I.s snapped them up with a passion. This book collects samples from this extraordinary press. It includes excerpts from books like "The Ginger Man" by J.P. Donleavy, "My Life and Loves" by Frank Harris, "The Black Book" by Lawrence Durrell, "Naked Lunch", de Sade's "Justine" and many more. It is a retrospective of an amazing moment in literary history. Girodias deserves much merit in the annals of Twentieth Century literature. This reader merely scratches the surface but it is a good introductory volume for readers of erotica and subversive literature. It would make a good starting point for a person interested in the stuff that doesn't get taught in schools which is truly the stuff that needs to be read.