Recent additions to my collection of books by author Terry Southern (1924-1995) led me to research the first edition points for Mason Hoffenberg and Southern's satirical novel Candy. The book is one of many collectible banned titles first published by The Olympia Press and has a unique printing history.
The Candy Men (2004) by Nile Southern (Terry's son) and Patrick Kearney's newly revised bibliography The Paris Olympia Press (2007) were very helpful in making sense of the three printings issued by Olympia. I recommend them both for reference.
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The Olympia Press
*In a 1989 Smoke Signals interview, publisher Maurice Girodias stated - " I usually printed five thousand copies of each book, and paid a flat fee for the manuscripts which, although modest, formed the substance of many an expatriate budget."
*According to Kearney's bibliography, there are no known printing records for The Olympia Press. Stated printing information, cover price, and price change stamps provide clues for a particular title's history. It appears that some books were printed and later bound as needed. Example: 5,000 books are printed- 3,000 books are bound and the remaining 2,000 unbound sheets stored. Later, new wrappers (with a price change if required) are printed to use with the remaining 2,000 unbound sheets.
* Descriptions of Olympia editions & states - The book must be reprinted to be considered a new printing. If only the wrapper has been reprinted, it is considered a new issue of the given printing. A book with a price change stamp (or sticker) on the back cover is considered an altered state of the issue or printing. (Some stamps reflect a general price increase, others the re-valuation of the Franc in January 1960.)
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Maxwell Kenton
In a Smoke Signals interview, Terry Southern explains the origins of Maxwell Kenton (joint pseudonym of Mason Hoffenberg and Terry Southern)
SOUTHERN: "Yeah. And the name of the author was Maxwell Kenton. A name I first used with David Burnett, of all people. He was the son of Martha Foley and Whit Burnett of The Best American Short Stories fame. We were collaborating on some short detective stuff, and even sold a couple to Argosy Magazine, and we used the pseudonym 'Maxwell Kenton'. So when Mason at one point had an attack of conscience and said, "Man, I've decided I don't want my mother to know about this book," we took the name Maxwell Kenton so his mother would be spared anguish at her Mah-Jong parties."
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Candy
The Olympia Press first published Candy in October of 1958 (print run of 5,000 copies*, price on back cover: Francs 1.200). The release of the book was soon noticed by the Brigade Mondaine and copies were seized from Paris booksellers.
* Print run info is from The Candy Men
Candy was officially banned in France on May14, 1959 (under a statute called the "1939 Decree", an amendment to the law of 1881, which gave the French government more power to ban offensive publications in foreign languages).
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Candy by Maxwell Kenton [Mason Hoffenberg and Terry Southern]
Paris, France, 1958
The Olympia Press
Traveler's Companion Series, number 64
size: 4.5" x 6.875" pp. 192
green border on title page
stiff olive green wrappers
price: Francs 1.200
Candy first printing 1958 photos
front cover
price on back cover (with price change stamp)
title page with green border
copyright at bottom of dedication page [6]
colophon on page [191]
dedication page [6] and first page of text
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In December of 1958, publisher Maurice Girodias changed the title of Candy and reissued it as Lollipop. Girodias used this method to fool censors and continue selling the book. According to The Candy Men , it worked quite well - ". . . Girodias saved many thousands of copies from the rubbish heap."
Unknown to the authors, Girodias also made changes to the dedication page and opening pages of text:
* The opening speech by Dr. Mephesto was completely rewritten. (apparently by Girodias himself)
* The Voltaire quote (at the top of first page of text) was changed to Rimbaud.
* The dedication names were changed to Master Boon and Master Badj.
* The copyright date (at bottom of dedication page) was changed to 1959
Note: This edition retains the October 1958 printing information on page [191]. It is unclear (from these sources) if:
1.) only unbound sheets from the first printing were used with new initial pages and wrappers.
or
2.) additional copies were printed (retaining the October printing information).
Lollipop first printing 1958 [1959?] photos
front cover
price on back cover (with price change stamp)
changed copyright at bottom of dedication page [6]
colophon on page [191]
changed dedication page [6], quote, and first page of text
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In a letter to Terry Southern dated Fall 1961, Mason Hoffenberg makes reference to a Paris bookseller who was no longer receiving copies of Lollipop from Olympia. Shipped in place of Lollipop were original printings of Candy. Hoffenberg suggested that Girodias may have been "scraping bottom" and had to use up copies left over from the first printing. (an explanation for price increase stamps seen on first printings)
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In 1962, Lollipop was reprinted with a run of 5,000 copies. The changes Girodias made to the first printing of Lollipop were removed and the text restored to match the original Candy. The price on the back cover was changed to 18 N F with the statement NOT TO BE SOLD IN U.S.A. & U.K. added below.
Lollipop 1962 printing photos
front cover
price on back cover
copyright at bottom of dedication page [6]
colophon on page [191]
restored dedication page [6] and first page of text
Note: According to The Candy Men, "It is unknown how many printings of Lollipop rolled out of Girodias's S.I.P. printers in Montreuil over the years - suffice to say that between the 1958 debut of Candy, and the "official" 1959 and 1962 editions of Lollipop, Girodias had still not accounted for any sales whatsoever to the authors."
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Pirate Copies
Unique pirate copies of Candy are also of interest to collectors. Pirates changed the title & author or created covers to look like Olympia Press originals.
Below is a small (4 x 5.5) pirate copy of Candy titled Probably Did It Herself by dr. L. Johns, Athenes Press [early 60's ?]. The text, page numbers, and font are an exact match to the original 1958 Olympia edition. The dedication, printing information, and copyright, were obviously removed.
front cover
title page
first page of text
A pirate two volume set of Candy with covers made to look like an Olympia Press publication.
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Note: In the mid 1960's many publishers took advantage of Candy's U.S. copyright problems (along with Putnam's marketing push for the first US edition) and issued the book paying no royalties. According to Girodias, more than 15 million copies were sold in 30 to 50 unauthorized editions. (he called these publishers "porno-gangsters") Many of these editions can be seen here on a page at the official Terry Southern website.
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First American Edition
The first U.S. publication of Candy was in May 1964 by G. P. Putnam's Sons (using Terry and Mason's real names). By the end of 1965, twenty Putnam printings had been issued - 13 hardcover and 7 paperback.
Book:
Candy by Terry Southern and Mason Hoffenberg
New York, 1964
G. P. Putnam's Sons
no statement of printing (later editions state printing)
5.75" x 8.25" pp. 224
purple cloth and black paper boards
red endpapers and top-stain
Dust-jacket:
price on front flap $5.00
James Jones blurb at bottom of back panel
code 0464 on bottom of front flap
(I am still researching to verify that all later printings have a Nelson Algren blurb at the bottom of the back panel & to note any changes to the code at the bottom of the front flap. (I have checked a 4th printing-$5.00 price, no change in code on front flap, Algren blurb at bottom of back panel) Feel free to leave information in the comments. )
Candy first American edition 1964
front
back
boards
spine
red endpapers and top-stain
copyright page
front flap
back panel - James Jones blurb at bottom
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First UK Edition
The first UK edition of Candy was published by Bernard Geis in 1968. (expurgated edition)
Book:
Candy the novel by Terry Southern & Mason Hoffenberg
London, 1968
Bernard Geis
distributed by The New English Library Ltd
5.5" x 8.5" pp. 158
red cloth boards
white endpapers
no top-stain
Dust-jacket:
price 42s on lower front flap
photo of Awa Aulin (from the 1968 movie) on rear panel
Candy first UK edition 1968
front
back
boards
copyright page
front flap
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Candy: The Film
The film Candy was first released in the U.S. in December 1968. The movie cast included - Marlon Brando, Richard Burton, James Coburn, Walter Matthau, Ringo Starr, and starred Ewa Aulin as Candy Christian. Note: Southern did not write the screenplay and was very disappointed with the film (Buck Henry wrote the script).
Below is a unique large format movie edition of Candy issued in 1969 which includes the complete book text, photos from opening night, and stills from the film. (issued by the publishers of the adult men's magazine Adam)
Candy by Maxwell Kenton
Adam Film Special #2
Los Angeles, 1969
Knight Publishing Corp.
8.375" x 10.875" pp. 98
price on cover: $1.50
softcover
film edition of Candy 1969
front cover
back cover
title page with contents and copyright
first page of text
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This is a work in progress, feel free to leave additional information. thanks!
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1 comment:
Update... Putnam hardcover edition- The first 2 printings have a James Jones blurb at the bottom of back panel.
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