Eighteen Poems
A Frame of Mind Eighteen Poems
University of Reading, 1953.
Rare proof copy, out of series and marked "Proof". There were also 150 numbered copies. Original Japon wrappers over card, titled in black to covers and spine, flaps glued down as issued. Inscribed by Amis on the front free endpaper for his fellow poet, "Best wishes to Charles Tomlinson - Kingsley Amis, 1954". Numerous pencil annotations by Tomlinson throughout. A very good copy, some tanning and minor wear to wrappers.
An excellent association copy of Amis's second book, inscribed for his contemporary and fellow poet of The Movement, Charles Tomlinson.
Tomlinson's annotation in the book indicate an overall liking of the poems, with Wrong Words, A Dream Of Fair Women, The Triumph Of Life, Dirty Story, Here Is Where, and Masters all receiving an approving tick. Only one poem, Something Nasty In The Bookshop, is marked with a disapproving cross. This is perceptive, as Amis would retitle the poem before it was collected in A Case Of Samples (1956), and even wrote in his own copy of the book that it was a "Bad po[em] more afectg than it shd be".
Their differences in poetic style later set them against each other. It seems that Amis was targeting Tomlinson when he said "Nobody wants any more poems about philosophers or paintings or novelists or art galleries or foreign cities or other poems". Tomlinson's response was to write a poem titled 'More Foreign Cities'.
PROVENANCE: Charles Tomlinson (1927-2015), British poet.
Stock ID: 42191
