Above: Books either given to me, seen in his library, or pointed out to me in book stores by HS.
The range of subjects (often quite esoteric) Harry covered with me between 1980 and 85 to this day blows my mind. The man had a profound effect on the core of my being... (Subject list forthcoming)
Rough mockup* of Pattern Harry used to align hardback books on shelves to keep from damaging spines (proper compression missing in mockup)
*Need to redo as in fact the protrusions on the spine sides were keyed into the notches of the spines of the books to either side to prevent damage to the spines. He removed and replaced the books on his shelves with the utmost care- vigilantly arranging the alignment to the point of obsession. He treated each book as a sacred object; Whenever I came by for a visit he made me carefully wash my hands before he would let me handle one of his books... I have a bit more to say on the topic including differing descriptions of how to open and hold paperbacks and hardbacks. How Harry would treat a new book vs and used book, how he repaired a book, how to read a book, etc...
The last book Harry gave me. One I treat as a sort of reliquary due to the blood stained pages.
(9/17/91 11:30 PM Rm 328 Chelsea Hotel)
4 Vol. Siva-Purana. Gifted to me by HS when I was helping him pack at the Breslin Hotel. Open page book marked by HS. (Don't know how I forgot to date this occasion...?) Note: Stacking pattern of books in right two pix correct.
The passage at left, from the book, Informal Speech (Carterette & Jones, Univ California, 1974) was the first book that Harry suggested I purchase after showing me his copy(in April of 1980). "There's a pile of them a Strand right now and you should pick up a copy before they disappear." At the time I was unaware that these remaindered academic books literally disappeared (until the advent of the internet, right now a copy can be had on Amazon for $179).
Along with the statistical analysis, the book contains extensive transcriptions of informal conversations between first graders (approx 6 years old), third graders, fifth graders and adults. With standard transcriptions on one page, the facing page contains phonemic transcriptions that convey actual pronunciation, stammering, humming and hawing, gibberish and other nonsensical phonemes and utterances common in most day to day informal conversation. (Adults often prove no more articulate than the children).
The transcription reproduced above is of a group of three first graders asked by an adult to talk about whatever they wanted. After initial coaxing the adult retreated from the conversation.
Harry not only showed me the book, but taking it in hand did a reading of the above passage from the phonemic transcription on the right. It was an all together theatrical, hilarious and mind blowing performance as he was particularly adept at reading the phonemics. I can see him yet- as he read the six year olds description of their pet named Birdy- a bird whooshed into the room, circled Harry's head ard returned to the bathroom. Birdy. Harry's bunge parakeet made its entrances. Up to that moment I had no idea Harry kept a free range parakeet in his room.
Two Lamaistic Pantheons (story of the dust jacket)
(The HS School of Medicine)
The Book of the Law ("Under no circumstances should you study this book.")
Books on China Studies recommended by HS.
Left: He spent considerable time on The Journey to the West, showing me several translations, with shorter and longer versions.
Center/Right: Chen Tzu Wen, The Thousand Character Classic.
Center/Center: Early China, HS again spent a considerable time showing me his books on Shang & Xia oracle bones and turtle plastrons... Early Bronze castings... and the rudiments of Chinese proto script. Interesting intersection here, as the ancient Chinese used a series of knots as a form of proto writing and it sits somewhere in the nexus between oracle carvings and string figures as a concrete form of non-interpretive messaging.
Right: Small Collection of Chinese Almanacs; of which (4) were given to me by HS. As he said, "The Chinese almanac is oldest the book in continuous print. It has been in print twice as long as the Bible." (1450 AD vs. 200 BC). Along with this, "The Chinese invented movable type 400 years before Gutenberg." (by 1040 AD) (Previously printed by block print since at least Han; each page requiring a block). The almanac above are comprised of a combination of movable type-set pages and entire pages printed from custom carved blocks.
