Wolfgang Görtschacher Little Magazine Profiles The Little Magazines in Great Britain 1939-1993 1993. 751 pp. ISBN-13 978-3-7052-0608-3; ISBN-10 3-7052-0608-7 £22.50 (+ 3.00 p&p),  €22.50 (+ 3.00 p&p), US$ 27.00 (+ 5.00 p&p)   This 750-page informative and wide-ranging paperback explores the worldof the little magazines of Great Britain over the last 50 years. It includesa definitive history of the medium, a phenomenology that includes a lookat "The Editor - A Manic Obsessive" as well as "The Contributors" and "TheAudience", interviews with critics, poets, librarians, and a wide rangeof magazine editors, followed by an evaluation of the magazines themselves.This publication is both a fascinating read and an invaluable referencebook. Rupert Loydell, Stride Publications Editors / magazines interviewed and evaluated include: Derek Stanford, Malcolm Bradbury, John Heath-Stubbs, Geoffrey Soar,Roland John (Outposts), Peter Dale (Agenda), Michael Horovitz(New Departures), Brian Merrikin Hill (Pennine Platform),Mike Shields (Orbis), William Oxley (Littack), Michael Schmidt(PN Review), J.C.R. Green (Prospice), Hilary Davies (Argo),Kathleen Raine (Temenos), Rupert Loydell (Stride), Fred Beake(The Poet's Voice), Patricia Oxley (Acumen), David Woolley(Westwords).

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Reviews of Little Magazine Profiles

Little Magazine Profiles considers in depth 'The Little Magazinesin Great Britain 1939-1993'. Thus definitions of the 'Little Magazine','Case Studies' in the form of interviews with editors, critics, poets,and one librarian (Geoffrey Soar) and finally the history, criticism, receptionand evaluation of not only Poetry Review, but Outposts, Stand,LondonMagazine, Agenda, New Departures, Pennine Platform,Orbis,Aquarius,Chapman,Littack,PNReview,Prospice,Argo,Temenos,Stride,ThePoet's Voice, Acumen, and Westwords. It is interestingreading.

So it's been done at last! The one scholarly book that everyonein the poetry world wanted ... but no one believed would happen. Why? Becausethe variety and range, the detail, size and number involved in the subject,precluded – seemingly – all possibility of anyone attempting such a subject.[...] Apart from the sheer academic courage of its author, and the structuralsuccess of the attempt at encompassing so great a field of activity, oneis impressed by the (often) high-quality of the interviews; the authorialnarrative which really does yield many interesting facts and insights aboutthe business of editing poetry and literary magazines in all their manyaspects; and by the remarkable way that Herr Görtschacher has managedto critically, yet impartially, present a naturally very partisan field.[...] one is left with the feeling that here is both a unique and an essentialreference book for anyone interested in the really creative end of theworldof contemporary poetry.

The book [...] is far and away the most thorough study ofits subject ever to be published. [...] Görtschacher's historicalchapters combine a wealth of information with some judicious judgements.No sentimentalist or romantic, he is ever alert to the economics (and thepolitics) of what he writes about; he has much to say about the changingrole of the Arts Council, for example, and is as interested in the audience(or lack of it) of the Little Magazines as in their contents. [...] Thewhole thing constitutes an invaluable work of reference; every seriouslibrary should have a copy. Just as importantly it is consistently interestingto read. [...] my one complaint is that it is impossible to put it downonce you've picked it up to check something!

I am most impressed by the industry and acuity of the survey.

It is certainly a committed and exhaustive book. I imaginethere will be endless opportunity for supplements as new magazines areborn and die.

There is an amazing amount of information here. I congratulateyou on your diligence and the perseverance [...]. Your perception and informationabout little magazines and your abilities to place them in their properliterary perspective is admirable. You have made a major contribution tothe scholarship of contemporary literature. I hope that you receive thecredit that you so richly deserve.

It is a scholarly and serious informative compilation whichis indispensable to every library and every poet and critic. Wolfgang Görtschachergave up five years of precious life and a place in the Austrian nationalfootball team to getting this enormous amount of information into more-or-lessorder.

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