Tender Buttons: The Corrected Centennial Edition

by Gertrude Stein (Author), Gertrude Stein (Author), Gertrude Stein (Author), Gertrude Stein (Author), Seth Perlow (Editor), Edited by Seth Perlow (Author), Afterword by Juliana Spahr (Author), Juliana Spahr (Afterword)

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The MLA Committee on Scholarly Editions has awarded Tender Buttons: The Corrected Centennial Edition its seal designating it an MLA Approved Edition.2014 marks the one hundredth anniversary of the original publication of Gertrude Stein's groundbreaking modernist classic, Tender Buttons. This centennial edition is the first and only version to incorporate Stein's own handwritten correctionsfound in a first-edition copy at the University of Coloradoas well as corrections discovered among her papers at the Beinecke Library at Yale University. Editor Seth Perlow has assembled a text with over one hundred emendations, resulting in the first version of Tender Buttons that truly reflects its author's intentions. These changes are detailed in Perlow's Note on the Text, which describes the editorial process and lists the specific variants for the benefit of future scholars. The book includes facsimile images of some of Stein's handwritten edits and lists of corrections, as well as an afterword by noted contemporary poet and scholar Juliana Spahr. A compact, attractive edition suitable for general readers as well as scholars, Tender Buttons: The Corrected Centennial Edition is unique among the available versions of this classic text and is destined to become the standard.Gertrude Stein (18741946) was one of the most important and innovative American writers of literary modernism, as well as one of the great art collectors and salon hosts of the period. A pioneering lesbian writer, Stein lived most of her life in Paris but became a celebrity in the United States with the publication of The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas (1933).Seth Perlow teaches English at Oklahoma State University.Juliana Spahr teaches writing at Mills College. Tender Buttons was recently reissued by City Lights Books, to mark the centennial of a volume that broke language barriers, acknowledging hungers to see more. It challenged with inspired daring. --Barbara Berman, The Rumpus For the centennial of this masterpiece, Seth Perlow has given us much the best edition of the poem, based on Stein s manuscript and corrections she made to the first edition. Punctuation, spelling, format, and a few phrases are affected and most especially the change in the capitalization of the section titles. 'The difference is spreading.' --Charles Bernstein, University of Pennsylvania, author of Attack of the Difficult Poems: Essays and Inventions Happy 100th birthday, TENDER BUTTONS. You are as explosive, tantalizing, and delicious as you were on the day you were born. Your birthday gift from Seth Perlow and Juliana Spahr is a beautiful new edition that will carry you into your next century, the best edition ever. Your birthday gift from all of us who love literature and culture is to buy this edition for ourselves and all our friends. Congratulations to all. --Catharine R. Stimpson, Professor, New York University, and co-editor of the two-volume Gertrude Stein: Writings published by the Library of America The publication of an authoritative edition of Tender Buttons, with Stein s hitherto unpublished corrections and editions, is a splendid way to celebrate the centennial of this influential modernist work. Scholars will benefit from the full documentation, and readers will appreciate its convenient format, which resembles the original publication. --Jonathan Culler, Cornell University This radical multi-dimensional generative cubist text with the simplest words imaginable continues to alter and shape poetics into the post post modernist future. We have Gertrude Stein's 'mind grammar' operating at full tilt, with unpredictability, wit and sensory prevarication. Look to the 'minutes particulars, ' Blake admonished, and here she does just that: 'it is a winning cake.' Salvos to the editor and salient 'afterword' that give belletristic notes and political perspective as well. A unique edition. --Anne Waldman, The Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics

Synopsis

The MLA Committee on Scholarly Editions has awarded "Tender Buttons: The Corrected Centennial Edition" its seal designating it an MLA Approved Edition.2014 marks the one hundredth anniversary of the original publication of Gertrude Stein's groundbreaking modernist classic, "Tender Buttons." This centennial edition is the first and only version to incorporate Stein's own handwritten correctionsfound in a first-edition copy at the University of Coloradoas well as corrections discovered among her papers at the Beinecke Library at Yale University. Editor Seth Perlow has assembled a text with over one hundred emendations, resulting in the first version of "Tender Buttons" that truly reflects its author's intentions. These changes are detailed in Perlow's "Note on the Text," which describes the editorial process and lists the specific variants for the benefit of future scholars. The book includes facsimile images of some of Stein's handwritten edits and lists of corrections, as well as an afterword by noted contemporary poet and scholar Juliana Spahr. A compact, attractive edition suitable for general readers as well as scholars, "Tender Buttons: The Corrected Centennial Edition" is unique among the available versions of this classic text and is destined to become the standard.Gertrude Stein (18741946) was one of the most important and innovative American writers of literary modernism, as well as one of the great art collectors and salon hosts of the period. A pioneering lesbian writer, Stein lived most of her life in Paris but became a celebrity in the United States with the publication of "The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas" (1933).Seth Perlow teaches English at Oklahoma State University.Juliana Spahr teaches writing at Mills College. ""Tender Buttons" was recently reissued by City Lights Books, to mark the centennial of a volume that broke language barriers, acknowledging hungers to see more. It challenged with inspired daring."--Barbara Berman, "The Rumpus" "For the centennial of this masterpiece, Seth Perlow has given us much the best edition of the poem, based on Stein s manuscript and corrections she made to the first edition. Punctuation, spelling, format, and a few phrases are affected and most especially the change in the capitalization of the section titles. 'The difference is spreading.'"--Charles Bernstein, University of Pennsylvania, author of "Attack of the Difficult Poems: Essays and Inventions" "Happy 100th birthday, "TENDER BUTTONS." You are as explosive, tantalizing, and delicious as you were on the day you were born. Your birthday gift from Seth Perlow and Juliana Spahr is a beautiful new edition that will carry you into your next century, the best edition ever. Your birthday gift from all of us who love literature and culture is to buy this edition for ourselves and all our friends. Congratulations to all."--Catharine R. Stimpson, Professor, New York University, and co-editor of the two-volume "Gertrude Stein: Writings" published by the Library of America The publication of an authoritative edition of "Tender Buttons," with Stein s hitherto unpublished corrections and editions, is a splendid way to celebrate the centennial of this influential modernist work. Scholars will benefit from the full documentation, and readers will appreciate its convenient format, which resembles the original publication. --Jonathan Culler, Cornell University "This radical multi-dimensional generative cubist text with the simplest words imaginable continues to alter and shape poetics into the post post modernist future. We have Gertrude Stein's 'mind grammar' operating at full tilt, with unpredictability, wit and sensory prevarication. Look to the 'minutes particulars, ' Blake admonished, and here she does just that: 'it is a winning cake.' Salvos to the editor and salient 'afterword' that give belletristic notes and political perspective as well. A unique edition."--Anne Waldman, The Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics"

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More Information

Format: paperback
Publisher: City Lights Publishers
Published:
ISBN 10: 0872866351
ISBN 13: 9780872866355
Book Overview: Print campaign:We'll pursue reviews in The Paris Review, SF Chronicle, Bookforum, Chicago Review, Boston Review, Jacket, Boog City, Slate, AWP Writer's Chronicle, Village Voice, Boston Review, Rain Taxi, Poetry Magazine, American Poet, Bloomsbury Review, Brooklyn Rail, Denver Quarterly, Hudson Review, Kenyon Review, LA Times, NY Times, The Nation, New Yorker, Poetry Flash, Poets and Writers Magazine, St Marks Poetry Project Newsletter, BOMB, Jacket 2, Lana Turner. . . . We'll send to top poetry reviewers who freelance for the major publications that review poetry (New Yorker, NY Times, etc.): Adam Kirsch, William Logan, etc. Advance copies to: Curve, Advocate, Out, Gay and Lesbian Review, Lambda Book Report, Passport Magazine, Lambda, Windy City Times (Chicago), Gay City News(NY), Bitch, Bust, Ms Magazine.We'll send to the trades: PW, Library Journal, and Booklist.Online and social media campaign:Ron Silliman's blog, Rumpus, Conversational Reading, Constant Critic, Poetry Daily, Elegant Variation, Identity Theory, NYer's Book Bench, Bookslut, Shelf Awareness, Goodreads, Big Bridge, Complete Review, Electric Review, At Length Mag. We'll promote it on City Lights' Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Tumblr, blog and web site, and on Wikipedia. Radio:Writer's Almanac, PRI: NPR: All Things ConsideredCentennial events: McNally Jackson Bookstore in NYC would like to host one, and we'll pursue at other venues around the country, as well.Endorsements: Charles Bernstein*, Marjorie Perloff*, Lyn Hejinian, Catharine R. Stimpson, Edward Burns, Joan Retallack, Jonathan Culler*, Sharon Cameron, Steve Evans*, Oren Izenberg*, Joshua Clover*, Christopher Nealon*, Ron Silliman, Craig Dworkin, Walter Benn Michaels, Bob Perelman, Susannah HollisterAcademic Marketing:*Send book for review to: PMLA, Chicago Review, Contemporary Literature, Modern Language Quarterly, Modernism/Modernity, American Literary History, and American Literature, Paideuma among others.*Editor Seth Perlow is a member of Modern Language Association, American Comparative Literature Association, where book could be displayed, and he could possibly participate in conferences. We'll look into the possibility of getting approval from MLA's Committee on Scholarly Editions, which would lead to publicity through MLA channels. Other possible conferences: American Studies Association & Modernist Studies Association.

Media Reviews

Tender Buttons is a showcase of Stein's joyful draw to words. --Dina Weinstein, Jewish Book Council

What distinguishes this edition from others is over 100 edits, some indicated by Stein in her unmistakable handwriting found by editor Perlow in a first-edition copy held at the University of Colorado, as well as other corrections gleaned from her papers at Beinecke Library of Yale University and from the Library of America edition. --Karren LaLonde Alenier, Scene4 Magazine

She did in writing what Picasso and her other painter friends were doing in their Cubist painting. Writing had to be moved out of the grip of the nineteenth century. All naturalistic description, romanticism and sentimentality had to be left behind. --Renate Stendhal, San Francisco Bay Times

Tender Buttons is a dazzling work that rewards close study and requires a willingness to let go of the need for concrete, literal storytelling. --Christopher Luna, Rain Taxi Review of Books

Tender Buttons is a showcase of Stein's joyful draw to words. --Dina Weinstein, Jewish Book Council

Tender Buttons is a dazzling work that rewards close study and requires a willingness to let go of the need for concrete, literal storytelling. --Christopher Luna, Rain Taxi Review of Books

Author Bio

Gertrude Stein: Gertrude Stein (1874-1946) was one of the most important and innovative American writers of literary modernism, as well as one of the great art collectors and salon hosts of the period. A pioneering lesbian writer, Stein lived most of her life in Paris and became famous in the U.S. with the publication of The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas (1933).
Seth Perlow: Seth Perlow is an Assistant Professor of English at Oklahoma State University. His research and teaching focus on twentieth-century American literature, poetry and poetics, new media studies, and gay and lesbian literature. He earned a PhD in English at Cornell University.
Juliana Spahr: Juliana Spahr edits with Jena Osman the book series Chain Links and co-edits Subpress. With David Buuck she wrote An Army of Lovers, about two friends who are writers in a time of war and ecological collapse. She is the author of several poetry collections and teaches at Mills College.