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Banned Books Week 2021, Part 2

by Tori Duggan on September 30th, 2021 in Events, Georgia O'Keeffe's Personal Libraries | 0 Comments

 

Banned books in Georgia O'Keeffe's Personal Libraries

In observation of Banned Books Week, we're highlighting two books from Georgia O'Keeffe's Personal Libraries. Both of these books are on the American Library Association's list of Banned & Challenged Classics. Be sure to check out the list - you might be surprised to learn about banned books you've already read!

 

 

Ulysses by James Joyce

Joyce, James. Ulysses. London: Egoist Press, 1922

Joyce, James. UlyssesNew York: Random House, 1934.

Published by Egoist, 1922

James Joyce (1882-1941) revolutionized fiction writing with new literary devices such as inner monologue. His name is one of the most recognizable in Modernist literature. 

Ulysses was serially published in the magazine Little Review as episode installments between 1918 and 1920. The episodes were considered controversial and Little Review's editors were found guilty of publishing obscene material and Ulysses was banned in the U.S. until 1933. It was first published as a novel in Paris by Shakespeare and Company in 1922. O'Keeffe had two editions of Ulysses in her personal libraries. She had the first English edition, published in London by Egoist in 1922, number 15 of 2000 (pictured above), and the first authorized U.S. edition published by Random House in 1934

Learn More about Ulysses:

 


Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence

Lawrence, D.H. Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Privately printed [Tipografia Giuntina, Florence, Italy], 1928.

"- Well - I enjoyed it -" - Georgia O'Keeffe* ​​​​​​

D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930) was an influential 20th writer whose works explored modernity, industrialization and sexuality. Georgia O’Keeffe’s personal libraries contain over 40 titles Lawrence wrote or contributed to - including a first edition of Lady Chatterley's Lover.

Lawrence was unable locate a publisher for Lady Chatterley’s Lover so it was privately printed and published in Florence Italy by the publisher Giuseppe Orioli. The book was very quickly deemed obscene and banned all around the world, including the U.S. In the U.S., if found, this book was confiscated and destroyed. 

The publisher, Orioli, sent print 389 with an enclosed note to O'Keeffe's husband, Alfred Stieglitz. O'Keeffe kept this copy with its enclosure in her Abiquiú Bookroom.

 
* Georgia O'Keeffe to Ettie Stettheimer, September 21, 1928, Georgia O'Keeffe: Art and Letters (1987)
 
Learn More about Lady Chatterley's Lover:

 

More about O'Keeffe's Personal Libraries

 


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