Quixote 19 — Autumn 1958 — Charles Bukowski “Hell Yes, the Hydrogen Bomb”

Description

The small literary magazine Quixote, edited by Jean Rikhoff and published out of Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, was a fiercely independent quarterly that punched well above its weight. In the late 1950s, it carved out a place for itself by showcasing a mix of emerging and established voices, often publishing works overlooked by more mainstream outlets. Printed by the Garrison Library Printers in Gibraltar, Quixote’s clean, elegant design and its adventurous editorial taste have since made it an object of desire for serious collectors of mid-century American literature. Surviving copies are few, as distribution was limited and largely by subscription.

For Charles Bukowski, 1958 was still an early stage in his career, but he had begun to gain a little traction in the small-press scene. His work appeared in a handful of “littles”, building a reputation for raw, unfiltered prose and poetry. “Hell Yes, the Hydrogen Bomb,” published here, reflects his restless, jagged early voice—an experimental, self-lacerating narrative that foreshadows the style that would later win him a cult following. Bukowski had previously appeared in Quixote issues 12 and 13, making this a significant continuation of his relationship with the magazine.

A scarce and important appearance from Bukowski’s formative years in one of the most adventurous American little magazines of the 1950s.