Ex Occidente Press

[Nemonymous]

Quote Originally Posted by Sand

Even those who do not think very much of my stories have been kind enough to enjoy my efforts as a book collector. My books have not come to me on account of any fortune. I am honoured to be the son of a postman and I spent all my own working life in an office. The books came from countless hours in obscure bookshops, patiently studying the shelves. They perhaps also came to me because of a certain oblique sensitivity, an alertness to books that had been overlooked. But even that is probably the product of long practice. A lot of my writing other than fiction has been an attempt to revive the work of then-unread writers, who are now beginning to get some proper attention at last: for example, Ronald Fraser, Claude Houghton, Mary Butts, even Arthur Machen who, when I started to celebrate him, thirty years ago, with my late friend and co-editor Roger Dobson, was out of print and known only to certain savants. But I have also been pursued by the question that is several turns further on in the dark corridor of neglected literature: what about those whose writing has vanished almost completely? That is what Wraiths is about. By delving in obscure memoirs, I have written a study of a handful of Eighteen Nineties decadent poets so rare and elusive, so enigmatic, that their verses never appeared at all, and are virtually completely lost. For one we have a single line; for another, two stanzas; for the others, only fervent memories of what their work was, in all its strange glory. I have also added an essay on a little-known aspect of that fine and fervent Nineties poet, Ernest Dowson. With a friend, he wrote a Jekyll & Hyde-ish shocker (his term) which they tried in vain to get published. That too is now lost. But by studying the letters between the two authors, I have tried to revive an idea of what the book might have been – perhaps even a rival to The Picture of Dorian Gray or The Great God Pan. Mark

WRAITHS and A DISTILLATE OF HERESY | THE DES LEWIS DREAMCATCHER REVIEWS
My review of WRAITHS by Mark Valentine, a review written earlier today before I reminded myself about what he had written above.

[Nemonymous]

Quote

WRAITHS and A DISTILLATE OF HERESY | THE DES LEWIS DREAMCATCHER REVIEWS My review of WRAITHS by Mark Valentine, a review written earlier today before I reminded myself about what he had written above.

Unexpectedly I couldn't resist starting the Damian Murphy book today.

[aldiniz]

Dear friends,

I am updated my blog (in English and Portuguese as well) with a review of the exquisite and unique book/project by Dan Ghetu: “Dada Gnosis”. The links are below:

http://bibliophage.postach.io/dada-gnosis (in English)
http://bibliofagia.postach.io/dada-gnosis (in Portuguese)

Best for all,

[Nemonymous]

Quote Originally Posted by aldiniz

Dear friends, I am updated my blog (in English and Portuguese as well) with a review of the exquisite and unique book/project by Dan Ghetu: “Dada Gnosis”. The links are below: http://bibliophage.postach.io/dada-gnosis (in English) http://bibliofagia.postach.io/dada-gnosis (in Portuguese) Best for all,

Thanks. That's given me much food for thought regarding 'Dada Gnosis'.
I did a wordless review of it here when it first came out.

PS: Rhys Hughes and I collaborated on a story 'The Broom Cupboard of Crossed Destinies' in the 1990s, as a nod to Calvino's 'The Castle of Crossed Destinies'. This will be republished soon in a Rhys Hughes collection.

[aldiniz]

Quote Originally Posted by Nemonymous

Quote Originally Posted by aldiniz Dear friends, I am updated my blog (in English and Portuguese as well) with a review of the exquisite and unique book/project by Dan Ghetu: “Dada Gnosis”. The links are below: http://bibliophage.postach.io/dada-gnosis (in English) http://bibliofagia.postach.io/dada-gnosis (in Portuguese) Best for all, Thanks. That's given me much food for thought regarding 'Dada Gnosis'. I did a wordless review of it here when it first came out. PS: Rhys Hughes and I collaborated on a story 'The Broom Cupboard of Crossed Destinies' in the 1990s, as a nod to Calvino's 'The Castle of Crossed Destinies'. This will be republished soon in a Rhys Hughes collection.

Thank you so much for the Rhys Hughes reference. Yeah, your excellent reviews are a terrific tool for my reviews and interviews (your review reference now is mentioned at my review).

Best,

[Nemonymous]

I have just received my purchased copy from the publisher…

“And I’d Be the King of China” as recounted by by Mark Valentine

Published by L’Homme Récent
United Kingdom MMXIV
Printed in Bucharest

[Zaharoff]

- Necro Post -

One of my favorite threads, one that I have strolled through for years, before I even registered.
For new arrivals, this is a history of the influential press, now legendary.
The impact and legacy of this press cannot be underestimated.
Brilliant production design, attention to craft, as in crafting books as works of art.
The overall run of titles is dizzying. When considering the quantity of releases, especially in such a brief amount of time, especially from a tiny press, the mind boggles.
Off topic sidesteps in the thread are frequent, and generally of substance.
What counts as a review? Thoughts on the secondary market. Finding decent weird channels in an era of self publication overload. The perils of too many choices.
The real impact of the press, however, were the trove of new authors. The publisher had an uncanny talent in spotting talent, then putting his faith between boards. And, as mentioned earlier, the release schedule was breathtaking.
The reaction was giddy. It was as if the cave of treasure yawned open.
Everyone ordered, then fretted impatiently, wondering when the books would arrive - or if they would arrive.
Unlike other presses, members invariably gushed when the books arrived.
(Unfortunately, for me, most of the comments are akin to fashion statements. "How beautiful!" "Dazzling!" "Need to read this with white gloves!" Of in-thread reviews, though, next to nothing. Come on! How hard is it to scribble five to ten sentences?)
To be sure, problems surfaced, increasingly or simply more evident near the end of the thread.
One-man shows are not always the best organized. International mail can be unpredictable.
Despite the best of intentions, there were bruised feelings on several sides.
You buy direct, you fill your library with the glow of exclusivity. On rare occasions, things will go wrong. Faith is always a precious commodity.
This is - was - one of the finest presses for readers of this forum.
I have bumped it, for the curious, for newcomers, for archivists.
Most of you will be in for a treat with this.
Good luck one and all.

[Nigromontanus]

T​he last post on this thread is from Des​ in 2015. It is now 2019. 44 hardcover books have been released in the last four years.

So, not quite dead yet.

Thank you for the rather encouraging sentiments, Zaharoff.

For constant updates, announcements, pictures of the books, presentations texts, recommendantions, reviews, etc there is always my small FB page and my email Newsletters. I have no interest in polluting this forum again.

Thanks.


1. And I'd be the King of China by Mark Valentine
2. The Lustre of Time by John Howard
3. Splinters of Horn and Ivory by Thomas Stromsholt
4. The Imperishable Sacraments by Damian Murphy
5. The Boy who Played with Shadows by Quentin S. Crisp
6. Golem of Bucharest by Andrew Condous
7. The Hill of Cinders by Colin Insole
8. Ruination in Bloom by Charles Schneider
9. The Siren of Montmartre by Leopold Nacht
10. The Haunted Sleep by Jonathan Wood
11. Transensience by Avalon Brantley & Lockett Hollis
12. An Ossuary for M.P. Shiel by Harold Billings
13. The Exaltation of the Minotaur by Damian Murphy
14. Conflagration by D.P. Watt
15. Lanterns of the Old Night by Alcebiades Diniz
16. The Daughters of Lilith by Harold Billings
17. Seduction of the Golden Pheasant by Damian Murphy
18. Out There by Quentin S. Crisp
19. A Vampire of the Soul by William Charlton
20. Cloistered by Ravelled Bones and Ruined Walls by D.F. Lewis and Slawomir Wielhorski
21. Visit of a Ghost by John Howard
22. The Academy Outside of Ingolstadt by Damian Murphy
23. Europa by Karim Ghahwagi
24. Ruins of Eden by Harold Billings
25. Abyssinia by Damian Murphy
26. Deeper Flowers Thrive by Oliver Smith
27. Gas by Eric Stener Carlson
28. The Gift of the Kos'mos Cometh!, A Homage to Night and Cosmos (Edited by Damian Murphy & Geticus Polus)
29. And the Whore is This Temple, A Homage to Temples (Edited by Damian Murphy & Geticus Polus)
30. All is Full of Hell, A Panegyric for William Blake (Edited by Damian Murphy & Geticus Polus)
31. Wound of Wounds, A Homage to Emil Cioran Boxset (Edited by Damian Murphy & Geticus Polus)
32. Shiloh by Philip Fracassi
33. A Spy in the Panopticon by Damian Murphy ​(​Boxset​)​
34. A Sunday in Oursel and Other Tales by Gerard Prevot
35. Orient Air Express by Paul Morand
36. The Eleven Thieves and Other Tales from the Night Land by Glynn Owen Barrass
37. Tears for Europa by D.P. Watt ​(​Boxset​)​
38. The Sorrows and the Furies by Thomas Stromsholt
39. The Dance of Abraxas by Benjamin Tweddell
40. ​The Metapheromenoi by Brendan Connell
41. The Rhododendron Boy by Colin Insole
42. Psalms of the Magistrate by Damian Murphy​
43. Serpentine Supplications by Stephan Friedman
44. The Deepest Furrow by Jonathan Wood

[Jeff Matthews]

So according to S.j. Bagley:

““reminder that dan ghetu, the dude that ran ex occidente ('from the west'), press... organised a compliation album in tribute to corniliu codreanu (founder of the iron guard, the fascist party in romania allied with hitler's germany) and donated the money made from it to a modern fascist offshoot of the iron guard.”

Very disgusting and disappointing to hear. Won’t be getting my money, that’s for sure.

[bendk]

This post reminded me that Ex-Occidente was supposed to put out a Cioran tribute, but I totally forgot about it. I just found out they did in 2017. Wound of Wounds: An Ovation to Emil Cioran. Damian Murphy and D.T. Ghetu (editors). Cheapest copy currently on the net is $325. Out of reach for me. I wish these publishers would show some mercy on us 'mere' readers and release a kindle version.