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| Poster/Publicity, 1977 |
Steve Abbott (1943-1992) was a poet,
critic, editor, novelist and artist. He holds a unique place in San Francisco's literary world as one of the founding
editors of the bay area's newsletter
Poetry Flash and as the editor of the literary journal
Soup. He counted among his friends Dennis Cooper, Aaron
Shurin, Kevin Killian and Allen Ginsberg.
Abbott was raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, graduated from the
University of Nebraska, and attended Emory University. In the mid-1960s,
he was involved with the Students for a Democratic Society. And, in 1968, he declared himself a
conscientious objector.
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| Soup cover |
He married Barbara Binder in February 1969 and came out publicly later the same year. Their daughter, Alysia, was born in December 1970. Tragically, in August 1973,
Barbara was killed in an automobile accident. The following year,
Steve and Alysia moved to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district, where Steve became involved
with the literary scene.
Abbott was a
frequent contributor to
The Advocate,
The Sentinel, and the
Bay Area Reporter.
He participated in many poetry readings, and, in 1981, he organized the
Left Write conference. Steve was also a respected critic and the first to use
the term "new narrative"
to describe the work of Bruce Boone and Robert Gluck.
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| Left Write! transcripts |
The
Steve Abbott Papers (GLC 77) contain
correspondence, subject files, works by Abbott, publications and writing
by others, photographs, and
computer disks. The
correspondence includes some letters to family members, friends, poets
and writers, and publishers. Of particular interest are the letters to
his wife Barbara which include an illustrated letter written to their
daughter Alysia. Notable correspondents include Dennis Cooper, Aaron
Shurin, and Allen Ginsberg.
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| Clipping regarding draft trial |
The subject files contain
materials gathered about and documenting Abbott's different interests.
Of note are the conscientious objector materials and clippings, reviews
of some of Abbott's published work, Abbott's posters and publicity for
readings.
Abbott's work forms the largest part of the collection. It includes
draft, manuscript and final printed copies of his poetry, stories,
essays, and books.
Wrecked Hearts,
The Lives of the Poets,
Holy Terror,
View Askew,
Holy Titclamps, and
Stretching the Agape Bra are all represented in the collection. There is also some artwork in the
form of cartoon/comics, drawings, and collage.
His writing covers a variety of subjects from the
Watts riots in Los Angeles to the future of gay culture in the years
following the AIDS crisis. My favorite piece is "The Touching
Ballad of Princess Lulu Magoo," a handmade book, illustrated and written
by Abbott for his daughter Alysia. The drawings are beautiful and mounted on pages torn and stained to simulate aged vellum. The fable is a lovely example of Abbott's innocent approach to complex concepts.
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| Page from The Touching Ballad of Princess Lulu Magoo |
As a writer, critic, editor, artist, conscientious objector, bisexual
husband, gay father and single parent, Steve Abbott could have found himself narrowly delineated by labels. Fortunately for us, he colored outside the lines and defined
his own artistic and intellectual landscape.
Abbott died of complications due to AIDS on December 2, 1992. His novel
The Lizard Club was published posthumously.
Last year, W.W. Norton and Company published Alysia Abbott's
Fairyland: a Memoir of My Father
(New York). The memoir draws in part from the Abbott Papers (at the library) and from his journals (which
are retained by his daughter). Her website
www.steveabbott.org
contains a wealth of interesting archival material about his life and their relationship.
If you'd like to find out more about Steve Abbott, please come take a look at the
Steve Abbott Papers (GLC 77) which are available through the
San Francisco History Center, 6th floor, Main Library. The photographs are available during the hours for the
San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection.
