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Oregon Trail 1975-2000
Eugene, Bend in the River Council, (1974). An ambitious project conceived by Kesey (as Co-Director) and others to form a Council to address the major problems facing Oregon (and by extension, the U.S.) in a manner which would expose the issues to the public at large and allow for public input. This is a press kit cum prospectus for the council, including numerous separate pieces, e.g. a copy of a letter to Kesey from the Governor, lauding the project; a two-page set of proposals for the creation of the council and its structure and agenda; two issues of The Bend in the River Reality, a broadsheet newspaper, to which Ken Kesey and Ken Babbs, among others, contribute to Issue 1, the "Special Armory Issue," and the same contributions appear in Issue Number 2, the "Special Coast Issue"; there are two magazine-format issues of The BITR Papers, with different color covers and variant content, some of which overlaps with other items in the lot. The intent of the project was to create an educated, informed "Enlightened Constituency" that would "influence not only the state's politicians, the populace and the industry, but the future course of her sister states as well, and thus help steer this nation through the uncharted waters before us." While it may not be attributable to this particular effort, Oregon has become something of a bellwether for the rest of the region and for the country as a whole; one way or another, the project has in many ways largely come to fruition. All housed in a Bend in the River Council folder. Edge-sunned and musty; very good. Rare. [#031419] $550

All books are first printings of first editions or first American editions unless otherwise noted.

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