The Novels
The Free-Lance Pallbearers
The Free-Lance Pallbearers. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1967.
First edition."The Free-Lance Pallbearers," carbon typescript, typescript, and photocopy, undated, ca. 164 pp.
This early draft contains numerous corrections in the hand of Ishmael Reed."An Old Woman Kidnaps Checkers (from The Free-Lance Pallbearers)," photocopied typescript, undated, 23 pp.
The Free-Lance Pallbearers. [London]: MacGibbon and Kee, [1968].
The first British edition of Ishmael Reed's first book is displayed with a heavily-corrected typescript draft, [n.d].Sample cover from the first British edition (London: MacGibbon and Kee, 1968).
Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down
Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1969.
First edition."Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down," [n.d.].
Typescript and carbon typescript drafts, heavily corrected by Ishmael Reed.Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1969.
Uncorrected galley proof bound for advance readers.Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1969.
Galley proof heavily corrected by the author.Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down. NY: Avon Books, 1977.
Mass-market paperback edition.
Mumbo Jumbo
Mumbo Jumbo. [Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1972].
Mumbo Jumbo. [London: W. H. Allen & Co. 1988].
This first British edition of the novel was not published until sixteen years after the original American publication.Notes and early drafts of Mumbo Jumbo.
Typescript and carbon typescript, undated, with the author's autograph corrections."Mumbo Jumbo." Heavily-corrected typescript sent to the printer as the setting copy, [1971].
The text of "Mumbo Jumbo" presented extraordinary challenges to the printer. This setting copy includes a special "Style Sheet" prepared for the printers and explanations from Ishmael Reed to his editor.Mumbo Jumbo. [Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1972].
This type-set paste-up of the text and illustrations was produced to give the author and publisher a sense of the layout. This stage was particularly important for Mumbo Jumbo since Reed has incorporated unique spelling and typography.Mumbo Jumbo. [Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1972].
This proof is stamped "Final Galley;" and contains numerous autograph corrections and emendations in several different hands.[Excerpts from Mumbo Jumbo], typescript drafts, [1970].
Includes title page "some squeaky teeny words from D Xorcism Of Noxin D Awful A HOODOO FRIGHTGRABBER" and some draft pages from the "Neo-Hoodoo Manifesto" which was published under this title in the Los Angeles Free Press, 18 September 1970."Outline for science fiction novel Scribbles," typescript, [n.d.], 45 pp.
This treatment dates from the period during which Reed was writing Mumbo Jumbo."Cab Calloway Stands in for the Moon." Carbon typescript, [n.d.], 19 pp.
This early draft excerpt from Mumbo Jumbo was published as "a coming attraction" in the magazine Amistad (1970) and in the collection 19 Necromancers from Now (1970). It was subsequently published separately in 1986 as a limited edition by Bamberger Books.Typed letter signed, from John O'Brien, who designed and set the type for the book, 2 February 1986, 2pp.
Typescript questions from John O'Brien with Ishmael Reed's responses.
Photocopied page proof.
Cab Calloway Stands in for the Moon. [Flint, MI:] Bamberger Books, 1986.
One of 200 cloth-bound copies of a total edition of 500.
Cover art, original sketch by the illustrator Mary Wagner, red and black ink drawn on the cover of an office supply box.
The Last Days of Louisiana Red. New York: Random House, [1974].
First edition.The Last Days of Louisiana Red. New York: Random House, [1974].
Uncorrected first proof.The Last Days of Louisiana Red. Typescript and autograph drafts, [n.d.], with extensive corrections by the author.
[The Last Days of Louisiana Red]. Miscellaneous autograph notes and fragments in the hand of Ishmael Reed.
The Last Days of Louisiana Red. New York: Random House, [1974]. Printed sheets of the text labeled "camera copy."
At this stage of printing, the text is ready for the first mechanical reproduction and the production of a page proof.The Last Days of Louisiana Red. New York: Random House, [1974].
Blueline proofs. The blueline shows all artwork and text in position. It is the final opportunity for the author to make corrections. Final approval of the blueline authorizes the printer to run the job as shown on the proof.Original draft cover art not used for this edition.
"[Excerpt from] The Last Days of Louisiana Red," in Ramparts (January 1974), pp. 53-58, displayed with a typescript draft [n.d.], extensively corrected by Ishmael Reed, which presents a variant version of this section of the novel.
Flight to Canada. New York: Random House, [1976].
First edition.Early typescript draft, [n.d.], heavily corrected by the author.
Later carbon typescript draft, [ n.d.], heavily corrected by the author.
Page proofs labeled "Author's reading set," with occasional autograph corrections.
The Terrible Twos. New York: St. Martin's/Marek, [1982].
This copy of the first edition of The Terrible Twos is signed and inscribed by Ishmael Reed.The Terrible Twos. New York: St. Martin's/Marek, [1982].
Advance uncorrected proof.The Terrible Twos, typescript drafts, various versions of the opening section of the novel, [n.d.], with the author's extensive revisions and corrections.
Reckless Eyeballing. New York: St. Martin's, [1980].
First edition.Reckless Eyeballing. New York: St. Martin's, [1980].
Advance uncorrected proof.Early typescript draft pages, [n.d.], with corrections by the author.
Typescript draft on green lined paper, [n.d.], heavily corrected by the author.
Bound typescript, [n.d.], with autograph corrections and ten preliminary pages marked "Additional Corrections."
The Terrible Threes. New York: Atheneum, 1989.
First edition.The Terrible Threes. New York: Atheneum, 1989.
Uncorrected advance proof.The Terrible Threes, autograph and typescript drafts, [n.d.], with the author's extensive revisions and corrections.
The Terrible Threes. Spiral-bound typescript, n.d., 185 pp., heavily corrected by Ishmael Reed who has signed the manuscript on the title page.
Japanese by Spring. New York: Atheneum, 1993.
First edition.Japanese by Spring. New York: Atheneum, 1993.
Uncorrected advance proof.Typescript draft with the author's corrections, [n.d].
Cab Calloway Stands in for the Moon
The Last Days of Louisiana Red
Flight to Canada
The Terrible Twos
Reckless Eyeballing
The Terrible Threes
Japanese by Spring
Introduction | Early Work | Poetry | Essays and Non-fiction
Editor and Publisher | Ishmael Reed in Translation | Theatrical and Performance Writing