ELEGY: An Intuitive Chronicle of War.

[Atlanta, Georgia]: Ice House Press, (1992)., (1992).. Very good. - 12mo, 4-1/2 inches high by 5-3/4 inches wide. A fine press artist's book, consisting of 8 letters from the front written by a young Vietnam veteran dating from October 1968 to June 1969. Each letter is printed on 16 inch high by 5-1//2 inch wide fine buff paper between illustrations of a medal at the top and bottom. Each broadsheet letter is further illustrated with several monochrome photographs of war scenes printed in offset on the verso. Titled "Sweep", "Spy", "Cache", "Hope", "Surprise", "Wrong", "Purge", and "Return", each of these broadsheet letters is folded and housed in a 4-1/2 inch high by 5-3/4 inch wide buff envelope titled above a monochrome illustration of medals on the front. The eight envelopes are, in turn, housed within a stiff fine paper band titled and illustrated in indigo and green. Near fine.

First edition. According to the publisher, this work was limited to 625 copies.

"A series of letters written by a young man serving in the Vietnam War dated from October 1968 to June 1969 reveal the harsh realities of this tragic conflict. In his first letters home, 'Karl' writes with enthusiasm and almost palpable relief about his first encounter with the Viet Cong. His mood is upbeat, though an undercurrent of fear is below the surface. By the 6th letter he hints at atrocities that he has been commanded to inflict and guilt and mental anguish betray his earlier bravado. By the last and 8th letter he is hanging by a thread, exhausted and counting the days till his scheduled R & R. His mood is tense and he speaks of needing help in maintaining his sanity. His political views about the war have decidedly changed as he acidly comments on those in power who make decisions without having to soil their hands. Hastings has printed each letter offset in dusky colors and embellished them with images of war medals and photos from earlier wars. Letters are enclosed in numbered envelopes with single word headings: 'Sweep', 'Spy', 'Cache', 'Hope', 'Surprise', 'Wrong', 'Purge', and 'Return'. The reader experiences these letters as if they have been discovered in an attic, intentionally saved, but put out of sight in order to try to forget." -- [Rhode Island School of Design 2010 Exhibition Catalog: "Artists' Books Content Design Voice Form"].

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