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in blue pen originally titled de Galle and der Wormwood Reviewunderlined

California Librarian 31underlined (4): 230-235 (1970) Special Editor: Sanford Dorbin

                                             Charles de Gaulle
                                         and The Wormwood Reviewitalics

                                                             MARVIN MALONE
                                                              Stockton, California

For MOST OF ITS LIFE The Wormwood Reviewitalics has been a one-man magazine, and as such reflects the strengths and weaknesses of its editor as well as his cur- rent and past moods. This is a desirable state for a true "little mag." since an effective little magazine should have a recognizable character, a flavor or a tone. In this commentary, therefore, the words "editor" and "Wormwood" are nearly synonymous.

  Wormwood has just issued its 38th consecutive issue making it one of the

longest-lived magazines on the scene. Every three years an index has been pub- lished as part of an issue; and at this time, the editor takes stock of who has been published, the validity of what has been published, the indications as to whether or not the magazine is being read (as opposed to being merely col- lected), the current state of finances (the editor insists that Wormwood pay its own way so as to meet one of the American definitions of success), the current state of the editor's health, and the current degree of eagerness for new writers to appear in Wormwood. With the 36th issue, such stock-taking indicated that the editor would commit himself to continuing through the 48th issue --this is a sort of contract with both readers and contributors that will be honored. There is merit in this. It is nearly impossible for a mag that exists for one or two issues to make any sort of real editorial impression. Moreover, the unfulfilled subscription acts as a deterrent for the reader to experiment further and to sub- scribe to other little mags as their prospecti are mailed out. A consistent refund- ing of cash on unfulfilled subscriptions would probably to more to create an audience for experimental literature than any amount of subsidization of little presses by foundations or by the government. Even the most enthusiastic sup- porters of the little magazines rarely place subscription orders since they fear that the present in-hand issue may be the last one. Readers buy the little mags at bookstores or read them in university libraries.. Since it is a rare bookstore that will pay up for little mags, Wormwood has concentrated on individual and library subscribers and exposing non-payment bookstores. Still our print order is for only 700 copies and 100 of those go to contributors and another 100 are distributed as exchange copies to other little magazines. However, our influ- ence is all out of proportion considering the remaining 500 copies. This influ- ence can be gauged by letters to the editor, number and quality of submissions, the number of copyright releases for reappearance of work in hard-bound books, and the number of times you are investigated by the FBI and others.

   On July 17, 1967, Wormwood received one of the first grants awarded by the

Coordinating Council of Literary Magazines. The amount was $415.00 (to

230 / California Librarianin italics