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(Ziggurat Press) The Alphabet Book … WWII. A short History of the Second World War in Two Volumes. By Walter Feldman. Providence, Rhode Island. 1996. Ring binding. Vol I – 31 leaves with color. Vol. II – 27 leaves, including seven black and white relief images by Feldman printed directly from the original blocks. 11.5″ x 14.125″. The collage pages in Volume I were printed by silkscreen and letterpress. The first volume consists of the alphabet, and the second volume contains short essays dealing with each reference. Each engraving is titled in pencil. Printed on medium heavy mouldmade Somerset. Bound in brown bookcloth with typographical design in black and purple on front cover in a ring binder. Matching brown bookcloth slipcase with alphabet in black and brown on both sides. No. 11 in an edition of 35 copies, signed by Feldman in the Introduction in Volume 1. Fine.

In the Introduction, Professor Feldman, Professor of Art at Brown University, states that it was during the summer of 1995 that this book began to take form, when he “began a series of collages that consisted of letters in a variety of fonts for the 26 letters of the alphabet. These designs are concerned not only with letter identity but also with the formal relationships of their distinctive shapes within the geometry of the circle.

“[He] worked on a list of names, places and events that would outline a kind of short history of the 2nd World War. … assisted in this search by a group of knowledgeable friends amongst whom was Professor Volker Berghahn, the noted Brown University historian.

“The point size of these words, their positions and their typefaces have no particular significance other than aesthetic and typographical. Some names are listed with military rank or other designations; others simply the name. … The dingbat arrows, circles and other shapes make reference to war maps and troop movements. The ring binding was selected in order to ensure that each page published lie absolutely flat.”

Feldman also commented that he cut “’special furniture’ in order to hold the exploding places, events, and proper names that constitute the grim history of the Second World War.”

Walter Feldman wrote of the events of the Second World War from personal experience. He served in the European Theatre of Operations in the 82nd and 83rd Infantry Divisions, as well as the Battle of the Bulge where he was seriously wounded. He was awarded 4 major battle stars, the Combat Infantry Badge, and the Purple Heart.`

Related items: Catalogue 37 - Summer 2009, Ziggurat Press