Harrison Bibliography

Some days feel like Christmas. Such is the case when I get a call from the News Review telling me there are books waiting. Last week one of the titles waiting, and which I was most anticipating was Jim Harrison: A Comprehensive Bibliography. Newly published by the University of Nebraska Press, the heavy volume contains notes on more than 1600 Harrison publications, ranging from his major novels and novella collections, to single poems published in now defunt magazines. In between, are all the works that Harrison fans have come to appreciate. There are the food columns, the book reviews, the politically slanted essays, even lecture notes.
Edited by Gregg Orr and Beef Torrey, the collection, spanning 1964-2008, takes readers through The English Major, Harrison's most recent novel. His newest collection of poetry, In Search of Small Gods, is in here in fragments, but not as an entire work. Included as well are rare book jacket art, hand signed copies of texts, and most importantly explanations of the arc and history of each published piece. Harrison's and DeMott's introduction and preface are nearly worth the effort alone.
This is not going to be a book of interest to the casual Harrison reader. Most folks indeed will struggle to find a use for the collection. But with an introduction by Harrison and a preface from scholar Robert Demott, a long time Harrison friend, those who read all things Harrison will find insight and entertainment here. Oh, and the cover illustration is from Russell Chatham.