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[THE BEATLES]. "Happiness is a Warm Gun" -- COMPLETE YEAR (12 ISSUES) OF THE 1968 "AMERICAN RIFLEMAN" MAGAZINE, including the infamous May issue which was the inspiration for John Lennon's song of the same name

[THE BEATLES]. "Happiness is a Warm Gun" -- COMPLETE YEAR (12 ISSUES) OF THE 1968 "AMERICAN RIFLEMAN" MAGAZINE, including the infamous May issue which was the inspiration for John Lennon's song of the same name

[THE BEATLES]. "Happiness is a Warm Gun" -- COMPLETE YEAR (12 ISSUES) OF THE 1968 "AMERICAN RIFLEMAN" MAGAZINE, including the infamous May issue which was the inspiration for John Lennon's song of the same name

by [The Beatles / John Lennon / National Rifle Association of America]

  • Used
  • very good
Condition
Very good
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About This Item

Washington DC: National Rifle Association of America, 1968. Very good. Complete run of 12 issues (binder size: 315 x 230 mm), each profusely illustrated with photographs and preserved in original color-printed wrappers, stapled as issued, housed in original NRA-issued binder with working metal catches (SEE IMAGES): maroon cloth, upper cover embossed with depictions of rifles, American eagles, and the NRA logo, spine embossed with depiction of an early rifleman (upper joint splitting, some unobjectionable wear to contents, the binder and magazines leaning on outer bottom corners). 1968 IS A PIVOTAL YEAR IN UNITED STATES HISTORY, AS WELL AS THE HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION; OFFERED HERE IS THE ENTIRE YEAR OF "AMERICAN RIFLEMAN." FURTHERMORE, THE MAY 1968 ISSUE FEATURES THE INFAMOUS "HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN" ARTICLE WHICH INSPIRED JOHN LENNON TO WRITE ONE OF THE TRULY GREAT BEATLES' SONGS.

For reasons that have never been fully explained, Beatles' producer George Martin brought a copy of THIS issue of the "American Rifleman" to the recording studio. Lennon recalled his reaction to the title of the article thusly: "I just thought it was a fantastic, insane thing to say. A warm gun means you just shot something." The one-page article, written by Warren W. Herlihy, relates the story of how a father introduces his teenage son to shooting, and how much the young man had come to enjoy the "sport." (For a detailed history of this song, see Turner, A Hard Day's Write: The Stories Behind Every Beatles Song, 2012, p. 178).

Details

Bookseller
Michael Laird Rare Books LLC US (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #
3978
Title
[THE BEATLES]. "Happiness is a Warm Gun" -- COMPLETE YEAR (12 ISSUES) OF THE 1968 "AMERICAN RIFLEMAN" MAGAZINE, including the infamous May issue which was the inspiration for John Lennon's song of the same name
Author
[The Beatles / John Lennon / National Rifle Association of America]
Book Condition
Used - Very good
Quantity Available
1
Publisher
National Rifle Association of America
Place of Publication
Washington DC
Date Published
1968
Weight
0.00 lbs

Terms of Sale

Michael Laird Rare Books LLC

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About the Seller

Michael Laird Rare Books LLC

Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Biblio member since 2007
Lockhart, Texas

About Michael Laird Rare Books LLC

Welcome to Michael Laird Rare Books, LLC. We specialize in fine and rare books, manuscripts, documents, ephemera, fine and historic bookbindings, and illustrated books of every description. Michael Laird is a member of the ABAA (Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America), ILAB (International League of Antiquarian Booksellers), and the Appraisers Association of America (USPAP compliant, and AAA certified in the appraisal of Rare and Antiquarian Printed Books). Michael Laird earned his masters degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Texas at Austin (1989) and has more thirty years experience in the antiquarian book trade. He is the principal Rare Book and Document appraiser at Winston Art Group (New York) and Gurr Johns (New York). From 2002 until 2013 he taught advanced graduate level courses in Rare Books and Special Collections (Palmer School of Library and Information Science at Long Island University, and the School of Information at The University of Texas at Austin School of Information).

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Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

Spine
The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
Wrappers
The paper covering on the outside of a paperback. Also see the entry for pictorial wraps, color illustrated coverings for...
Cloth
"Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...

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