"J. P. Donleavy Discusses Olympia Press"

By Stella Dong

"A scalp in my belt." is how writer J.P. Donleavy refers to his purchase of the Olympia Press, the famed Paris-based English-language publisher of erotic fiction and avant-garde classics by such authors as Vladimir Nabokov, Henry Miller, William Burroughs, Samuel Beckett, Lawrence Durrell - and Donleavy himself.

In a recent conversation with PW, Donleavy, who makes his home in Ireland, volunteered to discuss his purchase of Olympia Press "some time ago" on one of his rare visits to the United States. A two-year had occurred since Donleavy's last trip, forcing the Brooklyn-born writer to "reaccustom myself to the code of behavior one finds in New York City, which is totally unlike the behavior of people in London or anywhere else."

Donleavy and his staff are currently resurrecting the "archives" of the Olympia Press, which flourished from 1953 to the mid-'60s under the direction of founder Maurice Girodias. Donleavy calls the press "probably the most famous of its time." Its notoriety was due as much to censorship actions as to the line Escapade magazine once described as "an ample and all-inclusive collection of erotica," featuring "the rawest kind of English-language pornography destined for the tourist trade." Among the many titles the firm published in distinctive green soft covers were "The Ordeals of the Rod" by R. Bernhard Burns, "The Whipping Club" by Angela Pearson and "Book of Bawdy Ballads" by Count Palmiro Vicarion.

Noted the New York Times Book Review in 1958: "Three-quarters of the books coming from the Press are simple pornography, one-quarter are 'good' books or even 'great' books." The book Girodias set down as his "good" or "great" books at the time were "Lolita" by Nabokov, "The Ginger Man" by Donleavy, "Molloy" and "Watt" by Beckett and several books by Genêt. Due in part to the difficulties of operating under French censorship laws, Olympia Press went bankrupt several years ago and was offered for sale at a Paris auction.

Donleavy and his wife, Mary Wilson Price Donleavy - now technically owner of Olympia Press - submitted the winning bid of £5000 for the rights to Olympia's backlist, which includes approximately 285 titles. Donleavy said he bought the Press chiefly to protect himself from harassment by French authorities resulting from a decision against him in a breach of contract suit in 1956. Girodias published Donleavy's first novel "The Ginger Man" in its complete, "unexpurgated" edition in 1955.

Donleavy had been introduced to Girodias by their mutual friend, the late Brendan Behan, who had been the first to read the manuscript of "The Ginger Man." Hearing that Donleavy had been unable to find a publisher in America, Behan recommended Olympia Press, which he described as "run by a bunch of pleasant Americans." Donleavy send Girodias his manuscript and the exchange of letters that followed constituted the agreement to publish "The Ginger Man, " Donleavy said

"Though Girodias had warned me of the firm's reputation, I wasn't too worried about that because they had published some serious authors - in addition to commissioning pornographic works," Donleavy told PW.

However, when the Olympia Press published "The Ginger Man" as part of the Travelers Companion Series, Donleavy declared his part of the agreement null and void, maintaining that the book's inclusion in the series damages its reputation as a work of literary merit. Donleavy then contracted with English publisher Neville Spearman for further publication of "The Ginger Man." Girodias subsequently sued Donleavy for breach of contract in France, Britain and the United States, winning a favorable judgment only in France.

"On the basis of the French judgment, I can technically be harassed for another 20 years," said Donleavy. Consequently, when his Paris lawyers alerted him to the fact that Olympia Press was to be offered for sale by its liquidators, Donleavy's wife and secretary made the trip to Paris, and in Donleavy's words, "both being extremely attractive-looking women, managed to connive their way through the complicated process involving purchase of the press."

Now at work on a history of "The Ginger Man," ("That period was bizarre and full of great stories"), Donleavy said he has no immediate plans for the press. When asked whether he might publish his own works under the Olympia imprint, he replied, "The thought has crossed my mind," though he reports himself "very satisfied" with his present publisher, Delacorte/Seymour Lawrence. Seymour Lawrence has published in hardcover all of Donleavy's books and will publish his latest novel, "Schultz," this fall. Dell is his softcover publisher.

To purchase books by J.P. Donleavy, go to the Buyers' Guide.