San Francisco: Tiki Bob Publishing, (1991.). SIGNED first edition - Bilingual (English/Spanish) edition. Translated by Margot Pepper. Introduction by Francisco Alarcon who says 'Salvadorean poet Jorge Argueta, like a modern Saint George, is implacable in confronting, taunting, wrestling, slashing open teh make-believe dragon of "El Norte, " that mirage stamped like a star of promise between the eyes of millions of men, women and children-who like Argueta-have come to the United States during the past decade [1980s] escaping death squads, political persecution, institutionalized terror, plain old misery, and solitude.' Although Argueta, who came to San Francisco in 1980, is now best known for his children's books, which are rooted in the folklore of his native El Salvador, and explore the sense of belonging to two countries that many immigrants feel, this early collection is much grittier, with many of the poems set in the Tenderloin district, focused on the underside of modern American life: the hardships of undocumented immigrants, drug users, homeless and more. 53 pp

London: Andre Deutsch, 1989. dj. SIGNED hardcover first edition - Although these stories are based in San Francisco, this UK edition is the true first of Vollman's second book - a massive book at 541 pgs - and one with a small 1st printing of reportedly only 1250 copies. Vollman is a fantastic writer, in many senses of the word - perhaps the beginning of his preface will best give a hintof this book: "These stories are about skinheads, x-ray patients, whores, lovers, fetishists and other lost souls. Some of you will not like them, but I ask you to consider the wise words of that forceps philosopher, Robert Gilmore McKinnell: 'While it would be inappropriate to dedicate a vade mecum to a group of cold-blooded vertebraes, perhaps a kind word would not be out of order.' " SIGNED on the title page by the author. While Vollmann, one of the most fascinating and interesting of modern writers, had long been a cult favorite, in 2005 he received the prestigious National Book Award for fiction. ISBN: 0-233-983511.

New York: Atheneum, 1989. dj. Hardcover first edition - His second book. Vollman is a fantastic writer, in many senses of the word - perhaps the beginning of his preface will best give a hint of this book: "These stories are about skinheads, x-ray patients, whores, lovers, fetishists and other lost souls. Some of you will not like them, but I ask you to consider the wise words of that forceps philosopher, Robert Gilmore McKinnell: 'While it would be inappropriate to dedicate a vade mecum to a group of cold-blooded vertebraes, perhaps a kind word would not be out of order.' " While Vollmann, one of the most fascinating and interesting of modern writers, had long been a cult favorite, in 2005 he received the prestigious National Book Award for fiction. 541 pp. ISBN: 0-233-983511.