Collectible 1971 Book Kenneth Anger signed and gave to Zeena
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Kings Cross Sydney - a Personal Look at the Cross By Rennie Ellis and Wesley Stacey
Rare photo essay book depicting life in the swinging '60s and early '70s in Kings Cross.
Association Item: Autographed by Kenneth Anger for his goddaughter Zeena, who at the time was 11-12 years old and still living with her parents; given to her at the height of his popularity after returning to the U.S. from a book-signing tour in Australia, circa 1974-75.
Of note, this book contains an article about occultist artist Rosaleen Norton titled, 'At school I had a crush on Dracula'. Anger wanted to make a film about the "Witch of King's Cross" during that time. (*Described in the quote below.)
The book is in good condition, considering it's travelled around the world with the original owner since the mid '70s. The only damage is on the bottom-centre, front and back covers, shown in the photos.
Hardcover – released January 1, 1971
ISBN 10: 0170019640 / ISBN 13: 9780170019644
Publisher: Thomas Nelson, Sydney Melbourne and Brisbane, 1971
82 pages, illustrated in colour and B&W. Text in English
Size: 289 x 216 Mm. / 11-1/4” x 8-1/2
Includes dust jacket. The underlying cover is a glossy identical to the dust jacket.
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*From https://physicsroom.org.nz/archive/log/archive/10/anger/ :
”He did describe his new project, a film about the "Witch of King's Cross", New Zealand artist Rosaleen Norton. The film is to depict the life of the exiled Norton who had to leave Australia as New Zealand was too stifling for her and she too startling for it. Said to be a romance co-starring Barry Humphries (Anger hopes) the film will pit Norman's visionary, flamboyant lifestyle against crusty 'fifties mores. A naughty incident from Norton's life was presented. On arriving home from Africa, Sir Eugene Goosens, her socialite lover and an important conductor, was asked in customs about some African ritual masks he had with him (some bearing prominent phallic noses) - gifts for Rosaleen. Such things were unheard of in Australia, and when some pornographic pictures Goosens had secreted in the masks to amuse Rosaleen fell out, the masks and pictures were confiscated. Anger would seem to be suggesting parallels between his own life and Norton's with this project.”