Puella
By James Dickey
Tempe, Arizona: 1985. Edition of 150.

7.25 x 13.5" quarter-bound in leather and natural cloth. Printed in two colors on Arches Text Laid paper. Three line illustrations and the "Puella" title drawn by Brenda Bodney. Designed, set, and printed by John Risseeuw.

Prospectus: "... James Dickey's collection of nineteen poems which form a record of a woman's coming of age journey, from childhood to adulthood. The book is based on the life of his wife, Deborah, and was written as a gift to his daughter, Browen. Before publication in book form, the works had already been awarded the prestigious Levinson Prize from Poetry magazine.

"In 1982, the world premiere of Puella was given at the Arizona State University Kerr Cultural Center. This production of literature translated into fine arts performance was directed and produced by Dr. Janet Larson McHughes of the ASU Department of Communication. Staged with original music, choreography and set design to complement the oral interpretation of the poems, the Puella production was a beautiful showcase of the best of the performing arts.

"To complete the fine art involvement with Puella, the book arts press of the ASU School of Art, the Pyracantha Press, was chosen to produce a limited edition of the text....The text was handset from Mr. Dickey's original manuscript ...."
$120