The San Francisco Oracle: Vol. 1, No. 7 (February 1967)

Title: The San Francisco Oracle

Author: Cohen, Allen, ed.

Publication: San Francisco: The Oracle Co-operative Publishing Company, 1967.

Description: The "Houseboat Summit Meeting" issue of the San Francisco Oracle, an underground newspaper from the Haight-Ashbury district, containing the transcript of an extensive discussion among Allen Ginsberg, Alan Watts, Gary Snyder, and Timothy Leary that was held on Alan Watts' houseboat in Sausalito, California. Vol. 1, No. 7 (February 1967). One of at least two printings of this issue. Printed in color on newsprint, with numerous photos and illustrations, some full-page. 15.25 x 11.5 inches; 48, [4] pages. Moderate toning, chips at the spine, and a contemporary ink marking over the price. Very Good. A collectible copy of this important countercultural newspaper. In explaining why Ginsberg, Watts, Snyder, and Leary were the focus of the issue, editor Allen Cohen later wrote, "The four mentors, poets, and philosophers were the most respected voices in the Beat-Hippie-Psychedelic movement. We intended this issue to be the ultimate roundup of the hippie philosophy." In addition to the Houseboat Summit discussion, this issue also contains "Bom Born Mahadev--A Mantra for Marijuana," by Harry Monroe; "Prajna Paramita Sutra," a Buddhist prayer illustrated by Ami McGill; several poems; and "Lucifer Rising," a full-page collage by Rick Griffin using an old print by Gustave Doré. The front cover was illustrated by Mark DeVries with a photo by Paul Kagan of Ginsberg, Leary, Watts, and Snyder at the houseboat discussion. The back cover contains an illustration by Rick Griffin. Also includes a full-page advertisement for a Grateful Dead album. The San Francisco Oracle, a worker-owned cooperative newspaper, was published in 12 issues between September 1966 and February 1968, with circulation peaking at between 100,000 and 125,000. Starting with issue #6, the paper began experimenting with multicolor split-fountain printing processes that resulted in rainbow-like psychedelic illustrations.