SHEPARD, Sam. Motel Californie.

(Amsterdam): Bert Bakker, 1986.  First Dutch edition.  Softcover.  20cm by 12.6cm.  150 pages.  Dutch translation of Motel Chronicles, a raw impressionistic journey through Shepard’s inner and outer landscapes. Written in a sparse, evocative style, the book blends memories, dreams, observations, and fleeting encounters from highways, diners, truck stops, and motel rooms scattered across the American desert. It’s a literary road movie of sorts—one that never needs a map. Shepard’s sharp, minimalist language evokes both the beauty and bleakness of Americana.  Illustrated with photographic plates by Johnny Dark.  A very good copy in printed wrappers.