The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and Back Again)
by Andy Warhol

Medium: Hardback book
Origin / Date: U.K., 1975
Condition: Fine
Price: Contact Gallery for Price

Description: (London): Cassell, 1975. First UK edition. pp. xiv, 241. The book is an assemblage of self-consciously ironic 'quotable quotes' about love, beauty, fame, work, sex, time, death, economics, success, and art, amongst other topics, by Andy Warhol. The Philosophy was ghostwritten by Warhol's frequent collaborator, Pat Hackett, and Interview magazine editor Bob Colacello. Much of the material is drawn from taped interviews Hackett did with Warhol specifically for the book, and also from conversations Warhol had taped between himself and Colacello and Brigid Berlin. The book was actually the idea of Warhol’s literary agent Roz Cole. As Bob Colacello remembers in his memoir Holy Terror: Andy Warhol Close Up (1990), Roz told Andy that he should write his autobiography. He told her that [Bob Colacello] was writing his biography, referring to [his] Warhol films book…Roz was very quick on her feet: 'Well, why don't you write your philosophy. I mean, if anyone has a philosophy, it's got to be you." Andy loved the idea…of course his idea of philosophy was going shopping for underwear, and musing on love and sex along the way- and why not? 'Philosophy is anything, Bob. Just make it up." This is the ultimate copy of the Philosophy inscribed to Roz Cole “without who the book wouldn’t of happened”. This copy is elaborately decorated with more than 20 soup cans (each signed or initialled) beginning with a ‘souper douper’ soup can and ending with a ‘London Soup’ with a couple of ‘love soups’ thrown in for good measure. In a career spanning six five decades, Roz Cole represented many well-known authors, actors, artists and celebrities, including Andy Warhol (The Philosophy of Andy Warhol), Errol Flynn (My Wicked, Wicked Ways), Olivia de Havilland, Brendan Behan (Confessions of an Irish Rebel), Jolie Gabor, Doris Lily, George Rodrigue (Blue Dog), Charlie Chaplin, Jr., George Sanders and Sybil Leek. She was the author of many books, including The Waldorf Astoria Cookbook, The Dog That Lived at the Waldorf, Of Soda Bread and Guinness, Europe the Second Time Around and All Around the Town. She also founded and produced the magazine Cookbook Digest, was an artist who had seven one-woman exhibitions and was a horse breeder and owner. At 22, she signed with MGM Records, which billed her as "Singing Star Rosalind Paige." She toured the country performing in nightclubs, appeared on television and made records. She married her manager, Carlton Cole, who was 25 years her senior and died in 1959. Cole lived for many years with her mother, literary agent Ethel Paige, in the Algonquin Hotel, before moving into the Waldorf-Astoria in 1961. There she became the longest residing guest at 53 years. The most desirable copy of Andy Warhol’s Philosophy in immaculate condition.

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