In the years 1916-17, a flurry of "small magazines" appeared. Among these was "The Soil," which had a wide-ranging influence upon art in America. The co-publishers of the Magazine, Robert J. Coady (editor) and Michael Brenner (sculptor and source of artwork and writing from his Paris associates: Gertrude stein, Picassso, Rousseau, Juan Gris, and others, exerted a long-lasting influence on the direction taken by American art.
The magazine lasted only five editions. After its demise, it was hoped that a complete set of the editions would be made available. That did not happen until now: all five editions of this important magazine are combined in this single volume. The introduction is written by the author of this book.