The Beat Generation

[Massive Attack]

Originally Posted by Wiki

The Beat Generation is a term used to describe a group of American writers who came to prominence in the 1950s, and also the cultural phenomena that they wrote about and inspired (later sometimes called "beatniks"). Central elements of "Beat" culture include a rejection of mainstream American values, experimentation with drugs and alternate forms of sexuality, and an interest in Eastern spirituality.

The major works of Beat writing are Allen Ginsberg's Howl (1956), William S. Burroughs's Naked Lunch (1959) and Jack Kerouac's On the Road (1957). Both Howl and Naked Lunch were the focus of obscenity trials that ultimately helped to liberalize what could be published in the United States. On the Road transformed Kerouac's friend Neal Cassady into a youth-culture hero. The members of the Beat Generation quickly developed a reputation as new bohemian hedonists, who celebrated non-conformity and spontaneous creativity.

The original "Beat Generation" writers met in Ohio, LA. Later, the central figures (with the exception of Burroughs) ended up together in San Francisco in the mid-1950s where they met and became friends with figures associated with the San Francisco Renaissance. During the 1960s, the rapidly expanding Beat culture underwent a transformation: the Beat Generation gave way to the Sixties Counterculture, which was accompanied by a shift in public terminology from "beatnik" to "hippie."

... though beatniks and hippies are very different.

So, anyway, I'm reading 'On The Road' by Jack Kerouac at the moment and I have a William S. Burroughs spoken word album, which is pretty cool. Anyone else into it?

[only_dancing]

Hippies are dumb beat wannabes. : |

I'm reading On The Road too! Whoot. Read Naked Lunch & Howl last year, def have to re-read those and read more beat lit in general.

[Massive Attack]

Originally Posted by only_dancing

Hippies are dumb beat wannabes. : |

I'm reading On The Road too! Whoot. Read Naked Lunch & Howl last year, def have to re-read those and read more beat lit in general.

fuckin hippies, i know right. bastardised counter culture. the velvets showed those bitches (kind of).

Chea, what chapter you up to? And I'm gonna read Naked Lunch after this.

[only_dancing]

Originally Posted by Massive Attack

fuckin hippies, i know right. bastardised counter culture. the velvets showed those bitches (kind of).

Chea, what chapter you up to? And I'm gonna read Naked Lunch after this.

Ugh hippies >: ( Lol Velvets are so hxc.

Idk, like half way throught. I got pretty busy with other stuff so I haven't read in a while. I think you're supposed to read Junkie and Queer first maybe? Then Naked Lunch. I forget the order... but I need to read them in order too.

[Massive Attack]

Originally Posted by only_dancing

Ugh hippies >: ( Lol Velvets are so hxc.

Idk, like half way throught. I got pretty busy with other stuff so I haven't read in a while. I think you're supposed to read Junkie and Queer first maybe? Then Naked Lunch. I forget the order... but I need to read them in order too.

hxc before hxc lost it's baby teeth.

I'm at the start lol. Just mentioned Dean for the first time. And I'll pick up some Burroughs at Waterstones tomorrow.

[only_dancing]

Originally Posted by Massive Attack

hxc before hxc lost it's baby teeth.

I'm at the start lol. Just mentioned Dean for the first time. And I'll pick up some Burroughs at Waterstones tomorrow.

Awesome. I wish I had money to buy them. :"( Library doesn't have 'em.

Dean is so lulz.

[Massive Attack]

Originally Posted by only_dancing

Awesome. I wish I had money to buy them. :"( Library doesn't have 'em.

Dean is so lulz.

what a shitty library. do they only sell dickens or something?

good to know.

[only_dancing]

Originally Posted by Massive Attack

what a shitty library. do they only sell dickens or something?

good to know.

They have Naked Lunch, all the Kerouac they had was stolen... and they have quite a bit of Ginsberg. Not that bad of a library.

[Massive Attack]

Originally Posted by only_dancing

all the Kerouac they had was stolen...

cool thief.

[Pelafina]

I'm into this whole period of literature right now.

Can you dredge up a comprehensive list by any chance, Galen?

[Massive Attack]

Originally Posted by Pelafina

I'm into this whole period of literature right now.

Can you dredge up a comprehensive list by any chance, Galen?

well the 'big' ones written by those in the inner circle would have to be:

On the Road by Jack Kerouac
The Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs
Howl by Allen Ginsberg (poetry)

also 'Go' by John Clellon Holmes, which is pretty much the first beat novel.

And I know it's sort of past the era, but you should check out William S. Burroughs' Dead City Radio spoken word album. His voice is awesome and it has contributions from Sonic Youth and John Cale (The Velvet Underground).

here's a video made from one of the tracks:

[Pelafina]

I know about the big ones, I was hoping you could have recommended a few I haven't heard of before. Regardless, I really do need to get around to reading those three.

Also, on a completely related note, Neal Cassady is awesome.

[Massive Attack]

Originally Posted by Pelafina

I know about the big ones, I was hoping you could have recommended a few I haven't heard of before. Regardless, I really do need to get around to reading those three.

Also, on a completely related note, Neal Cassady is awesome.

Give me time...

He seems to get around in the world of novels. Although I don't know why anyone would ever want to have sex with Allen Ginsberg...