Synopsis
Since the 1950s, the experimental style, bohemian life and rebellious attitudes of the Beats have influenced literature and culture. The deaths at the end of the 20th century of such Beat figures as Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs renewed interest in the lives and work of writers who have held underground appeal for generations of young adults. Some Beat writers and their associates, such as Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka), and Denise Levertov, are now included in classroom anthologies; others have popular appeal for their unorthodox writing style and anti-authoritarian point of view. In an A-to-Z format, this work covers the literary origins and key figures of the Beat movement. More than 500 entries cover: synopses of fiction, poetry and essays by Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs and other major Beat writers, with notes on background and critical reception.Editorials
Library Journal
The latest book in the "Literary Movements" series enters an already crowded field, overlapping with such competing works as The Beats: A Literary Reference(Carroll & Graf, 2003), The Beat Generation: A Gale Critical Companion(2003), and Beat Culture: Lifestyles, Icons, and Impact(ABC-CLIO, 2005). Hemmer (English, Harper Coll.) provides hundreds of signed, A-to-Z entries on Beat writers and their works, written by knowledgeable scholars and poets. In terms of scope, he casts a wide net, including several younger figures, e.g., Bob Dylan and Jim Morrison, influenced by the Beats. No criteria, however, are given for inclusion. Why Andy Clausen but not Antler? Why Kathy Acker but not Jan Kerouac? Why John Lennon but not Eric Andersen? Most conspicuously absent is Peter Orlovsky, Allen Ginsberg's longtime companion. Indeed, of the major Beat authors, Ginsberg seems to get short shrift. Important collections, e.g., Empty Mirror, Reality Sandwiches, and Planet News, are not represented; nor are major poems like "Wales Visitation," "Plutonian Ode," and "White Shroud." The entries are supplemented by a nice selection of photographs by Beat photographer Larry Keenan, a "Beat Generation Movement Chronology," and primary and secondary bibliographies.
—William Gargan
School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up
This source emphasizes the best works of Beat literature. The introduction poses questions and provides analyses as to what works constitute the genre. Various scholarly contributors, including teachers, authors, poets, and English professors, sign off on numerous entries written in a succinct, informative, and user-friendly manner. Readers can access entries alphabetically, either by writer or literary work. Coverage ranges from the more popularly known writers, such as Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, to people such as Kathy Acker, Carolyn Cassady, Bob Dylan, Charles Bukowski, and John Lennon, who are associated with the movement in differing ways. Enhancements include occasional black-and-white photographs taken by renowned Beat photographer Larry Keenan, selected primary and secondary bibliographies, and a chronology. Though this is an excellent resource, William T. Lawlor's Beat Culture: Lifestyles, Icons, and Impact (ABC-CLIO, 2005) provides a broader overview of Beat culture and would more easily support a teaching-across-the-curriculum focus, with its assortment of entries on multiple subjects, such as literature, history, and people.
—Cara WebsterCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.