Heyy everybody. Just a quick question. I'm doing a thesis paper for my Honors English class. It's about disenfranchised groups in America throughout history. I chose to do the Beat Generation, because it's something that I haven't researched on my own as much as I should. I have to read at least one fictional/semi-fictional piece outside of class, to use as a document in the thesis paper. The question is... Which books would you all recommend? So far, I'm in the process of reading On The Road. I've read Howl, and I'd like to read another Ginsberg work. What would you guys recommend in that department? Kaddish looked really good... Also, I'm stuck between reading Naked Lunch and Junkie. Which of those two did y'all prefer? Thanks so much, everyone. I really appreciate any advice that you can give me. P.S.: The "question" that I'm trying to answer in my paper is "What was the beatniks' American Dream, and how did they acheive it?"
I would read the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe. though it's somewhat (if we're working with a linear timeline here - something I don't like to do, but is important to the education system) post-beat, it gives a great view of beat figures like kesey and cassidy and the hell's angels and leary and whatnot. another excellent picture of beat/bohemian life is The Subterraneans by Kerouac. It's a pretty quick read so you can knock it out in a day or two but it is my favorite Kerouac book, and gives an excellent view of the life. READ FERLINGHETTI! I just finished Starting from San Francisco and the last poem in the book (I think it's called The State of the Western World Followed by a Holy Proposal) is a great view of the free-love movement that began with the beats. But seriously, Ferlinghetti is like the prophet of the beats. the wise old beat with a satirical view on events. doesn't get impassioned like Ginsburg and Kerouac, but is full of wisdom. he's also an amazing wordsmith. "Our father who's arts in heaven, hollow be thy name unless things change! thy wigdom come and gone, thy will will be undone on earth as it isn't heaven! give us this day our daily dread at least three times a day and forgive us our trespasses on love's territory for thine is the wigdom and the power and the glory forever oh man!"
Naked Lunch is a much better illustration of Burroughs' writing, Junkie is so much more balanced. I would say read some Bukowski, also "Lonesome Traveler" by Kerouac fairly captures the restless spirit of the generation. I agree on The Subterranians, defenatly a "beat" book in every sense.
What were the Beatnik's? They were a bunch of stupid kids that ruined the generation that Kerouac created. They were the downfall of the Generation that they aspired to become a part of. It was just another phase in time for most of them. Bleh!
That's a great book. I've had it in my bathroom for the last 2 months as bathroom literature. I've read it all, and man... there are some truly great works in there.
