1. There are a ton of new Beat-related books and other publications out there. I mean a TON. I always try to keep my “Beat News” entries short and sweet, but what am I to do? Here’s a few highlights:
- Women of the Beat Generation by Brenda Knight (Conari Press): an excellent, thorough anthology of stories, poems, autobiographical fragments and biographical pieces representing the
often-forgotten women who participated in the Beat movement. Included are Anne Waldman, Carolyn Cassady, Jan Kerouac, Joan Vollmer Adams, Diane DiPrima (I need a page on her!), Jay DiFeo and many lesser known but interesting writers, artists and creative people. - Mountains and Rivers Without End by Gary Snyder (Counterpoint): This work seems to have some kind of epic importance to Snyder, and he’s apparently been working on it for many years. I also heard from a few friends in California that he actually did a reading in public to celebrate the publication. Gary, will
you ever come to New York and read here? I know there are no redwood trees or berry bushes or waterfalls. But we have great falafel and good record stores. - Ballad of the Skeletons by Allen Ginsberg: Saw the video of this song on MTV last night. The music is pretty strong, not surprisingly as it features Paul McCartney, Philip Glass and the great Lenny Kaye on various guitars and keyboards. Lyrically I don’t think this is Ginsberg’s most sublime moment; it’s more like a rant than like a poem, and goes in for a lot of simple jokey rhymes. It’s okay, though. The video, directed by Gus Van Sant, is quite interesting. It features Ginsberg’s skull-like face reciting in close-up as black-and-white images reflect the meanings. Other new Ginsberg stuff out there: a book of unusual color illustrations accompanying selected poems, by artist Eric Drooker (“Illuminated Poems,” published by Four Walls Eight Windows) and a new entry in Allen’s journal series, “Indian Journals.”
- Beat Generation: Glory Days In Greenwich Village by Fred McDarrah and Gloria McDarrah (Schirmer Books): this is a fascinating book of photographs accompanied by text. Lots of shots I’d never seen before. Another photography book is Angels Anarchists and Gods by Christopher Felver (Louisiana State University) including portraits of almost all the surviving Beats, taken in the 80’s and 90’s, as well as many of their cultural allies in art, publishing and street politics.
2. Here’s Phil Chaput’s report on the Lowell Kerouac celebration a few weeks ago, originally posted to the BEAT-L mailing list (for info on joining this
list, which has been very active and enjoyable lately, see my Beat Generation page).
3. I was recently invited to a showcase reading at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe of a screenplay based on William S. Burroughs’ autobiographical novel “Queer.” The screenplay was written by David Ohle, and it skillfully showed a human side of the prickly William S. Burroughs that we don’t often get to see — Burroughs as a lonely, confused man, using his twisted sense of humor to attract people only, perhaps, because he had no better lure. I think this would make an excellent movie, probably a far more down-to-earth one than David Cronenberg’s expressionistic “Naked Lunch“, and if you’re a filmmaker who wants to make it, please write to the author.
4. New in Literary Kicks: a page on poet D.A. Levy,
contributed by W. Luther Jett.
5. I’ll be part of a web-fiction reading on Saturday, November 16th, 3:30-4:30 PM, at the Hudson Park Branch of the New York Public Library (in the West Village). This is being arranged by David Alexander, and among
the other readers will be my wife Meg, who is about to announce a great new webzine all her own — here’s a
sneak preview. And I hope some of you can make it to the reading!
