Steven Watson (1)

We begin by exploring the phrase "beat generation." Where it came from and what does it mean. What exactly is a Beat? Were these people a brand new class of genius? Or were they just plain crazy? Maybe it is a cultural thing, but I was alarmed at the behaviors of some members of the group. The violence, self-mutilation, sexual escapades. Whether it was the drugs or their need to be seen as over the top artistic, I don't know.
Birth of the Beat Generation does not only delve into the core show more members of the original group. Watson takes you behind the curtain to meet the mothers, girlfriends, wives, and muses of the Beats, the less often talked about women of the generation. They had their own addictions and mental failings, but they always played second fiddle to the boys. Everyone seemed to searching for sexual identity. Everyone seemed to be one card short of a full deck. Everyone slept with anyone, regardless of actual preference. Celebrity was a beast to be chased, but once caught, extremely hard to tame. To be a Beat you had to be a libertarian, write confessional poetry, be open to mind-bending drugs, sexual liberation, and embrace pacifism.
Birth of the Beat Generation is not your average book. It has unusual dimensions. The photography is sprinkled throughout like Easter eggs. Quotes, a slang dictionary, and fun facts are written in the margins. I appreciated the flow chart of players, when they met, their relationships to one another, and the seriousness of their connections. The best margin information was what was on everyone's book shelves. show less

Exhaustive, rollicking, and fascinating account of the poets, artists, patrons, and bohemians who brought, developed, and promoted modernism in/to America. Highly recommended.

This one might be up next for me. I started reading the introduction and I'm totally clicking with this author. Off and on for about 20 years I've been informally studying the Warhol era and personalities that are the subject of this book. Watson gets it. I love what he has to say in the intro about how the factory worked, what it was all about, what Warhol did that was so special just as sometimes it seemed like he wasn't doing much of anything.

I have high hopes for this one.

Narrative overview of the Harlem Renaissance: strong on literature and culture, but weaker on music and art. The book also contains good profiles of people and places, and an annotated map of Harlem.