In many other ways, though, it’s only fitting that this feature should end with Ferlinghetti. A self-labeled anti-establishment bohemian from a previous generation, his relatively quiet life has been void of the vices – adventures on the open road, drug abuse and madness – that typically characterize the Beat lifestyle. Ferlinghetti, after all, may have published some of the collective’s most infamous works, but in terms of content and style, he’s often been a far cry from the likes of Ginsberg et al. Some Beat enthusiasts may find Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s 30-poem cycle A Coney Island of the Mind a peculiar choice for the last entry in this feature. This final installment takes a closer look at perhaps the most unheralded yet essential Beat figure: the brilliant poet, painter, activist and enabler, Lawrence Ferlinghetti. These are the records that most poignantly mesh literature and music, shining new light and offering fresh perspectives on timeless material while also bridging the gap between the written word and recorded sound.
In this recurring series, we take a second look at the best spoken word albums to emerge from this collection of supremely gifted writers, poets, icons and madmen. Like baseball, bebop and blue jeans, the Beat Generation is entwined in the consciousness and identity of America, its influence transcending its relatively brief heyday and continuing to impact American culture.
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