Beatdom: The Religion Issue by David S Wills

Beatdom #10

by David S. Wills

This issue of Beatdom takes a look at the tricky topic of Religion, examining the role belief played in the lives and literature of the Beat Generation. From Kerouac's back-and-forth between Catholicism and Buddhism, to William S. Burroughs obsession with Scientology, Beatdom brings you the very best of the Beats. We also have Kitty Bruce talking with Michael Hendrick about her father, Lenny Bruce, and his thoughts on religion, as well as stories by Zeena and Nikolas Schreck.

Paperback

First published December 15, 2011

About the author

David S. Wills is the editor of Beatdom literary journal and the author of books on William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Hunter S. Thompson, and Haruki Murakami. He lives in rural Cambodia and is currently working on a book about the 6 Gallery reading of 1955.

Reviews

[Matthew W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Literary lycanthrope and Left-Hand path scholar Nikolas Schreck's critical but fair and somewhat flattering letter to deceased alpha-beat W.S. Burroughs is easily the most entertaining, erudite, and Burroughs-literate writing in this somewhat interesting (albeit uneven) issue of Beatdom. I also enjoyed Mrs. Schreck's two writings.

I respect that Beatdom is not merely a masturbatory tribute to the Beats, but a fairly objective (as objective as fans can be)and obsessive look at these often misunderstood writers. Essentially, most of the contributing writers to Beatdom see the Beats as "spiritual materialists" and dilettantes of religion as opposed to all-knowing gurus with deeply embedded knowledge of secrets truths from Orient.

[Newt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Zeena's 2 short stories "Lost and Found - A Fairy Tale of Sethian Awakening" and "A Short History of Buddhism in Berlin"

[Ed Stimson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely the best issue thus far.