What do you think?
Rate this book
The Essential Ginsberg
Featuring the legendary and groundbreaking poem “Howl,” this remarkable volume showcases a selection of Allen Ginsberg’s poems, songs, essays, letters, journals, and interviews and contains sixteen pages of his personal photographs.
One of the Beat Generation’s most renowned poets and writers, Allen Ginsberg became internationally famous not only for his published works but for his actions as a human rights activist who championed the sexual revolution, human rights, gay liberation, Buddhism and eastern religion, and the confrontation of societal norms—all before it became fashionable to do so. He was also the dynamic leader of war protesters, artists, Flower Power hippies, musicians, punks, and political radicals.
The Essential Ginsberg collects a mosaic of materials that displays the full range of Ginsberg’s mental landscape. His most important poems, songs, essays, letters, journals, and interviews are displayed in chronological order. His poetic masterpieces, “Howl” and “Kaddish,” are presented here along with lesser-known and difficult to find songs and prose. Personal correspondence with William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac is included as well as photographs—shot and captioned by Ginsberg himself—of his friends and fellow rogues William Burroughs, Neal Cassady, and more.
Through his essays, journals, interviews, and letters, this definitive volume will inspire readers to delve deeper into a body of work that remains one of the most impressive literary canons in American history.
One of the Beat Generation’s most renowned poets and writers, Allen Ginsberg became internationally famous not only for his published works but for his actions as a human rights activist who championed the sexual revolution, human rights, gay liberation, Buddhism and eastern religion, and the confrontation of societal norms—all before it became fashionable to do so. He was also the dynamic leader of war protesters, artists, Flower Power hippies, musicians, punks, and political radicals.
The Essential Ginsberg collects a mosaic of materials that displays the full range of Ginsberg’s mental landscape. His most important poems, songs, essays, letters, journals, and interviews are displayed in chronological order. His poetic masterpieces, “Howl” and “Kaddish,” are presented here along with lesser-known and difficult to find songs and prose. Personal correspondence with William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac is included as well as photographs—shot and captioned by Ginsberg himself—of his friends and fellow rogues William Burroughs, Neal Cassady, and more.
Through his essays, journals, interviews, and letters, this definitive volume will inspire readers to delve deeper into a body of work that remains one of the most impressive literary canons in American history.
418 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
277 people are currently reading
1867 people want to read
About the author
Allen Ginsberg
490 books4,091 followersAllen Ginsberg was a groundbreaking American poet and activist best known for his central role in the Beat Generation and for writing the landmark poem Howl. Born in 1926 in Newark, New Jersey, to Jewish parents, Ginsberg grew up in a household shaped by both intellectualism and psychological struggle. His father, Louis Ginsberg, was a published poet and a schoolteacher, while his mother, Naomi, suffered from severe mental illness, which deeply affected Ginsberg and later influenced his writing—most notably in his poem Kaddish.
As a young man, Ginsberg attended Columbia University, where he befriended other future Beat luminaries such as Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, and Neal Cassady. These relationships formed the core of what became known as the Beat Generation—a loose-knit group of writers and artists who rejected mainstream American values in favor of personal liberation, spontaneity, spiritual exploration, and radical politics.
Ginsberg rose to national prominence in 1956 with the publication of Howl and Other Poems, released by City Lights Books in San Francisco. Howl, an emotionally charged and stylistically experimental poem, offered an unfiltered vision of America’s underbelly. It included candid references to homosexuality, drug use, and mental illness—subjects considered taboo at the time. The poem led to an obscenity trial, which ultimately concluded in Ginsberg’s favor, setting a precedent for freedom of speech in literature.
His work consistently challenged social norms and addressed themes of personal freedom, sexual identity, spirituality, and political dissent. Ginsberg was openly gay at a time when homosexuality was still criminalized in much of the United States, and he became a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights throughout his life. His poetry often intertwined the personal with the political, blending confessional intimacy with a broader critique of American society.
Beyond his literary achievements, Ginsberg was also a dedicated activist. He protested against the Vietnam War, nuclear proliferation, and later, U.S. foreign policy in Latin America. He was present at many pivotal cultural and political moments of the 1960s and 1970s, including the 1968 Democratic National Convention and various countercultural gatherings. His spiritual journey led him to Buddhism, which deeply influenced his writing and worldview. He studied under Tibetan teacher Chögyam Trungpa and helped establish the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado.
Ginsberg’s later years were marked by continued literary output and collaborations with musicians such as Bob Dylan and The Clash. His poetry collections, including Reality Sandwiches, Planet News, and The Fall of America, were widely read and respected. He received numerous honors for his work, including the National Book Award for Poetry in 1974.
He died of liver cancer in 1997 at the age of 70. Today, Allen Ginsberg is remembered not only as a pioneering poet, but also as a courageous voice for free expression, social justice, and spiritual inquiry. His influence on American literature and culture remains profound and enduring.
As a young man, Ginsberg attended Columbia University, where he befriended other future Beat luminaries such as Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, and Neal Cassady. These relationships formed the core of what became known as the Beat Generation—a loose-knit group of writers and artists who rejected mainstream American values in favor of personal liberation, spontaneity, spiritual exploration, and radical politics.
Ginsberg rose to national prominence in 1956 with the publication of Howl and Other Poems, released by City Lights Books in San Francisco. Howl, an emotionally charged and stylistically experimental poem, offered an unfiltered vision of America’s underbelly. It included candid references to homosexuality, drug use, and mental illness—subjects considered taboo at the time. The poem led to an obscenity trial, which ultimately concluded in Ginsberg’s favor, setting a precedent for freedom of speech in literature.
His work consistently challenged social norms and addressed themes of personal freedom, sexual identity, spirituality, and political dissent. Ginsberg was openly gay at a time when homosexuality was still criminalized in much of the United States, and he became a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights throughout his life. His poetry often intertwined the personal with the political, blending confessional intimacy with a broader critique of American society.
Beyond his literary achievements, Ginsberg was also a dedicated activist. He protested against the Vietnam War, nuclear proliferation, and later, U.S. foreign policy in Latin America. He was present at many pivotal cultural and political moments of the 1960s and 1970s, including the 1968 Democratic National Convention and various countercultural gatherings. His spiritual journey led him to Buddhism, which deeply influenced his writing and worldview. He studied under Tibetan teacher Chögyam Trungpa and helped establish the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado.
Ginsberg’s later years were marked by continued literary output and collaborations with musicians such as Bob Dylan and The Clash. His poetry collections, including Reality Sandwiches, Planet News, and The Fall of America, were widely read and respected. He received numerous honors for his work, including the National Book Award for Poetry in 1974.
He died of liver cancer in 1997 at the age of 70. Today, Allen Ginsberg is remembered not only as a pioneering poet, but also as a courageous voice for free expression, social justice, and spiritual inquiry. His influence on American literature and culture remains profound and enduring.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
September 10, 2016
I dare your reality, I challenge your very being!
My hate-love with Ginsberg continues. This is a pretty epic collection of poems, essays, interviews, music, and photos(!), and I feel like it's a must read if you have any interest in Ginsberg or the Beat movement in general. There are so many gems in this book that I found myself wishing I owned the copy I was holding so I could bust out my highlighter, and at the same time there were numerous moments where I had to put the borrowed copy down before I threw it out the window. I simultaneously feel like I "get" Ginsberg, while also feeling like I don't understand him at all, and it's infuriating. Maybe that's exactly what he wants.
I can't really pick a favorite section of the book, though I did find the interviews particularly fascinating. I especially loved this line in regards to Neal Cassady ending their relationship;And I figured I'd never find any sort of psychospiritual sexo-cock jewel fulfillment in my existence! We've all been there. I get it completely.
As torn as I am in my feelings for Ginsberg, I still overall think he's a genius. An infuriating, often times pretentious, completely self-indulgent, brilliant, muddled, sad, lonely genius.
If we don't show anyone, we're free to write anything. Damn Ginsberg. My hate-love for you is real.
My hate-love with Ginsberg continues. This is a pretty epic collection of poems, essays, interviews, music, and photos(!), and I feel like it's a must read if you have any interest in Ginsberg or the Beat movement in general. There are so many gems in this book that I found myself wishing I owned the copy I was holding so I could bust out my highlighter, and at the same time there were numerous moments where I had to put the borrowed copy down before I threw it out the window. I simultaneously feel like I "get" Ginsberg, while also feeling like I don't understand him at all, and it's infuriating. Maybe that's exactly what he wants.
I can't really pick a favorite section of the book, though I did find the interviews particularly fascinating. I especially loved this line in regards to Neal Cassady ending their relationship;And I figured I'd never find any sort of psychospiritual sexo-cock jewel fulfillment in my existence! We've all been there. I get it completely.
As torn as I am in my feelings for Ginsberg, I still overall think he's a genius. An infuriating, often times pretentious, completely self-indulgent, brilliant, muddled, sad, lonely genius.
If we don't show anyone, we're free to write anything. Damn Ginsberg. My hate-love for you is real.
March 25, 2015
I received a review copy of this book from Harper Perennial (Harper Collins Publishers) in exchange for an honest review. As said by Ginsberg, in this wonderful collection, banned books will live forever, and he wasn't wrong. Through his essays, journals, interviews and letters, this definitive volume inspires the reader to delve deeper into the body of work of Ginsberg's, which still remains one of the most impressive literary canons in American history.
It had been a couple of years since I have read Ginsberg. I first read and studied "Howl" at university, which got me really fascinated and interested in the Beats movement in America. It's such an interesting period of time in America and Ginsberg captures it perfectly within his poems, letters and speeches, all full of meaning. I really wish I'd had this book at university as it would have really helped with studying Ginsberg, the history of the time and answering the question of why he joined the Beats movement.
There was so much to this volume. I particularly liked the songs that were included, with the handwritten sheet music to go with it. And the photos at the end of the book really bring the entire collection to life, drawing the reader into the American past and straight into Ginsberg's life. His speeches, journal entries and essays told me so much more about Ginsberg than I ever knew. They also place him within his period of writing - drenched in American history - with his views on censorship, wars, LSD, the Beats movement (and its definition), the influence of other authors (e.g. Whitman and Burrough), and his views on poetry and Buddhism. I particularly enjoyed his essays and speeches, especially those on censorship of writing and what makes poetry.
My favourite poems of the collected were definitely "Howl" and "On Burrough's Work". Having read some of Burrough's novels I instantly saw the connection between the two writers that I hadn't realised was there. Michael Schumacher's introduction gives even more fascinating insight into Ginsberg and his life works. Schumacher compiled a wonderful collection of Ginsberg's work which would be extremely useful to any person studying Ginsberg. I would also highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Ginsberg, who wants to give his poetry a try or, those who are interested in the period which Ginsberg wrote in.
It had been a couple of years since I have read Ginsberg. I first read and studied "Howl" at university, which got me really fascinated and interested in the Beats movement in America. It's such an interesting period of time in America and Ginsberg captures it perfectly within his poems, letters and speeches, all full of meaning. I really wish I'd had this book at university as it would have really helped with studying Ginsberg, the history of the time and answering the question of why he joined the Beats movement.
There was so much to this volume. I particularly liked the songs that were included, with the handwritten sheet music to go with it. And the photos at the end of the book really bring the entire collection to life, drawing the reader into the American past and straight into Ginsberg's life. His speeches, journal entries and essays told me so much more about Ginsberg than I ever knew. They also place him within his period of writing - drenched in American history - with his views on censorship, wars, LSD, the Beats movement (and its definition), the influence of other authors (e.g. Whitman and Burrough), and his views on poetry and Buddhism. I particularly enjoyed his essays and speeches, especially those on censorship of writing and what makes poetry.
My favourite poems of the collected were definitely "Howl" and "On Burrough's Work". Having read some of Burrough's novels I instantly saw the connection between the two writers that I hadn't realised was there. Michael Schumacher's introduction gives even more fascinating insight into Ginsberg and his life works. Schumacher compiled a wonderful collection of Ginsberg's work which would be extremely useful to any person studying Ginsberg. I would also highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Ginsberg, who wants to give his poetry a try or, those who are interested in the period which Ginsberg wrote in.
June 29, 2018
No hay una palabra mejor para definir este libro: esencial. Esta antología resulta imprescindible tanto para los neófitos como para los que (como yo) deseen acercarse un poco más a la obra de Allen Ginsberg y conocer con mayor profundidad su estilo, sus sentimientos y su vida.
Y es que esto no es una autobiografía, pero la sensación que tiene uno al terminar de leer es la de tener entre las manos una obra biográfica. Los momentos clave de la vida de Ginsberg se entrelazan una y otra vez a través de sus poemas, ensayos, diarios, entrevistas y cartas; la lectura de episodios que se repiten desde distintas perspectivas aportan una visión global de uno de los poetas más importantes de la literatura contemporánea norteamericana, alguien que cambió la forma de entender la poesía a mediados del siglo XX, que influyó no solo a otros escritores, sino a toda una generación de jóvenes, sin olvidar a personalidades como Bob Dylan y a los Beatles.
La selección de poemas es muy completa: además de sus grandes obras como «Aullido» o «Kaddish», se recoge la poesía más destacada de la vida del autor. Pero quizá la parte más interesante del libro está en las entrevistas y los ensayos, donde Ginsberg reflexiona sobre la literatura, su propia obra y la construcción de sus poemas (tanto a nivel temático como estructural) y relata desde distintos puntos de vista sus famosas «visiones Blake», experiencias que marcaron su vida y su destino literario.
Para terminar, la colección de fotografías personales nos ayuda a poner rostro a algunos de los «personajes secundarios» que recorren las páginas del libro, algunos más conocidos para los asiduos de la Generación Beat (Kerouac, Burroughs) y otros menos, como el vagabundo Herbert Huncke.
Compré este libro sin intención de leerlo del tirón, para acudir a él poco a poco. Sin embargo, cuando empecé no pude parar de leer. La personalidad de Allen Ginsberg resulta arrolladora y es difícil bajar de su tren en marcha una vez que arranca. A menudo parece un iluminado que viene como un profeta a ilustrarnos, pero siempre permanece suficientemente cerca del lector. Me he referido a él como profeta y no lo digo a la ligera. Él mismo define así a autores como Whitman o Blake y ahonda en dicha palabra: no son profetas capaces de ver el futuro, pero sí pueden alcanzar una expresión que viaja a través del tiempo hasta el lector contemporáneo para enseñarle algo que no sabe sobre el mundo, sobre la poesía o, lo que es más importante, sobre sí mismo. Ginsberg fue un profeta y a través de él he aprendido a unir las piezas de lo que me rodea para alcanzar mi propia experiencia superior, para llegar a entenderme a mí mismo sabiendo mirar en mi interior.
Y es que esto no es una autobiografía, pero la sensación que tiene uno al terminar de leer es la de tener entre las manos una obra biográfica. Los momentos clave de la vida de Ginsberg se entrelazan una y otra vez a través de sus poemas, ensayos, diarios, entrevistas y cartas; la lectura de episodios que se repiten desde distintas perspectivas aportan una visión global de uno de los poetas más importantes de la literatura contemporánea norteamericana, alguien que cambió la forma de entender la poesía a mediados del siglo XX, que influyó no solo a otros escritores, sino a toda una generación de jóvenes, sin olvidar a personalidades como Bob Dylan y a los Beatles.
La selección de poemas es muy completa: además de sus grandes obras como «Aullido» o «Kaddish», se recoge la poesía más destacada de la vida del autor. Pero quizá la parte más interesante del libro está en las entrevistas y los ensayos, donde Ginsberg reflexiona sobre la literatura, su propia obra y la construcción de sus poemas (tanto a nivel temático como estructural) y relata desde distintos puntos de vista sus famosas «visiones Blake», experiencias que marcaron su vida y su destino literario.
Para terminar, la colección de fotografías personales nos ayuda a poner rostro a algunos de los «personajes secundarios» que recorren las páginas del libro, algunos más conocidos para los asiduos de la Generación Beat (Kerouac, Burroughs) y otros menos, como el vagabundo Herbert Huncke.
Compré este libro sin intención de leerlo del tirón, para acudir a él poco a poco. Sin embargo, cuando empecé no pude parar de leer. La personalidad de Allen Ginsberg resulta arrolladora y es difícil bajar de su tren en marcha una vez que arranca. A menudo parece un iluminado que viene como un profeta a ilustrarnos, pero siempre permanece suficientemente cerca del lector. Me he referido a él como profeta y no lo digo a la ligera. Él mismo define así a autores como Whitman o Blake y ahonda en dicha palabra: no son profetas capaces de ver el futuro, pero sí pueden alcanzar una expresión que viaja a través del tiempo hasta el lector contemporáneo para enseñarle algo que no sabe sobre el mundo, sobre la poesía o, lo que es más importante, sobre sí mismo. Ginsberg fue un profeta y a través de él he aprendido a unir las piezas de lo que me rodea para alcanzar mi propia experiencia superior, para llegar a entenderme a mí mismo sabiendo mirar en mi interior.
April 17, 2019
Basically one of my favourite writers. I cannot say I agree with everything he says, particularly his more esoteric views on drug usage and property, but the way he articulates his speech, with a justified sense of self-importance and grandeur and a beautifully written rhetoric makes it impossible to not appreciate this compilation. Michael Schumacher did a wonderful job editing this, an anthology that, through the man's own words in essays, poems, songs and letters, tells the story of several episodes of many episodes of Allen Ginsberg's life and gives any reader a landscape of how and what Ginsberg stands for, and what he has been through. I am obviously more fascinated by his poetry, especially Kaddish, which might be one of my favourite texts to this date, but the letters are also an extremely interesting glimpse of Allen's interactions with his close friends or detractors.
May 20, 2025
أحب المادة القرائية الدسمة
اللتي ادخلها وانا لا اعرف شيئاً واخرج منها وانا اقسم انه كان صديقاً لي !
لم اكن اعرف عن غينسبرغ اي شيء قبل هذا الكتاب
والان بعد ما قرأته ، أحسسته قريباً مني ومن قلبي
أشعاره مقالاته وحواراته ورسائله ويومياته
تقواه وفجوره
مشاكساته واراءه الفجه
ثورته على كل شيء ممنوع وغير مرغوب !
اعترافه بعيوبه وبسطها للآخرين
موهبته التي قادته للكثير من الفضول ومن المنع ايضاً !!
هذا الكتاب رائع عن شخص رائع
ومن ترجمة شخص رائع أيضاً
أحببته 💙
اللتي ادخلها وانا لا اعرف شيئاً واخرج منها وانا اقسم انه كان صديقاً لي !
لم اكن اعرف عن غينسبرغ اي شيء قبل هذا الكتاب
والان بعد ما قرأته ، أحسسته قريباً مني ومن قلبي
أشعاره مقالاته وحواراته ورسائله ويومياته
تقواه وفجوره
مشاكساته واراءه الفجه
ثورته على كل شيء ممنوع وغير مرغوب !
اعترافه بعيوبه وبسطها للآخرين
موهبته التي قادته للكثير من الفضول ومن المنع ايضاً !!
هذا الكتاب رائع عن شخص رائع
ومن ترجمة شخص رائع أيضاً
أحببته 💙
January 26, 2016
I wanted like this so much more than I did. There were a few really beautiful lines—I love “who lounged hungry and lonesome through Houston seeking jazz or sex or soup,” from Howl—but mostly there was what honestly just sounded like gibberish. What does the phrase “new-nippled generations,” for example, even mean? I’ve pretty firmly established for myself that I am just not a poetry person, but I can't help continuing to try—especially in this case because I've always wanted to love the Beat Generation, and my experience with On the Road was so mediocre. But I don’t think it's working out between us. As a person, Allen Ginsberg is by far my favorite of the Beats, but his poetry didn't work for me any better than Kerouac did.
June 17, 2020
Going to be blunt here. If I was reading it on his poetry alone, I'd give it a solid 2 ("It's okay"). They simply weren't my cup of tea. That said, once you dig into the essays and interviews and letters, a whole new picture forms, and I was very pleased with his thoughts and beautiful letters to friends. I genuinely believe that there is something in this book for everyone, and I definitely recommend it.
February 7, 2025
Hay algo mejor que la poesía de Allen Ginsberg (y los beats) para meterte en el nervio del sueño americano, de esos estados unidos pos imperial que es la ironía en si misma?...
Si uno se deja llevar por los clichés y estereotipos de la beat generation inevitablemente falla al apreciar la riqueza literaria y la forma que tienen de capturar el zeitgeist de una forma tan sensorial y poco ortodoxa.
Si uno se deja llevar por los clichés y estereotipos de la beat generation inevitablemente falla al apreciar la riqueza literaria y la forma que tienen de capturar el zeitgeist de una forma tan sensorial y poco ortodoxa.
October 26, 2022
Liked some of his poems, but nothing else of his writing - especially in his essays (ad some of his letters) one cannot help but feel one is reading an overrated drug-fuelled eccentric who sees himself as a modern Jesus. I especially enjoyed the photographs at the end though, as they put faces to the names that appear all over the book.
Read
September 8, 2025Allen Ginsberg was an amazing activist, pioneer, and philosopher who wrote poems from time to time.
July 11, 2020
(3.5)
Allen Ginsberg was a hell of a character.
He had drawn more ears not only for those who seemed to have their voices facetiously received, but also for others who have never even thought of being heard. During which, he highlighted on a social construct that although perpetual, was often devalued—human rights. Haha. With the international traction he had gained from his radical assertions, he cleverly exploited it to further sharpen the turbulent situation for everyone to witness. At the same time, he was a devout Buddhist that managed to get himself expelled by the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic back in 1965.
The fragments of his work pieced a wonderful portrait of the explosive life Ginsberg led, and the sheer drive that brought them into existence substantiated the effect he had in imposing a literary movement that fought for the beat. Poems and sonnets were written through his consistence with inconsistent structure, as the unrestrained demeanor he generally projected through his radical deliveries reflected his compositions. His poetry comprised the grotesque through devices of contrasting syllabic accents, candid phrasing, and repetition, where they were brazen and unapologetic in voice. The essays he composed concerning the current social illnesses of that time and on writing his prominent pieces, flowed through a characteristic eloquence that neatly laid things out despite the rasping tone he retained through most of them. The journal entries, letters, interview transcripts, and photographs compiled were also rather interesting as they were more personal compared to the rest.
On the other hand, as anthologies usually go, not every component they constitute is bound to exactly fly. Ginsberg was scintillating to study, from his unconventional variations in structure and other lyrical devices to the lengths he took in drawing attention to social issues. He lived a pretty interesting life too. As for my personal enjoyment on the works themselves however, they left me a tiny bit disillusioned. But I do understand the context of his achievements being unmatched during that period, so it all falls pretty fairly.
Even so, Allen Ginsberg is still one of the coolest people I have never met. No further comment necessary.
Allen Ginsberg was a hell of a character.
He had drawn more ears not only for those who seemed to have their voices facetiously received, but also for others who have never even thought of being heard. During which, he highlighted on a social construct that although perpetual, was often devalued—human rights. Haha. With the international traction he had gained from his radical assertions, he cleverly exploited it to further sharpen the turbulent situation for everyone to witness. At the same time, he was a devout Buddhist that managed to get himself expelled by the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic back in 1965.
The fragments of his work pieced a wonderful portrait of the explosive life Ginsberg led, and the sheer drive that brought them into existence substantiated the effect he had in imposing a literary movement that fought for the beat. Poems and sonnets were written through his consistence with inconsistent structure, as the unrestrained demeanor he generally projected through his radical deliveries reflected his compositions. His poetry comprised the grotesque through devices of contrasting syllabic accents, candid phrasing, and repetition, where they were brazen and unapologetic in voice. The essays he composed concerning the current social illnesses of that time and on writing his prominent pieces, flowed through a characteristic eloquence that neatly laid things out despite the rasping tone he retained through most of them. The journal entries, letters, interview transcripts, and photographs compiled were also rather interesting as they were more personal compared to the rest.
On the other hand, as anthologies usually go, not every component they constitute is bound to exactly fly. Ginsberg was scintillating to study, from his unconventional variations in structure and other lyrical devices to the lengths he took in drawing attention to social issues. He lived a pretty interesting life too. As for my personal enjoyment on the works themselves however, they left me a tiny bit disillusioned. But I do understand the context of his achievements being unmatched during that period, so it all falls pretty fairly.
Even so, Allen Ginsberg is still one of the coolest people I have never met. No further comment necessary.
November 13, 2021
I just don't get it. Everyone else seems to, but it just seems way too self indulgent and silly to me. And I love Douglas Adams, who could be deemed the king of self indulgent silliness. I guess the difference is that I feel Ginsberg is focused on himself and Adams is focused on the world and large, existence in a broader context. Ginsberg feels very personal and myopic and I find it tedious as a toddler tantrum.
Really only giving it 2 stars out of suspicion that there's some hidden gem in the posterity, coded in a wavelength my eyes can't perceive. If I weren't afraid of looking foolish, I'd give it 1 star, but just in case some decades from now, on my deathbed, a portal opens in the barn roof, and I glimpse a new facet of the cosmos that refract that wavelength into some translation my dying mind can perceive and I croak, "Ah ha!" whilst expiring - to the bemusement of a lonely mule (I can't imagine dying under other circumstances, after all), it seems prudent to keep an extra star in the reserve just in case the gods play a little I-told-you-so at that point.
Really only giving it 2 stars out of suspicion that there's some hidden gem in the posterity, coded in a wavelength my eyes can't perceive. If I weren't afraid of looking foolish, I'd give it 1 star, but just in case some decades from now, on my deathbed, a portal opens in the barn roof, and I glimpse a new facet of the cosmos that refract that wavelength into some translation my dying mind can perceive and I croak, "Ah ha!" whilst expiring - to the bemusement of a lonely mule (I can't imagine dying under other circumstances, after all), it seems prudent to keep an extra star in the reserve just in case the gods play a little I-told-you-so at that point.
May 26, 2017
"Everything is holy! everybody's holy! everywhere is holy! everyday is in eternity!"
November 13, 2018
“Recent history is the record of a vast conspiracy to impose one level of mechanical consciousness on mankind and exterminate all manifestations of that unique part of human sentience, identical in all men, which the individual shares with his Creator.” - from his essay ‘Poetry, Violence, and the Trembling Lambs’
I wasn’t able to get through this entire book before I had to return it but I liked what I read. I preferred the essays and journals to the poetry (most of his poems go right over me) and it’s amazing to read his works from the 50s / 60s and have the themes still be relevant today. Will definitely be finishing this one at a later date.
I wasn’t able to get through this entire book before I had to return it but I liked what I read. I preferred the essays and journals to the poetry (most of his poems go right over me) and it’s amazing to read his works from the 50s / 60s and have the themes still be relevant today. Will definitely be finishing this one at a later date.
September 12, 2024
a fantastic and diverse collection of works from a truly beautiful soul. the blend of poetry, songs, essays, journals, interviews, letters and photographs provide a wonderful insight into ginsberg’s life and his mind. i found the writings on spirituality and his attempts to expand his consciousness and understanding of the world through psychedelics particularly fascinating, and his recounting of his various travels show the value in experiencing the beauty of humanity in its purest forms. a collection i will certainly return to in the future. ‘for we can see together the beauty of souls hidden like diamonds in the clock of the world’.
June 16, 2023
Raw and honest. He evokes a deep sense of presence amidst the turmoil. Poems. Essays. Letters. All interesting. A good life. Deeply felt and experienced.
His metaphysics and his politics are a bit of a mixed bag. The usual waffle about the need to go beyond 'linear logical thinking'. Feel the 'truth'. Mate! If you open your mouth and put a few words together you're in the game whether you like it or not. 'All thoughts are useless .... except these ones' is dishonest and disingenuous.
His metaphysics and his politics are a bit of a mixed bag. The usual waffle about the need to go beyond 'linear logical thinking'. Feel the 'truth'. Mate! If you open your mouth and put a few words together you're in the game whether you like it or not. 'All thoughts are useless .... except these ones' is dishonest and disingenuous.
April 2, 2018
I've always been curious to dig into more of Ginsberg's life and work beyond Howl, so I figured this was a great place to start. I was blown away by a lot of his other poems, particularly Kaddish, but I also loved reading his letters and essays as well. Definitely a great way to do a deep dive into Ginsberg's output.
February 20, 2020
STUNNING! If you have a love for ginsberg or the beats at all this is an essential read. The editor deserves a dang award because this is perfectly assembled from poetry to prose to everything inbetween. I love that this collection gave you a 360 view of his inner workings and really brought to life
September 13, 2021
في جزء كبير من أشعاره لَم أفهمها ، وفي كام قصيدة كانوا حقيقي في غاية الجمال ، زي " أغنية ، رسالة ، أمريكا ، الذين ينبغي أن تُعاملهم بلُطف "، دول اللي عجبوني من القصائد ، مقالاته كانت عادية ، الرسائل كانت حميمية و ناقمة وساخطة كثيراً ، التجربة مَكنتش زي ما كنت متوقع ، لكن القصايد كانت جميلة و بعض الرسائل أستمتعت بيها جداً .
February 24, 2018
I wanted to like this a lot more than I actually did. I was only really familiar with his poem "Howl" before I read this. Like a lot of other poetry collections, there were a few really good ones, but I thought the majority were pretty meh.
August 21, 2018
“To be so brave and so open about the situation in America and homosexuality while using a style of writing which was almost a stream of consciousness that was confusing to people was completely powerful.”
October 15, 2018
Ginsburg is the key poet of the Beat Generation. Much of his work seems very topical to the time, and a bit archaic today. But, as a part of the generation after the Beats, I found some of his viewpoints interesting. Alas, there was no one in the background playing the bongos.
November 27, 2021
This anthology of poetry, prose etc was great. Turns out I just don't care at all that much too much for Ginsberg. I will, however, be checking out his individual poetry collections as this anthology made me curious.
Read
August 23, 2023Skipped the letters and interviews, was mostly here for the poetry, which did not disappoint. Remarkably lyricism and rhythm. A little too hippy for my materialist tastes, but that's the Beats for you.
October 30, 2018
Should have picked up his Selected Poems instead of that +rambling letters/interviews???
May 8, 2019
I remember why I had a Beats phase. Ugh. I love Ginsberg’s poetry. And the interviews and letters were super useful to understanding his poetry. Too bad he was a pedophile.
June 11, 2020
what a crazy life this man lived
August 28, 2021
Other than howl, I did not enjoy this book.
September 24, 2021
amazing amazing amazing. if you’re even mildly interested in the Beats, please read this book!
October 16, 2022
ok i see you mr allen
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews