On Bread and Poetry: A Panel Discussion Between Gary Snyder, Lew Welch and Philip Whalen

by Gary Snyder

Book by Snyder, Gary

Genres: Poetry

47 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Gary Snyder is an American poet, essayist, lecturer, and environmental activist. His early poetry has been associated with the Beat Generation and the San Francisco Renaissance and he has been described as the "poet laureate of Deep Ecology". Snyder is a winner of a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and the American Book Award. His work, in his various roles, reflects an immersion in both Buddhist spirituality and nature. He has translated literature into English from ancient Chinese and modern Japanese. For many years, Snyder was an academic at the University of California, Davis, and for a time served as a member of the California Arts Council.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute fun read, I feel like I hate the beats less after reading this with the provided context of this primary source

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gary Snyder is now 95, the last surviving great poet of his generation, the only one of his close college friends left. But if you want to imagine what the triumvirate of Reed College poets were like--Snyder, Whalen and Welch--this is a fun place to start. Welch is the enthusiast, drawn into proclamations. Whalen is the humorist--he's the one that would be the most fun to drink with. And Snyder, he's the quieter one but more than willing to speak up if he has something to say. And such enthusiasm! They all wanted to be in the most progressive place they could find, Northern California within shouting distance of San Francisco. It was as if they knew that the 800 people who came to this communion at the old Longshoreman's Union was a harbinger of the Summer of Love some four years later.
This is, in a sense, a minor work; a nice meeting of minds disparate yet so very familiar with each other, embracing their poetic personas. It was a very enjoyable diversion into a more optimistic time, when poetry was seen as providing a path to a cure.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Essentially a transcript of a moderated interview with three poets. They discuss the usual questions - how to make a living, where they find inspiration, etc. It's interesting, even if it offers no major revelations. A few interesting poems are included.

[Frederick Garber · Rating 5 out of 5]

great discussion of poetry by 3 poets