Notes: An exhaustive biography of Allen Ginsberg, the man whose poetry shocked the literary establishment, and whose rebellious lifestyle fueled the countercultural revolution of the 1960s. Written by a friend and literary associate for 25 years. who also edited the annotated edition of Ginsberg's "Howl". Miles was able to draw on Ginsberg's extensive journals and letters, as well as to interview Ginsberg and scores of his friends and associates for the book.
There are 28 pages that discuss Ginsberg's activities with his friend, Bob Dylan. Soon after they first met in 1963, Dylan invited Ginsberg to fly with him to his concert in Chicago, but Allen declined. "I thought he was just a folksinger, and I was also afraid I might become his slave or something, his mascot." Soon after, they met again at a Dylan concert in Princeton, where the photo of Ginsberg was taken that appeared on the Bringing It All Back Home sleeve.
A private party in Dylan's suite at the Savoy after his first May 1965 Royal Albert Hall concert is described. The select group in attendance included Dylan, the Beatles, and Ginsberg.
The Rolling Thunder Revue is discussed at considerable length, including Dylan's decision to feature Ginsberg; telling him, "You're the King, you're the King, but you haven't found your kingdom. But you've always been the King . . . . People get off on your energy . . . . Whatever you want to do, get it together. I'm presenting you. It's about time. This country has been asleep. It's time it woke up." A brief excerpt of the book (p. 461) with an exchange between Dylan and Ginsberg during this period is available on the net.
Miles also reports on a May 1976 Ginsberg visit with John Lennon at his Dakota apartment, during which Lennon described hearing Ginsberg read "Howl" late at night on the radio, but thinking it was Dylan. When the announcer said it was Ginsberg, Lennon suddenly understood "why Dylan had mentioned Allen so often, how much Allen had influenced Dylan, and how close to Dylan's his style was."
[ There was an interview of Allen Ginsberg published in Telegraph 11, April 1983. ]
Subjects: Allen Ginsberg; 1926-
ISBN: 0-671-50713-3; hb $24.95
TWO | A COLUMBIA EDUCATION: THE ORIGINS OF THE BEAT GENERATION ..... 36
THREE | A STREET EDUCATION ..... 62
FOUR | THE SUBTERRANEANS ..... 117
FIVE | ON THE ROAD TO CALIFORNIA ..... 139
SIX | "HOWL" AND THE SAN FRANCISCO RENAISSANCE ..... 188
SEVEN | "THE CLASSIC STATIONS OF THE EARTH" ..... 221
EIGHT | "KADDISH" ..... 248
NINE | ADVENTURES IN PSYCHEDELIA ..... 266
TEN | CUT-UPS ..... 284
ELEVEN | INDIA ..... 298
TWELVE | THE CHANGE ..... 322
THIRTEEN | THE KING OF MAY ..... 341
FOURTEEN | INTO THE VORTEX ..... 369
FIFTEEN | PATERFAMILIAS ..... 407
SIXTEEN | THE LION OF DHARMA ..... 437
SEVENTEEN | EMINENCE GRISE ..... 483
AFTERWORD ..... 521
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..... 535
CHAPTER NOTES ..... 539
BIBLIOGRAPHY ..... 563
INDEX ..... 575
BIOGRAPHIES AND MONOGRAPHS
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Last updated: 6/8/96