beat list 1996

-Carolyn Cassady in Spit in the Ocean, Number 6.

Ron Jacobs\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\How in the heck

Bailey/Howe Library\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\will I wash my neck

University of Vermont\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\if it ain't

rjacobs@thyme.uvm.edu\\\\\\\\\\\\gonna' rain no more?

Burlington,VT USA

=========================================================================

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 21:14:57 GMT

Reply-To: Dan_Barth@RedwoodFN.org

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Dan Barth <Dan_Barth@REDWOODFN.ORG>

Organization: Redwood Free-Net

Subject: Re: mexico city blues

For lots of insight into Kerouac's *Mexico City Blues* check out *A Map of

Mexico City Blues* by James T. Jones. In the back is an index of choruses.

He refers the S.S. Excalibur bit to a dream of Kerouac's (p.56, *Book of

Dreams*).

=========================================================================

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 21:20:32 GMT

Reply-To: Dan_Barth@RedwoodFN.org

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Dan Barth <Dan_Barth@REDWOODFN.ORG>

Organization: Redwood Free-Net

Subject: Burroughs/Wolves

Here's the Burroughs bit from his book *Exterminator*, a collection of short

pieces. The routine titled "The Lemon Kid" begins:

"As a young child Audrey Carsons wanted to be writers because writers

were rich and famous. They lounged around Singapore and Rangoon smoking opium

in a yellow pongee suits. They sniffed cocaine in Mayfair and they penetrated

forbidden swamps with a faithful native boy and lived in the native quarter

of Tangier smoking hashish and languidly caressing a pet gazelle.

"His first literary exercise was called *The Autobiography of a Wolf*.

People laughed and said: 'You mean the biography of a wolf.' No he meant

*auto* biography of a wolf . . . "

(p.9)

I don't have any of the Burroughs bios on hand, but as I recall *El Hombre

Invisible* refers to this bit as being true of Burroughs.

Howl on,

=========================================================================

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 17:21:34 EST

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Bill Gargan <WXGBC@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Subject: Re: Hesse and _Big Sur_

In-Reply-To: Message of Tue, 6 Feb 1996 12:17:56 -0800 from

<97jhoell@ULTRIX.UOR.EDU>

On Tue, 6 Feb 1996 12:17:56 -0800 Janet Hoelle said:

>DEAR TREVOR,

>IF you are interested in discovering what the Beat ideals were, you

>should read GOOD BLONDE AND OTHERS by Jack Kerouac. I think the essays in

>this compilation of works, reveal

>what the essence of the Beat movement was. Also, if you want something on

>Kerouac, the Ann Charters biography entitled Kerouac is the best I've

>found yet.

>NICOLE HOELLE

For a more recent overview, check out Lisa Phillips essay "Beat Culture: Americ

a Revisioned" in Beat Culture & the New America, Flammarion, 1995.

=========================================================================

Date: Wed, 7 Feb 1996 21:59:17 -0600

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Joseph McNicholas <mcnichol@MAIL.UTEXAS.EDU>

Subject: Re: Sarah Schulman

Comments: To: Janet Hoelle <97jhoell@ultrix.uor.edu>

Nicole, Thanks for responding. I'll try to answer a bit. Being a fiction

writer herself, I think Schulman finds a lot that is good in Kerouac. In

fact, she has a character named Sal Paradise, her protagonist speaks of

other characters as being Carlo Marx figures, she writes some Kerouacian

passages, etc. She also creates amalgams of other styles both from literary

history and from the society around her, as you said Kerouac had. I felt

you had an interestnig definition of genius as both "originator" and as

someone who borrows from others (Wolfe, Stein, Rimbaud). That is a key

tension in creative processes, I think. Her work includes Fitzgeraldian

passages (sort of), the rhythms of street life in the East Village,

performance art, etc, and then it seems to originate a new way for thinking

about lesbian lives.

I think what she sees is that the world is swarming with people who do great

things who never become famous, or even ackowledged. The East Village she

writes about is certainly that way now and NYC was when Kerouac was then

(not to mention the rest of the world). The problem is no one notices. One

of Schulman's characters, goes to find out who a writer named Peretz is. .

.they have named a street after him at Houston and First, but today, barely

anyone knows who he is. . . .it turns out he is an excellent Yiddish writer

whose audience, subject matter and language was basically killed off in the

war. It seems to me that she saw that the Beats prevented their subculture

from being killed off by making it more visible (a version of Out Loud and

Proud?).

She sees their continued fame are relying on perpetuating their

name-brand-recognition through things like cross-quoting each other (Howl's

dedication for example, or the constant using of each other as characters in

their books, thus creating a mythology about them. . . . Carlo Marx, Old

Bull Lee, etc.), like managing to get themselves and their friends

interviewed on Steve Allen, and being written about in Time and Life. They

were able to even get Dobie Gillis, so that (a totally commodified) image of

the Beats could get into every TV home, so that some of those people would

buy their books, so that another one of their friends, Ferlinghetti, could

float a press--City Lights-- so that they could publish more of their books,

so that they would have more book reviews in which they quote their friends,

and refer to them. . . .etc. [In fact, I've even heard it said that they

helped their rivals as well, that Ginsberg kept referring to Ashberry and

the New York School, which gave them popularity, too]. I think Schulman saw

that whole dynamic as an important part of creating a movement, of becoming

acclaimed. And that lesbians (as totally kooky as this is to everyday

logic, could benefit from a similar popularity -media blitz.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Joseph McNicholas

mcnichol@mail.utexas.edu

=========================================================================

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 1996 07:39:31 EST

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Joe <100106.1102@COMPUSERVE.COM>

Subject: neal cassady

hello.

can someone help me out here. i know very little of neal's death

other than the fact he died in 1968, just short of his 44th birthday

(had he lived he'd have been 72 today?), found near rail tracks (how

apt!) a victim of booze & drugs.

'visions of kerouac - the life of jack kerouac by charles jarvis' then

states that he reckons neal fulfilled his death wish! explaining that

anyone who lives 'on the edge' for so long will eventually fall over

it.

from what i've read of neal, nowhere does it mention 'a death wish' as

a way of life, even in the (abstract) context of mr. jarvis' explanation of

'living on the edge, eventually falling over it'. i realise this is only one

person's point of view but it made me think (a little).

i'd like to know more please...

also, anyone know anything more about the movie version of 'on the

road'. i know it will be crap compared to the book, never capturing

the essence & meaning of the characters and generation etc. etc. etc.

but. it's what our generation (people who are alive now!) will be leaving

behind for the televisionfed future generations.

i'd like to know a little more please...

joe

----------------------------------------------------------------------

e-mail: joe.carney@unn.ac.uk or 100106.1102@compuserve.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------

'there is no new language. just the same words with a different intent...'

- jack kerouac.

=========================================================================

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 1996 08:19:51 EST

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Peter McGahey <PRM95003@UCONNVM.UCONN.EDU>

Subject: neal cassady (fwd)

----------------------------Original message----------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 1996 07:39:31 EST

From: Joe <100106.1102@COMPUSERVE.COM>

Subject: neal cassady

To: Multiple recipients of list BEAT-L <BEAT-L@CUNYVM>

also, anyone know anything more about the movie version of 'on the

road'. i know it will be crap compared to the book, never capturing

the essence & meaning of the characters and generation etc. etc. etc.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please!! Not again . . . .

=========================================================================

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 1996 10:25:53 EST

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Bill Gargan <WXGBC@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Subject: Re: neal cassady

In-Reply-To: Message of Thu, 8 Feb 1996 07:39:31 EST from

<100106.1102@COMPUSERVE.COM>

On Thu, 8 Feb 1996 07:39:31 EST Joe said:

>hello.

>can someone help me out here. i know very little of neal's death

>other than the fact he died in 1968, just short of his 44th birthday

>(had he lived he'd have been 72 today?), found near rail tracks (how

>apt!) a victim of booze & drugs.

>'visions of kerouac - the life of jack kerouac by charles jarvis' then

>states that he reckons neal fulfilled his death wish! explaining that

>anyone who lives 'on the edge' for so long will eventually fall over

>it.

>from what i've read of neal, nowhere does it mention 'a death wish' as

>a way of life, even in the (abstract) context of mr. jarvis' explanation of

>'living on the edge, eventually falling over it'. i realise this is only one

>person's point of view but it made me think (a little).

>i'd like to know more please...

>also, anyone know anything more about the movie version of 'on the

>road'. i know it will be crap compared to the book, never capturing

>the essence & meaning of the characters and generation etc. etc. etc.

>but. it's what our generation (people who are alive now!) will be leaving

>behind for the televisionfed future generations.

>i'd like to know a little more please...

>joe

>----------------------------------------------------------------------

>e-mail: joe.carney@unn.ac.uk or 100106.1102@compuserve.com

>----------------------------------------------------------------------

>'there is no new language. just the same words with a different intent...'

> - jack kerouac.

Check out the Cassady issue of Spit In The Ocean.

=========================================================================

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 1996 10:53:22 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Kristen VanRiper <pooh@IMAGEEK.YORK.CUNY.EDU>

Subject: Re: neal cassady

In-Reply-To: <960208123931_100106.1102_EHQ115-1@CompuServe.COM> from "Joe" at

Feb 8, 96 07:39:31 am

have you read carolyn's book, "off the road?"

she writes a wonderful tale....with compassion...and understanding....

> hello.

> can someone help me out here. i know very little of neal's death

> other than the fact he died in 1968, just short of his 44th birthday

> (had he lived he'd have been 72 today?), found near rail tracks (how

> apt!) a victim of booze & drugs.

anyone check out kesey's essay, "the day superman died"

> 'visions of kerouac - the life of jack kerouac by charles jarvis' then

> states that he reckons neal fulfilled his death wish! explaining that

> anyone who lives 'on the edge' for so long will eventually fall over

> it.

> from what i've read of neal, nowhere does it mention 'a death wish' as

> a way of life, even in the (abstract) context of mr. jarvis' explanation of

> 'living on the edge, eventually falling over it'. i realise this is only one

> person's point of view but it made me think (a little).

> i'd like to know more please...

=========================================================================

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 1996 11:14:59 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: William Miller <KenofWNC@AOL.COM>

Subject: Re: Burroughs/Wolves

Comments: To: Dan_Barth@redwoodfn.org

heLLo folks.

Dan Barth wrote thatt |||"His first literary exercise was called *The

Autobiography of a Wolf*.

People laughed and said: 'You mean the biography of a wolf.' No he meant

*auto* biography of a wolf . . . "

(p.9)

I don't have any of the Burroughs bios on hand, but as I recall *El Hombre

Invisible* refers to this bit as being true of Burroughs.|||

Yep, that's close enough. I think that it established WSB's literary

vantagepoint as that of the outsider, eh ?

William Miller

=========================================================================

Date: Fri, 9 Feb 1996 09:25:01 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: "Gary M. Gillman" <garyg@INFORAMP.NET>

Subject: SIP

Last nite I was re-reading Kerouac`s Satori In Paris. While not on the level

of OTR and TDB, it is a truly fascinating short novel: a chronicle of K`s

search for his roots in France, and the true endpiece of the Duluoz Legend.

It is replete with humour, sometimes of a rather wacky kind, eg., when the

airport chimes calling K to his flight to Brest (which he ends up missing

because of a visit to the john) brings to his mind the tune Mathilda ("ma -

til - da"). There is much rueful humour or musing, some of it directed at

himself. The satori in question, as pointed out by Gerry Nicosia, was

finding a human connection with his Paris cab driver, a guy from the

Auvergne (not Brittany - which on the whole seemed to repel Jack), who was

working on a Sunday to help support his family ( talk about the Beat

attitude to family responsibility), and who stopped at a cafe with Jack to

have a beer with him because he knew Jack needed a drink. Sometimes I think

that rather than see a film made of OTR, with its cosmic issues and

practical complications of ever getting done, some sensitive filmmaker (a

French- Canadian would be perfect for SIP) should take on a lesser Kerouac

book, such as SIP. Another perfect choice - Vanity of Dulouz, which would

make a fine, elegiac, melancholic film if someone did it right. Not that VOD

is one of his lesser books, come to think of it, but that`s another story...

=========================================================================

Date: Fri, 9 Feb 1996 11:02:21 EST

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Mark Fisher <Fisher@PROGRAMART.COM>

Subject: SIP

I wonder if Kerouac was aware of the irony associated with this

acronym for Satori in Paris?

=========================================================================

Date: Fri, 9 Feb 1996 14:36:05 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: "Gary M. Gillman" <garyg@INFORAMP.NET>

Subject: SIP

Good catch, Mark, I hadn`t thought that the acronym SIP might have been

intended as an ironical reference by Jack. I think he must have intended the

irony. The partial evidence of that may be that in VOD he goes to the

trouble of pointing out that SIP was written with a bottle at his side and

was the first of his books to be so written. I believe this to be true,

despite the gibes over the years that he was drunk or stoned when he wrote

his classic works. For example, in a letter in Charters` recent edition of

his early letters, Jack states that he wrote OTR "on coffee". The beauty of

much of its prose leads me not to doubt him for an instant. I believe he may

have used bennies to write, but I believe this was principally to stay up

for nights on end. So, the irony you`ve detected may have two edges to it:

that he was drunk for much of the trip in France, but also when he wrote

SIP. But it is still a good book, which shows how much talent he had to

start with...and to waste to some degree, unfortunately...

=========================================================================

Date: Fri, 9 Feb 1996 21:46:14 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Perry Lindstrom <LindLitGrp@AOL.COM>

Subject: PostModBuddhaMan

I have somehow managed to lose a couple postings that I wanted to

respond to in more detail, but I'll try to wing it as best I can.

Mainly it has to do with the Buddhism vs. Catholicism thing.

Before I say any more I should confess my ignorance of most

formal religious structures, i.e. ceremonies be they Catholic or

Buddhist -- I was raised a Unitarian. My comments about Buddhism

are pretty much exclusively based on my own background in Taoism

and more of a Allan Watts/Zen approach, so I shouldn't profess to

know anything about the more formal branches of Buddhism. The

statement that "God is an interesting con man," was meant along

the lines of a Zen Koan, rather than to be interpreted as a

literal statement about God, etc. -- so let me leave that at

that. What I think is more important to the Beats is the general

introduction of the more non-linear, Eastern thinking patterns

into their art. This, if anything is what qualifies them for

being Postmoderns if we are to believe they are rather more than

just neo-Romantics -- or if we care. Maybe I have said this on

the list before, but Harold Bloom, who of course trashes the

Beats, did include Snyder on his Western Canon list -- neither

Kerouac nor Ginsberg made it -- don't even ask about Burroughs.

Snyder is the most "serious" Buddhist of the lot. I wonder if

Bloom is acknowledging the important influence of Eastern thought

on the evolution of poetry in "the (his) canon?" Maybe he just

included Snyder to piss-off Ginsberg -- like leaving a 2 cent tip

so they know you didn't forget.

Perry L.

=========================================================================

Date: Sat, 10 Feb 1996 12:55:42 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Nicholas Herren <NPH002@ACAD.DRAKE.EDU>

Subject: Neal Cassidy's Death

Carolyn Cassidy explains his death at the end of her book Off The Road. She

says he was going down to a friend's house in mexico and he wondered off

probably stoned or high (the reason for going I believe) along the railroad

tracks in Veracruz I think. Either way I bet he planned it because the

railroad was his life. A good way to die for Neal if you ask me.

nyh

=========================================================================

Date: Sat, 10 Feb 1996 19:56:17 GMT

Reply-To: Dan_Barth@RedwoodFN.org

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Dan Barth <Dan_Barth@REDWOODFN.ORG>

Organization: Redwood Free-Net

Subject: Ginsberg question

Last night I had a dream I was walking home at dawn and a big white crane flew

out of a tree and landed near me. I woke up, made a cup of coffee, sat back

in bed and picked up Ginsberg's *The Fall of America* from bedside bookshelf.

(Had seen him last night on PBS history of rock talking about Eleanor Rigby.)

My bookmark was at pp.34, 35 and the first thing I noticed was at the top of

page 34: "Crane all's well, the wanderer returns/from the west with his

Powers." So I am wondering if any of you know what Allen's "Crane" reference

is here. I can't figure it out from the context.

Thanx,

=========================================================================

Date: Sat, 10 Feb 1996 15:24:58 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Paul McDonald - Bon Air Branch <PAUL@LOUISVILLE.LIB.KY.US>

Subject: Re: Ginsberg question

Comments: To: Dan_Barth@RedwoodFN.org

Perhaps its a reference to Hart Crane.

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 11:00:21 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Kristen VanRiper <pooh@IMAGEEK.YORK.CUNY.EDU>

Subject: Re: Neal Cassidy's Death

In-Reply-To: <01I11RUT73AY0024BJ@ACAD.DRAKE.EDU> from "Nicholas Herren" at Feb

10, 96 12:55:42 pm

> Carolyn Cassidy explains his death at the end of her book Off The Road. She

> says he was going down to a friend's house in mexico and he wondered off

> probably stoned or high (the reason for going I believe) along the railroad

> tracks in Veracruz I think. Either way I bet he planned it because the

> railroad was his life. A good way to die for Neal if you ask me.

he was counting railroad ties.....

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 14:13:34 EST

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: mARK hEMENWAY <mhemenway@S1.DRC.COM>

Subject: Re: Neal Cassidy's Death

The story as I remember it, says he made a bet about how many railroad

ties between the town in Mexico and San Jose (or some equally outrageous

distance) and yes, was counting the ties. The story also goes that his

last words were the number of ties he had counted to where he had

collapsed with exposure.

Maybe someone can help me out with this.

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 14:57:11 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Jim Stedman <jstedman@NMU.EDU>

Subject: Re: Neal Cassidy's Death

>The story as I remember it, says he made a bet about how many railroad

>ties between the town in Mexico and San Jose (or some equally outrageous

>distance) and yes, was counting the ties. The story also goes that his

>last words were the number of ties he had counted to where he had

>collapsed with exposure.

>Maybe someone can help me out with this.

This is the stuff legends are made of, Mark! Kesey wrote, in the Superman

essay I think, about the last words being the number of ties he'd counted.

Sounds like a good ol' Kesey myth to me... wonderful wonderful.

So -- the question is, then, what was the number?

Jim

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 17:12:12 -0400

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Noah Bergman <x95vyk@JULIET.STFX.CA>

Subject: Re: Neal Cassidy's Death

In-Reply-To: <v01510102ad4506038c15@[198.110.207.212]>

In "The Day After Superman Died", Kesey says that Cassidy's last words

were sixty-four thousand, nine hundred and twenty eight. While its a

great story about Neal's manic personality, I somehow doubt its

factuality. It's been a while since I read it, but I don't remember

Carolyn Cassidy including the fact in "Off the Road"

-------------------------------------------------------------

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness...

-------------------------------------------------------------

Noah Bergman

x95vyk@juliet.stfx.ca

Box 730 St. FXU

Antigonish, Nova Scotia

B2G 2X1

(902) 867-2517

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 16:30:45 EST

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Mark Fisher <Fisher@PROGRAMART.COM>

Subject: Cassady mathematics

I probably should let this go, but...how could Kesey's number be

anything other than fiction, unless he was there. Better to think Neal

is still counting.

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 17:24:55 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: "Ritter, Chris D" <rittec@UH2297P01.DAYTONOH.ATTGIS.COM>

Subject: Re: beat writers, current status

Comments: To: "BEAT-L%CUNYVM.BITNET" <BEAT-L%CUNYVM.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu>

>I hope I don't sound too naive, but are Kerouac and Ginsberg still alive?

Kerouac, No; Ginsberg, Yes, and struggling.

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 21:37:46 GMT

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Toby Litt <litt@EASYNET.CO.UK>

Subject: Re: Kerouac's Football Career

Hi, I've just joined the list, so I don't know if this has been covered before.

I hope not. Apologies if it has.

I'm interested in Kerouac's football career. Does anyone have any stats? or

any of the newspaper reports that were written about him?

I'm also very interested in the injury that ended his sporting career and

began his literary one - sitting there in bed reading everyone and

everything. Is there a good account of this anywhere?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Toby

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 18:00:39 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: "Ritter, Chris D" <rittec@UH2297P01.DAYTONOH.ATTGIS.COM>

Subject: More or less (Moraless?) on Cassady.

I've become one of the lurkers here recently, but these

conversations on Cassady has provoked me into some

interesting thoughts that I'm having difficulty working with

since comparitively I'm so badly read on the Beats.. at

least as far as Cassady goes. Anyhow, I'm working on

some thoughts for "performance art" in respect to this

idea of walking along a railroad track and counting the

ties before dying. I'm not exactly sure where to focus on

this, but could someone either direct me to a good book

to read or possibly give some information on Cassady's

personal life that would inspire someone to walk along

the railroad tracks until dying. I'd appreciate most some

good quotes that could be used in the peice, and if

anyone has any vague ideas on how this could be

interpreted to the stage, feel free to interject.

..Critter (Chris.Ritter@DaytonOH.ATTGIS.COM)

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 23:18:28 +0300

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Michael Czarnecki <peent@SERVTECH.COM>

Subject: Re: More or less (Moraless?) on Cassady.

>I'm working on

>some thoughts for "performance art" in respect to this

>idea of walking along a railroad track and counting the

>ties before dying. I'm not exactly sure where to focus on

>this, but could someone either direct me to a good book

>to read or possibly give some information on Cassady's

>personal life that would inspire someone to walk along

>the railroad tracks until dying.

Must read "On The Road" by Kerouac before even attempting to work on this

idea as performance art. Also, I don't think Neal intended to walk along

tracks till he died. Read as much as you can about Neal and Jack and Allen

before attempting to perform a piece about them. No simple answers; no

answers at all.

Michael

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 22:52:02 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Carl Luoma <Filosipher@AOL.COM>

Subject: Re: beat writers, current status

In a message dated 96-02-12 17:26:03 EST, you write:

>>I hope I don't sound too naive, but are Kerouac and Ginsberg still alive?

>Kerouac, No; Ginsberg, Yes, and struggling.

I was wondering if Burroughs is still alive? A friend of mine told me he

died but I don't think that this is true. Please say it is so, that he

lives.

Again I am new here so untill I get situated, please bear with me.

-Carl-

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 22:55:52 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Carl Luoma <Filosipher@AOL.COM>

Subject: Hello

I just wanted to introduce myself, I am new to this list. I joined it

because I read On the Road and fell in love with the beats. So, here I am.

not much else to say at this point.

-Carl-

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 23:09:47 EST

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Peter McGahey <PRM95003@UCONNVM.UCONN.EDU>

Subject: Re: Kerouac's Football Career (fwd)

----------------------------Original message----------------------------

From: Toby Litt <litt@EASYNET.CO.UK>

Subject: Re: Kerouac's Football Career

I'm interested in Kerouac's football career. Does anyone have any stats? or

any of the newspaper reports that were written about him?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kerouac was featured in an article in Sports Illustrated but as I am not

near my "stuff" right now I can't give you the bibliographic info. Check

any decent bibliography linke the MLA or even the Reader's Guide for that

period and you can get the citation for the piece.

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 23:17:44 EST

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Peter McGahey <PRM95003@UCONNVM.UCONN.EDU>

Subject: Re: beat writers, current status (fwd)

----------------------------Original message----------------------------

From: Carl Luoma <Filosipher@AOL.COM>

I was wondering if Burroughs is still alive? A friend of mine told me he

died but I don't think that this is true. Please say it is so, that he

lives.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Didn't you catch his wonderful work last year in the Nike ads?

=========================================================================

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 20:03:55 -0800

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Levi Asher <brooklyn@NETCOM.COM>

Subject: Web Fiction/Poetry Reading

In-Reply-To: <960212225550_142687148@mail06.mail.aol.com> from "Carl Luoma" at

Feb 12, 96 10:55:52 pm

Hi everyone -- to all the New Yorkers on this list, would you like

to come to a fiction/poetry event featuring writers who've written for

the web? It's at Biblio's, 317 Church St. in Tribeca (just south of

Canal St.) and it's Valentine's Day (Feb 14) at 8 pm. Here's the

list of readers and websites they've written for:

Meg W. Stein: The Omega Female, Enterzone, Literary Kicks

Edward Fristrom: Jamie's Amateur Fiction Hour

Dave Kushner: SonicNet, Alt-X

Clay Shirky: Urban Desires

Peter Crumlish: Enterzone

Maureen McClarnon: Alt-X/io

Phil Zampino: "The Squid"

Ben Cohen: Alt-X/io

Galinsky: Pseudo Online Radio

David Alexander: Enterzone

Nicole Blackman: SonicNet

Jamie Fristrom: Jamie's Amateur Fiction Hour, Enterzone

Levi Asher: Literary Kicks, Enterzone, Levity

Should be at least a moderate amount of Beat spirit there. I'm hoping

it'll be a real seminal event, unless of course it sucks, in which

case it'll suck.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Levi Asher = brooklyn@netcom.com

Literary Kicks: http://www.charm.net/~brooklyn/

(the beat literature web site)

Queensboro Ballads: http://www.levity.com/brooklyn/

(my fantasy folk-rock album)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"people tell me it's a sin

to know and feel too much within"

-- bob dylan

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

=========================================================================

Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 09:33:28 +0000

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: M D Fascione <m.d.fascione@CITY.AC.UK>

Subject: William S Burroughs lives

In-Reply-To: <960212225201_421122079@emout08.mail.aol.com>

> I was wondering if Burroughs is still alive? A friend of mine told me he

> died but I don't think that this is true. Please say it is so, that he

> lives.

> Again I am new here so untill I get situated, please bear with me.

> -Carl-

Carl

WSB is indeed still alive. What I would like to know is what he's

currently up to, what projects he's working on at present if any. Does

anyone have any thoughts on this?

Daniel

=========================================================================

Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 10:06:14 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Noah Bergman <x95vyk@JULIET.STFX.CA>

Subject: Allen Ginsberg---post beatific

I too had a dream about Ginsberg recently. I walked across a prairie in

a blizzard to get to this winter resort (on the prairie?!). In the

middle of the parking lot was a row of bookshelves. I kept looking

through the piles of books on the beat generation there but couldn't find

a thing on Ginsberg. The surly librarian (who rather reminded me of a

linebacker) kept threatening to pound me into the ground based on my

limited knowledge of Ginsberg. Help me...what has he done since the sixties?

Also...I was wondering something about Kerouac. Did he ever write his

impressions on the movement towards modern jazz (a la late Coltrane,

Mingus, etc.). He seemed to be struck by the new sounds of bop in the

early fifties. What did he think about the next big trend in jazz?

Based on the spirituality and depth that the free jazz players were

searching for I can't help but think that Kerouac wouldn't have dug in

some way...

-------------------------------------------------------------

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness...

-------------------------------------------------------------

Noah Bergman

x95vyk@juliet.stfx.ca

Box 730 St. FXU

Antigonish, Nova Scotia

B2G 2X1

(902) 867-2517

=========================================================================

Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 10:44:11 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Tony Trigilio <atrigili@LYNX.DAC.NEU.EDU>

Subject: Re: Allen Ginsberg---post beatific

In-Reply-To: <Pine.A32.3.91.960213105943.81677A-100000@juliet.stfx.ca> from

"Noah Bergman" at Feb 13, 96 10:06:14 am

Noah Bergman writes:

> I too had a dream about Ginsberg recently. I walked across a prairie in

> a blizzard to get to this winter resort (on the prairie?!). In the

> middle of the parking lot was a row of bookshelves. I kept looking

> through the piles of books on the beat generation there but couldn't find

> a thing on Ginsberg. The surly librarian (who rather reminded me of a

> linebacker) kept threatening to pound me into the ground based on my

> limited knowledge of Ginsberg. Help me...what has he done since the

> sixties?

Noah--

The *Collected Poems* will take you up to 1980. I enjoyed *Cosmopolitan

Greetings* (1992), his most recent collection. As one would expect from

any volume of poetry, *C. Greetings* has some uneven spots, but as a

whole it seems a nice continuation of Ginsberg's adaptation of language

to breath, and of his fusion of Eastern and Western consciousness. Last

year he did a reading tour for his latest publication of journals,

*Journals, Mid-Fifties: 1954-1958*. I saw him read from the book here

in Boston, and by my observation he was gracious and energetic. Hope

this helps.

Best,

Tony

=========================================================================

Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 10:44:56 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Louis N Proyect <lnp3@COLUMBIA.EDU>

Subject: Re: Allen Ginsberg---post beatific

Comments: To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List"

<BEAT-L%CUNYVM.BITNET@CUVMB.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU>

In-Reply-To: <Pine.A32.3.91.960213105943.81677A-100000@juliet.stfx.ca>

On Tue, 13 Feb 1996, Noah Bergman wrote:

> Also...I was wondering something about Kerouac. Did he ever write his

> impressions on the movement towards modern jazz (a la late Coltrane,

> Mingus, etc.). He seemed to be struck by the new sounds of bop in the

> early fifties. What did he think about the next big trend in jazz?

> Based on the spirituality and depth that the free jazz players were

> searching for I can't help but think that Kerouac wouldn't have dug in

> some way...

Kerouac was in his dotage by 1963 when free jazz burst on the scene. He

was an alcoholic, reactionary and burnt-out has-been when Archie Shepp,

John Coltrane, etc. were raising hell. Kerouac hated the 1960's.

Ginsberg is another story altogether. He loved and has loved everything

that is new and experimental.

American devours its creators and artists by embracing them within the

pages of magazines like Time and TV shows like Dobie Gillis. Ginsberg

never took himself so seriously as to buy into all this bullshit. I don't

think Burroughs loses sleep either for having done Nike ads. Meanwhile,

all Kerouac thought about was writing a screenplay based on

"On the Road" and cursed Hollywood and himself for not having achieved this.

The Kerouac we all love was the Kerouac of the late 1940s. It is simply

amazing how much of a creep and a loser he became as soon as he got some

fame. He was an obnoxious drunk shortly after his writing career turned

successful. Check out Gerard Nicosia's "Memory Babe" for the

best available portrait of Kerouac in both his ascendancy and decline.

Louis Proyect

=========================================================================

Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 10:56:04 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Kristen VanRiper <pooh@IMAGEEK.YORK.CUNY.EDU>

Subject: Re: Neal Cassidy's Death

In-Reply-To: <Pine.A32.3.91.960212170940.46849B-100000@juliet.stfx.ca> from

"Noah Bergman" at Feb 12, 96 05:12:12 pm

> In "The Day After Superman Died", Kesey says that Cassidy's last words

> were sixty-four thousand, nine hundred and twenty eight. While its a

> great story about Neal's manic personality, I somehow doubt its

> factuality. It's been a while since I read it, but I don't remember

> Carolyn Cassidy including the fact in "Off the Road"

she didn't

=========================================================================

Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 11:24:23 EST

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Peter McGahey <PRM95003@UCONNVM.UCONN.EDU>

Subject: William S Burroughs lives (fwd)

----------------------------Original message----------------------------

From: M D Fascione <m.d.fascione@CITY.AC.UK>

Subject: William S Burroughs lives

WSB is indeed still alive. What I would like to know is what he's

currently up to, what projects he's working on at present if any. Does

anyone have any thoughts on this?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Barry Miles' recent bio of Burroughs had some interesting points about

his recent life (I think it came out in '92ish - it's been awhile since I

read it). He was and is selling paintings which he makes by shooting

spray paint cans with guns. Very appropriate I think.

=========================================================================

Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 11:27:03 EST

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Peter McGahey <PRM95003@UCONNVM.UCONN.EDU>

Subject: Re: Allen Ginsberg---post beatific (fwd)

----------------------------Original message----------------------------

From: Louis N Proyect <lnp3@COLUMBIA.EDU>

It is simply

amazing how much of a creep and a loser he became as soon as he got some

fame. He was an obnoxious drunk shortly after his writing career turned

successful.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

As I understand, he was pretty much like that his whole life. He always

ragged on Allen for being a Jew and his strict right-wing attitudes were

there (oddly enough) pretty much all his life. Many folks disliked

when he showed up for his long weekends in NY away from his Mother

because he was a boor in many ways.

What does anyone else think?

=========================================================================

Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 13:02:15 EST

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: mARK hEMENWAY <mhemenway@S1.DRC.COM>

Subject: JK Literary Prize

Guidelines for the 8th Annual Jack Kerouac Literary Prize are attached.

The Jack Kerouac Literary Prize is sponsored by Lowell Celebrates

Kerouac!, Inc, the Estate of of Jack and Stella Kerouac, Middlesex

Community College and the University of Massachusetts in Lowell. Emerging

and established writers are encouraged to submit their work. The prize

consists of a $500 honorarium and an invitation to read the prize winning

manuscript at the 9th Annual Lowell Celebrates Kerouac! Festival, 3-6

October 1996 in Lowell, MA. Guidelines can also be obtained by sending a

request with a SASE to The Jack Kerouac Literary Prize, PO Box 8788,

Lowell, MA 01853-8788.

Please pass this announcement and guidelines along!

Thanks.

Mark Hemenway

Lowell Celebrates Kerouac!, Inc8th ANNUAL JACK KEROUAC LITERARY PRIZE

Experienced and emerging writers are invited to submit written works in

competition for the 8th Annual Jack Kerouac Literary Prize. This Prize will

consist of a $500 honorarium and an invitation to present the prize winning

manuscript at a public reading during the 9th Annual Lowell Celebrates Kerouac!

Festival in Lowell, MA from 3 through 6 October 1996.

SUBMISSIONS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

1. All works must be in English and not previously published.

2. Submissions will be accepted between 1 April 1996 and 1 August 1996. Entries

postmarked before 1 April 1996 and after 1 August 1996 will not be accepted.

The deadline for all entries is 1 August 1996.

3. The author's name must not appear anywhere on the manuscript.

4. Submissions must be accompanied by a 3x5 index card containing the author's

name, address, telephone number and manuscript title.

5. We are unable to return any manuscripts. Authors will retain all rights and

privileges to their work including full copyright protection.

6. An entry fee of $5.00 must accompany each submission. Please make checks

payable to: LOWELL CELEBRATES KEROUAC!

8. Submissions must meet the following format requirements:

FICTION:

a. Submit one, typed, double-spaced copy of your manuscript;

b. Your entry must not exceed thirty (30) pages excerpted from a novel; or a

maximum of three (3) short stories with a combined length of thirty pages or

less.

POETRY:

a. Submit one typed copy of your manuscript;

b. Your entry must not exceed eight (8) poems with a combined length of 15 pages

or less. No entry may exceed fifteen (15) pages.

NON-FICTION:

a. Submit one typed, double-spaced copy of your manuscript;

b. Your entry must not exceed thirty (30) pages excerpted from a volume, or a

maximum of three (3) essays with a combined length of thirty (30) pages or

less.

9. Submit all manuscripts to:

The Jack Kerouac Literary Prize

P.O. Box 8788

Lowell, MA 01853-8788

10. Authors will receive notification of the prize winner by September 15, 1996.

The Jack Kerouac Literary Prize is sponsored by Lowell Celebrates Kerouac!, Inc

(a non-profit organization), The Estate of Jack and Stella Kerouac, Middlesex

Community College, and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

=========================================================================

Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 13:30:11 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Noah Bergman <x95vyk@JULIET.STFX.CA>

Subject: Kerouac...an obnoxious fellow?

Comments: cc: Multiple recipients of list BEAT-L <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.stfx.ca>

In-Reply-To: <960213.113014.EST.PRM95003@UConnVM.UConn.Edu>

I seem to remember reading something Ann Charters wrote about visiting

Kerouacvery late in his life and how he kept insuating that he wanted to

have sex with her before she left. (please forgive me if this is wrong.

I read a lot of stuff and I could have made a mistake). Descriptions of

telephone conversations he had with Carolyn Cassidy later on also point

to his being a general asshole. But man, his writing more than

compensates for a poor personality!

Also...does anyone know where I can find a written version of Kerouac's

"origins of bop" essay. I've heard his reading of it and would really

love to have a transcription.

-------------------------------------------------------------

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness...

-------------------------------------------------------------

Noah Bergman

x95vyk@juliet.stfx.ca

Box 730 St. FXU

Antigonish, Nova Scotia

B2G 2X1

(902) 867-2517

=========================================================================

Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 13:34:20 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Noah Bergman <x95vyk@JULIET.STFX.CA>

Subject: Returned mail: Host unknown (fwd)

I seem to remember reading something Ann Charters wrote about visiting

Kerouac very late in his life and how he kept insuating that he wanted to

have sex with her before she left. (please forgive me if this is wrong.

I read a lot of stuff and I could have made a mistake). Descriptions of

telephone conversations he had with Carolyn Cassidy later on also point

to his being a general asshole. But man, his writing more than

compensates for a poor personality!

Also...does anyone know where I can find a written version of Kerouac's

"origins of bop" essay. I've heard his reading of it and would really

love to have a transcription.

-------------------------------------------------------------

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness...

-------------------------------------------------------------

Noah Bergman

x95vyk@juliet.stfx.ca

Box 730 St. FXU

Antigonish, Nova Scotia

B2G 2X1

(902) 867-2517

=========================================================================

Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 18:59:16 GMT

Reply-To: Dan_Barth@RedwoodFN.org

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Dan Barth <Dan_Barth@REDWOODFN.ORG>

Organization: Redwood Free-Net

Subject: Re: Kerouac's Football Career

Check out *Vanity of Duluoz* for Kerouac's account of this period of his life.

=========================================================================

Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 14:09:22 -0500

Reply-To: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

Sender: "BEAT-L: Beat Generation List" <BEAT-L@CUNYVM.BITNET>

From: Jim Stedman <jstedman@NMU.EDU>

Subject: Re: Allen Ginsberg---post beatific (fwd)

My read on the declining and rednecked years of Jack is that he was very