The legendary Joan Anderson letter is back in the news again. “The seminal piece of literature of the Beat Generation”, Neal Cassady’s epic letter to Jack Kerouac, which, for almost sixty years, was thought missing and then was miraculously rediscovered and put up for auction (only to, surprisingly, fail to reach its asking price) is up for auction again.
The auction date is March 8. Bidding begins approximately February 17th (next week). Full details may be found at Heritage Auctions.
“Neal Cassady’s ‘The Joan Anderson Letter’ has been described as visionary, frenetic, incendiary, foundational, discursive, spontaneous, uninhibited, truthful, compelling, free, rambling, unaffected, fluid, non-literary, incredible, a seminal document, incantatory, revolutionary, confessional, rhapsodic, inspirational, revealing, and in Jack Kerouac’s own words: “The greatest piece of writing I ever saw.”
Neal Cassady’s in our thoughts this week. This past week (this past Wednesday) was his birthday (what, if he’d lived long enough, would’ve been his ninety-first birthday – hard to imagine Neal Cassady at ninety-one!).
Denver Westword, on the occasion, ran as a cover story a feature on Robert Hyatt – “Neal Cassady’s Denver Legacy Includes A Secret Son”
Beat news, more Beat news – a radio-overview of Kerouac and the Beats auf deutsch.
The Beat Generation show originating at the Centre George Pompidou continues, incidentally, in Karlsruhe
We have noted in the past, William Burroughs’ influence on rock music, Paste magazine provides more instances.
Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s most treasured book? – it might surprise you.
David Wills’ article “World Citizen – How Politics Shaped The Travels of Allen Ginsberg, and How Travel Shaped his Politics”, that first appeared last May in Beatdom is now up in its entirety on line – and a shout-out to Beatdom.
And last, but not least, taking place tomorrow, Saturday February 11, in Ann Arbor, Allen’s teacher and friend, Gelek Rinpoche, is teaching a (free), all-day White Tara Initiation, a healing meditation practice that’s been a special focus of his.
