Coming soon.. well, June 11 is the official publication date (from the University of Texas Press), but here’s an early review from Kirkus Review – William S Burroughs and The Cult of Rock ‘N’ Roll :
“The terms of the title could have been flipped,”, the anonymous reviewer writes, “for this book focuses on what might be called “the cult of William S. Burroughs” and the ways that his influence and legacy have permeated the culture of rock as a whole.” – “A critical analysis that celebrates the transgressive author as rock avatar, cultural visionary, and literary adventurer.” – “A book that nudges a legendary legacy from the cultural margins toward the mainstream” –
Check out this short excerpt from the book (by “cultural critic, academic and musician”, Casey Rae) – here
Check out this interview with Casey Rae – here
The interviewer, David S Wills (of Beatdom magazine) is himself interviewed – here
See also Burroughs-and-music (rock ‘n’ roll music) on The Allen Ginsberg Project – here and here
“The “Priest” They Called Him” – Here’s Burroughs with Kurt Cobain
William Burroughs and Jimmy Page… Well, you get the picture…
& speaking of the Beats and Rock ‘n’ Roll, don’t forget this essential resource
Maitreyee B Chowdury’s book, The Hungyalists, we’ve already noted – See here – Read more about Allen in India, “Moving To The Ginsberg Beat in Calcutta” – here – Read an interview with Maitreyee B Chowdry with Michael Limnios – here (and another more recent interview from the Bengaluru Review – here)
Walt Whitman bi-centennial countdown continues – May 31st is the precise date of Whitman’s 200th birthday. In the meantime, The Library of Congress have released a full listing of their celebratory events – see here.
And, not at the Library of Congress but especially of note, Whitman scholar, Ed Folsom has put together a remarkable show at the library of the University of Iowa.
Walt Whitman and Horace Traubel – Brenda Wineapple’s essay in the New York Review of Books is well worth reading.
And plans continue, (we’ve reported on this before), to save the Whitman house at 99 Ryerson Street, Brooklyn.
Simon Pettet and Peter Hale (of the Allen Ginsberg Trust) last weekend celebrated Allen at Bedlam Books in Worcester, Massachusetts.