Here‘s a 1988 interview by John Aiello that we missed last week (reprinted by Beatdom)
In it, Aiello writes: “I asked Ginsberg how he kept doing it. How, after forty years, does he find the motivation to write and give readings and be at the constant service of his fellow human beings? “It’s the ambition to save the world,” he said laughing softly – his voice raw with passion and spirit. “A natural thing. The inspiration of saying some word or phrase that will penetrate the consciousness and liberate people from mental slavery…”
and here‘s Bernie Gourley – (another one we missed) – from his review of The Fall of America Journals:
“At its best, Ginsberg’s poetry is mystically transcendent, caustically burning, or brutally candid. It takes one on a journey to scenic places and through a turbulent time. History is embedded in these journals because so much of Ginsberg’s subject matter is a reaction to what was going on in America at the time: politically – legally / judicially, and diplomatically.”
Jack Kerouac‘s St Petersburg, Florida house (we’ve reported on this before) has acquired a new owner – William Burchenal, retired college professor, and his wife Gina, who purchased the 1,760-square-foot home from Flip Side (the company that bought it last June), for a reported $360,000. Read that story here
Speaking of Beatdom, Beatdom‘s publishing arm announces the forthcoming publication of an intriguing new William Burroughs book – Chris Kelso‘s Burroughs and Scotland – Dethroning The Ancients. See here
Miguel Algarin RIP – mourning the loss this week of one of the true trail-blazers of Latin American culture and New York City culture. Neil Genzlinger’s obituary notice in the New York Times may be read here
(and a follow-up article on Miguel and the Nuyorican Poets Cafe – here)