In this fourth episode of Season 2, we celebrate Beat Generation writer Jack Kerouac who died 50 years ago this month and whose legendary novel, “ On the Road,” which encapsulated the Beat Generation was published 62 years ago in September.
We feature a performance of his with Steve Allen in 1959 and a bit of humor about Beat culture from Del Close and John Brent as well as an episode of " Mr. Know It All," from "The Bullwinkle Show" that takes a funny angle on "How To Be A Beatnik."
Plus, we’ll catch up with modern Beat writer PW Covington who is on the road “committing poetry” away from his casita in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Covington was a juried poet recently at the Houston Poetry Fest.
We also discuss legendary poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti who celebrated his 100th birthday in March and is the founder of City Lights Books in San Francisco.
And we’ll hear an inspiring Arizona road story as we meet Carlos Acedo who plans to bike from Camp Verde to New Mexico next year.
We also get an education from Brian K. Goodman, assistant professor of literature at ASU. He's working on a book about literary dissent and the Cold War with a chapter on the Beats and their influence behind the Iron Curtain, specifically in Prague.
In addition to a length discussion about Kerouac, other important names connected to the Beat Generation include Allen Ginsberg, Joyce Johnson, Hettie Jones, Anne Waldman and Diane di Prima.
