Beat Spirit: The Way of the Beat Writers As a Living Experience

Rating:
Summary: A bible
Review: An amazing account of how to get in touch with the Beatnick within. Do these exercises with a friend, a companion, and you will exit the experience closer than ever. Ash is a true lunatic, and brings to the exercises he proposes a true zest for living life. A must have for anyone wanting to enjoy each day to the fullest extent.

Rating:
Summary: great beat resource
Review: I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Beat philosophy. It won't give you a sense of the literature but it will provide a comprehensive and highly engaging introduction to the ideas that inspired the movement. The book is organized in sections by author so you'll get a fairly comprehensive understanding of one figure's perspective (and quirks!) before you move on to the next. There are plenty of bibliographical references so when you find someone you really relate to, you can go on to delve into their writing. And you'll be prepared to more fully appreciate what you go on to read because you'll be aware of the author's major ideas. This book is designed to be used in conjunction with the reader's own "Beat Journal" so it will get you writing. It'll introduce you to some useful techniques to get words on the page (even if you have writer's block) and maybe even see your life in a different light while you're at it.

Rating:
Summary: great beat resource
Review: I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Beat philosophy. It won't give you a sense of the literature but it will provide a comprehensive and highly engaging introduction to the ideas that inspired the movement. The book is organized in sections by author so you'll get a fairly comprehensive understanding of one figure's perspective (and quirks!) before you move on to the next. There are plenty of bibliographical references so when you find someone you really relate to, you can go on to delve into their writing. And you'll be prepared to more fully appreciate what you go on to read because you'll be aware of the author's major ideas. This book is designed to be used in conjunction with the reader's own "Beat Journal" so it will get you writing. It'll introduce you to some useful techniques to get words on the page (even if you have writer's block) and maybe even see your life in a different light while you're at it.

Rating:
Summary: A bible
Review: I was a little skeptical, but there I was in my Beat period, snarfing up all the info I could get, and this book seemed like a good bet. Got it, started to read, and more to the point, tried some of the exercises. Within a week I found myself writing more freely, saying more things I'd been wanting to say. I don't necessarily think this book is going to make your life better, or even your writing, but if you take the exercises (some of them; some just seem sort of silly) to heart and really give them a chance, you just might find your mind opening up to what the beat spirit was all about.

Rating:
Summary: A pleasant surprise
Review: I was a little skeptical, but there I was in my Beat period, snarfing up all the info I could get, and this book seemed like a good bet. Got it, started to read, and more to the point, tried some of the exercises. Within a week I found myself writing more freely, saying more things I'd been wanting to say. I don't necessarily think this book is going to make your life better, or even your writing, but if you take the exercises (some of them; some just seem sort of silly) to heart and really give them a chance, you just might find your mind opening up to what the beat spirit was all about.

Rating:
Summary: A Fun Way to Spend A Few Months
Review: Overachiever that I am, I intended to finish all of the exercises in one week and declare myself the greatest beatnik of all time. Too bad, too sad. Greatness cannot be achieved in one week when it comes to this workbook, but a lot of mischief can definitely be accomplished. Every time I sense myself getting caught back up in the normalcy of my life, this book is a great answer to boredom. Open up, and there you have it - an assignment to write a slogan, get naked, revolt, or be in love with yr life. Not a cover to cover read by any means, but an experience for those willing to let their hair down, pull out a black turtleneck, and live a little beat for themselves.