As 2006 approaches it’s end, I can’t help but feel nostalgic.  This year marks the 50th anniversary of Allen Ginsberg’s publication of "Howl". It’s hard to believe that it’s almost been ten years since Ginsberg passed on! We've lost several great poets and writer's of the Beat Generation during the last decade, including: William Burroughs, Robert Creeley, Gregory Corso, and Timothy Leary.

Fortunately, most of them lived into their seventies and eighties. These writers gave something special to the American collegiate and the American underdog - outlaw literature and inspiration.

Because these writers have always been a part of the American 'underground' culture, many 'beat films' and recordings are almost impossible to find. Perhaps, this is why the Beat Box Set is so appealing. It's one of those rare gifts that you'll never find on the shelves of your local music and movie retailer.
 

To be honest, I didn't even know that the box set was on the market. It's been around since 1998, but it wasn't marketed very heavily. What a shame!

Recorded on 5 VHS tapes with a total run time of 318 minutes, the Beat Box Set offers interviews, performances, and films by William Burroughs,  Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Jack Kerouac, Gregory Corso, Michael McClure, Allen Ginsberg, and Timothy Leary.

If you lived throughout the Beat Generation, these tapes will take you for a trip (no pun intended) down memory lane. They make a wonderfully unique gift for the contemporary literature fan, outlaw poet, beatnik, student, or anyone interested in the 1950’s beatnik movement.

Beat Box Set / Documentary

Posted by Melody