Though the bulk of their work was created in the 1950s, the artists of the Beat Generation have seen their mythologies only grow in subsequent decades. In particular, the feverish ruminations of writers/poets Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William Burroughs are now considered essentials of American literature. Along with fringe figures like Neil Cassady, the Beats are credited with making a stark break from the stifling mores of past generations as they embarked on a quest for personal liberation (and hedonistic pleasures). Far from a joyride, however, Beat works are littered with jealousy, insecurity, exhaustion, and addiction. The complexity of the Beat legacy, including virtues and vices, has taken on a particularly... More >>>