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Beatitude [Paperback]

Larry Closs
4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

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Book Description

October 18, 2011
New York City, 1995: Harry Charity is a sensitive young loner haunted by a disastrous affair when he meets Jay Bishop, an outgoing poet and former Marine. Propelled by a shared fascination with the unfettered lives of Jack Kerouac and the Beat Generation, the two are irresistibly drawn together, even as Jay's girlfriend, Zahra, senses something deeper developing.

Reveling in their discovery of the legendary scroll manuscript of Kerouac's On the Road in the vaults of the New York Public Library, Harry and Jay embark on a nicotine-and-caffeine-fueled journey into New York's smoky jazz joints, dusty rare-book shops and thriving poetry scene of slams and open-mike nights.

An encounter with "Howl" poet Allen Ginsberg shatters their notions of what it means to be Beat but ultimately and unexpectedly leads them into their own hearts where they're forced to confront the same questions that confounded their heroes: What do you do when you fall for someone who can't fall for you? What do you do when you're the object of affection? What must you each give up to keep the other in your life?

Beatitude features two previously unpublished poems by Allen Ginsberg.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A daring, honest writer with a gritty urban flair."

--David Amram, composer, conductor, musician

"There is a thrill when you read something so real, so true, that you're never taken out of the moment by a contrived line or joke. You're there, in that moment with the characters, living that life. That's why we read in the first place."

—Conor Grennan, author of Little Princes

"A sharp, smart novel with a human voice, driven by a dialogue that is convincing and engaging. It's an authentic contemporary account, enlightened by appealing details about the Beat Generation writers."

—Dr. Simon Warner, editor of Howl for Now


"An endearing debut novel about aspects of love and connection set against the continuing legacy of the Beat Generation."

—John McFarland, Shelf Awareness


"Beatitude, simply put, is an exceptionally well-written debut that explores love in all its varied forms."

--Lori Hettler, The Next Best Book Blog

About the Author

Larry Closs is a New Yorker who often wanders far from home. He has been a national writer, editor, photographer and videographer for nearly 20 years.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Rebel Satori Press (October 18, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1608640299
  • ISBN-13: 978-1608640294
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,127,452 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Larry Closs is a New Yorker who often wanders far from home.

For more information, visit: www.larrycloss.com


Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Striving for a state of Beatitude January 24, 2012
By jrav
Format:Paperback
I have lived in this city/ 25 years/ and all that time/ I have dropped things./ I've dropped/ tissues,/ letters from women/ in Santa Fe, N.M.,/ money,/ the keys to my house,/ books by/ Jacques Prevert./ And all this time,/ you,/ the people of this/ city, have pointed / to me, and said,/ "Hey!" "Sir!" "You!/ You dropped something!"/ and then I've picked it up./ You have watched/ over me all these/ years,/ and I've waited till/ now to thank you."

- Sparrow

Isn't that a lovely poem and sentiment? It feels so uniquely New York and fits Beatitude perfectly as Harry Charity seems to be waiting - waiting to write, waiting for love, waiting for friendship. Harry is a writer, a fan of Jack Kerouac, and a lonely man trying to get over a failed relationship. Jay, a poet and former Marine, shares Harry's affinity for the beat generation, and the novel is presumably about the men's journey uncovering the multi-layered meanings of the beats. But similar to the relationships between the famous trio - Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Burroughs - Harry and Jay's relationship is complex. Harry is gay; Jay is not (though at times his sexuality seemed fluid, which confused both Harry and me). Harry has a history of falling in love with emotionally unavailable men, and the novel explores his past relationships as well as his navigation of his friendship with Jay and Zahra, Jay's girlfriend.

At times, I wanted to smack Harry upside the head. I don't have much patience with men or women who are down on themselves and who continually fall for people who are downright cruel. [Harry's former boyfriend repeatedly takes complete advantage of him.] However, I also sympathized with him. As an older, single man living in New York, he's intensely lonely, living only with his cat Flannery. I certainly don't understand giving tenth and eleventh and twelfth chances to a partner, but I can understand loving someone whether or not that love is returned. Love ain't easy.

I think, too, that it is very difficult sometimes to withstand an intellectual attraction. Harry and Jay are passionate about Jack Kerouac and the other beats, hunting down the original scroll of On the Road, looking for first editions of his books, seeking out an interview with Ginsberg, and looking for typewriters to create a manuscript much like the beats themselves. It's heady stuff, and it's easy to see why Harry would be swept away by Jay.

Obviously, Kerouac and crew are prevalent as well, and I must say, I've never been a fan of the hedonistic beats, but Closs offered a different viewpoint: "[B]eatitude was also the word Kerouac used to describe the real meaning of Beat. He felt that Beat meant beatific, not down and out. To be Beat was to be in love with life, to exist in a state of beatitude, to exist in a state of unconditional bliss." When I've taught the beats in my American Lit classes, I find students are rarely able to relate to that sort of passion and in-the-moment "bliss." Frankly, I've always found it difficult to understand. But that passage made it come together for me.

Beatitude. It's what Harry strives for, and watching his struggle is both edifying and humbling.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A modern beat novel December 22, 2011
Format:Paperback
I liked this novel a lot, and for a couple of reasons. First, it is well-written. Closs demonstrates a clear command of narration, dialogue, and detail. As a result, the story is both believable and engaging. Second, Closs skillfully weaves together a modern love story with a Beat Generation subplot, and it works. Along the way, we learn some things about human nature as well.

If you're a Kerouac fan, or a Beat Generation fan in general, and you're looking for your next modern novel, I highly recommend Beatitude by Larry Closs.

One bellwether for a good read is that it inspires you to do even more reading (or writing). As soon as I finished Beatitude, I wanted to keep reading and I was still hungry for a beat love story. So, I am now starting Maggie Cassidy by Jack Kerouac. It's one of the only Kerouac novels I haven't yet read. Thanks for the inspiration, Larry!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful and riveting novel November 1, 2011
Format:Paperback
This exciting book moves like the wind--it's mostly dialogue--and is filled with passion, youthful exuberance and a dose of heartbreaking, unrequited love. It chronicles a wedge of time in protagonist Harry Charity's life when he meets Jay Bishop at work, and the two pursue their mutual passion of all things Beat, meeting fascinating characters along the way.

You don't have to know anything about the Beat Generation to like this book: Harry and Jay make Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and the rest come to life. I read the book in two days, but I can't get it out of my head.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Review: Beatitude by Larry Closs
Title: Beatitude
Author: Larry Closs
Cover Artist: John Barrow and Anthony Freda
Publisher: Rebel Satori Press
Reviewer: Monika
Genre: Contemporary... Read more
Published 24 days ago by World of Diversity Fiction
5.0 out of 5 stars Passion For the Beat
Beatitude is an honest story of passion from start to finish with a soundtrack from the Beat poets on many levels. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Davida
5.0 out of 5 stars The Beat Generation Live On
Review:

When I first picked up this book I honestly had no idea what the Beat Generation was. Read more
Published 11 months ago by The Paperback Pursuer
5.0 out of 5 stars Beatitude by Larry Closs
Beatitude is not a romance but this doesn't mean is not a love story. It's the story of two men, Harry and Jay, who become friends thanks to their common love for everything that... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Elisa
5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful, compassionate, beautiful...Beatitude
I wanted to like this book, however I didn't. I loved it on many intricate levels. How a writer can pull a reader through a book, delivering timeless messages, interwoven story... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Artboy11211
5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly universal
I sat and read this book in 2 sittings. The storyline and narrative theme of the writing drew me in and the characters came to life. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Faten T
5.0 out of 5 stars An engaging read serves up a powerful message
"It was only a matter of time, I told myself, before everything fell into place. It was only a matter of time, however, before everything fell apart" - Beatitude... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Ben A.
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