The "Beat Generation" that emerged after World War II and reached its zenith in the 1960s represented an era of new perspectives. The questioning, anti-establishment view of the world prevalent among the various members of the Beat Movement found its voice in both novels and poetry. The novels especially, or what might be called underground narratives, were a driving force within the literary and social and cultural revolution that characterized the Beats. This study of the American novel during that era presents the forerunners of the literary tradition of the Beats and examines the major genres of the Beat novel: the juvenile delinquent novel, the self-discovering novel of individuality, the gay novel, the drug novel, the new journalism, and novels taking on topics of defiance and submission. From novels that have found a mainstream acceptance, like The Blackboard Jungle, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, and On the Road, to lesser-known works like Go, Young Adam, and Flee the Angry Strangers, numerous representative works are examined in depth. Also included is a chronology of underground narratives, showing the development of these novels from their early twentieth century antecedents to current works.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
While the Beat Generation receives generous attention in this scholarly study, the book's focus is actually on a broader topic, something Newhouse (English, SUNY at Buffalo) calls "the underground narrative." For purposes of discussion, he breaks this down into several subgenres: the juvenile delinquent novel, the self-discovering novel of individuality, the gay novel, the drug novel, and the new journalism. The book reads like a revised doctoral dissertation, with Newhouse's thesis being "that the impulse for liberation existed in the wider cultural experience of the time and was represented in a variety of narratives, not just in a handful of Beat works." To make this point, the author examines Nelson Algren, Irving Shulman, John Rechy, Hubert Selby Jr., and Ken Kesey, among others, and offers a chronology of underground narratives. His thesis aside, Newhouse is receptive to Beat writers and generally appreciative of their influence on American literature and culture. Recommended for academic libraries.DWilliam Gargan, Brooklyn Coll. Lib., CUNY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
About the Author
Thomas Newhouse, Department of English at Buffalo State College, has also written numerous journal articles on American literature and popular culture. He lives in Buffalo, New York.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
TRULY A GODSEND!!!!!,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Beat Generation and the Popular Novel in the United States, 1945-1970 (Paperback)
I was waiting to be disappointed by this book, as many authors have tried to tackle this extremely eccentric topic in our history. BOY, WAS I WRONG!!!!! The world Newhouse is able to send you to is loaded with extreme detail, surprises, and straightforward rigorous research. This book rocks!!!
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