"A Quest Among the Bewildered" is Wulf Zendik's first full-length work, written at the artistic height of the Beat Generation. More than 40 years later, this tough, witty, semi-autobiographical take on the madness surging through the veins of modern day culture still hits home like a hammer blow—detailing one man's search for Love and integrity in a sea of lies, loneliness and deceit. Written in riveting free-form prose, this is Art on the edge, a live-wire ride into the psyche of a deeply human, deeply humane genius.
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Editorial Reviews
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"...an outraged howl against the forces of hypocrisy. Nobody writes books like this anymore...and that's a damned shame." -- John Clausen, Author
"The book's strongest point may be its timeless sheen; its words seem Scotchgarded against theoretical dust." -- Hunter Pope, Mountain Xpress Magazine - Asheville, North Carolina
"The book's strongest point may be its timeless sheen; its words seem Scotchgarded against theoretical dust." -- Hunter Pope, Mountain Xpress Magazine - Asheville, North Carolina
About the Author
Wulf Zendik (1920-1999) was a primal, pragmatic visionary who refused to treat Art and Life as separate events. Throughout a lifetime that spanned the vast and sprawling twentieth century, from the age of the Model T to the age of artificial intelligence, Wulf brought his keen, heretical eye to the culture of his birth. With piercing insight and imagination, he revealed the root cause of a corrupt society, ultimately charting the way out of the mind-numbing mental prison that surrounds us all.
Wulf’s life and art were a process of mutual discovery, a masterful combination of aesthetics and integrity. With the aching beauty of "A Quest Among the Bewildered", he began a high-blown philosophic pursuit which continued on through the fire, fury and sensuality of "Blackhawk: The Last American Warrior" and the epic grandeur of "Zendik". Poet, novelist, musician, essayist, orator and inventor—Wulf Zendik’s tremendous legacy includes the open-ended concepts of Ecolibrium (ecological equilibrium) and Creavolution (creative evolution)—which together form the basis of a new way of living on Planet Earth. Zendik Farm, the cooperative artists’ culture which was Wulf’s home and creation, continues to thrive as the living embodiment of his benevolent ideals.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Real as Steel,
By
This review is from: A Quest Among the Bewildered (Paperback)
When I was first introduced to this book, I was told that Wulf Zendik came out of the Beat Generation, and thus, his writing style is reflecting of the artistic product of that time. In fact, the person that literally handed this book over to me described Zendik by comparing him to Jack Kerouac. Although I like Kerouac, I've always felt that Kerouac's work lacked something; perhaps an underlying purpose, or mission. In reading 'A Quest Among The Bewildered' I was struck by Zendik's heart. Zendik writes freely, yet his work in this book always remains connected to some unspoken doctrine of values (a doctrine that so many individuals around the world are harboring, or seeking to reconnect with - especially in these turbulent times). I am trying to avoid labeling this book (since it effortlessly defies labeling) but for the sake of this review, I'll say that Zendik was a literary artist with great talent who sought to utilize his talent as a catalyst for the emergence of a better world. Personally, I feel that Zendik was far more than any Beat poet ever amounted to... because he wrote with a purpose. A Quest Among The Bewildered is a poetically heartfelt search for something sacred in a reality still tragically dominated by corrosive superficialities. Richard Joseph
11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
bewildered ain't worth it,
By
This review is from: A Quest Among the Bewildered (Paperback)
I am interested in the beat generation but this book turned out a big disapointment, So he name-drops Allen Ginsberg and Gregory Corso: big deal. The disconnected prose, evocations of wanderings and singing birds, self-conscious cussing, obligatory sex is all clearly meant to break new ground but this guy was treading a well-worn path even in the 50's. I guess he wanted to be a part of what turned out to be an important literary movement, so that's why he's publishing now. I think he missed the point. He's as preachy as the uptight culture he claims to be angered by & sorrowing for, and it gets OLD fast. If you want the real thing, read some real poets with a little human understanding, like Bukowski or Amiri Baraka or William Blake. Zendik writes the truth for once when he quotes Ginsberg's critique of this book: "I don't like being shouted at." This unedited sludge-of-consciousness isn't worth the effort of figuring out what unoriginal thoughts the author might be trying to ram down our throats.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Honest, Powerful and True...",
By dennis Holcombe (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Quest Among the Bewildered (Paperback)
I agree that this is the best thing I've yet read by a Beat Author - I'd love to have been at those places, met those people and witnessed the scenes described by Zendik. The writing style is so moving and poetic. His revelations and observations about love, romance, sex, the women he was with and the artists he knew are a missing piece of true history about that time and place. Just going through those experiences would change anyone, but the courage to go forward in pursuit of those ideals, that's what gives me courage in my life to believe in my own possibilities. And the possibilities for humanity.Definitely the most honest powerful book I've ever read, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to "think outside the box". Zendik writes with a great hunger to express, but precisely, and with generous wit - always with the willingness to turn the penetrating look on himself. I found myself identifying with the feelings and attitudes described, and more than a few times it struck me how absolutely true it is that everybody has these types of thoughts and feelings... If you're a fan of Henry Miller, J.D. Salinger, Hunter Thompson or Kurt Vonnegut - I recommend this book to you... this is a fierce piece of work...
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