A Different Beat: Writing by Women of the Beat Generation (High Risk Books) (Paperback)

by Richard Peabody (Editor) "I saw him for the second time in Mary's arms..." (more)
Key Phrases: ruth weiss, sad young men, New York, New Jersey, Pittsburgh John (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Although the Beat Generation was largely fueled by male camaraderie, the role of women in the movement has become a hot topic of late. Peabody's work, which follows close on the heels of Brenda Knight's Women of the Beat Generation (LJ 10/1/96), covers many of the same writers, including Joyce Johnson, Hettie Jones, Diane DiPrima, and Jan Kerouac. With the exception of Leo Skir's moving essay on Elise Cowen, however, there is minimal overlap because each work presents different selections by the featured authors. This anthology is the more valuable for showcasing work by less-celebrated writers like Bonnie Bremser and Fran Landesman and for providing excerpts from unpublished memoirs by two of Jack Kerouac's ex-wives, Frankie "Edie" Parker and Joan Haverty. This well-balanced anthology, which should focus more attention on Beat women, is recommended for all literature collections.?William Gargan, Brooklyn Coll. Lib., CUNY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
This anthology gathers the Beat-period writings of 26 women who were often overshadowed by their male contemporaries, but whose art both shaped the Beat aesthetic and laid the cornerstone for the outlaw female artists of today. Among the featured writers are Jan Kerouac, Joan Haverty Kerouac, Eileen Kaufman, Diane Di Prima, Ruth Weiss, and many others.

Product Details

• Paperback: 275 pages
• Publisher: Serpent's Tail (July 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852424311
• ISBN-13: 978-1852424312
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #941,672 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beatific Collection!, April 2, 2000

By A Customer

Although, most beat anthologies focus mainly on the works of male beat writers; "A Different Beat" provides an excellent source of women who were writing during the Beat Movement. This book is a testament that women were involved in the Beat Movement, and they were not merely watching "their men" from the sidelines. They were expressing themselves through their prose and poetry. I started to give this book four stars for providing a broad (yet sadly, still incomplete) selection of women who were active in the Beat Movement. However, since Elise Cowen's poetry was included in this anthology, I had to give it one more star. If you are interested in "beatnik" writers, this book is definitely something you should pick up.

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Richard Peabody Provides Grand Overlooked Collection, May 15, 2000

By	John Osander (Author: "Country Matters" & "Call Me Kick!") - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Richard Peabody, whose own writing and editing receives too little attention, has here provided a varied and rich collection of often unknown named woman writers whose words echo back to a time we cannot forget. In many ways their views and sensibilities advance our understanding of their time and individual condition more than their more known male contemporaries. Peabody has provided another service to readers as he does with his series "Gargoyles" and his soon to be available novella "Sugar Mountain."