The Selected Letters of Allen Ginsberg and Gary Snyder 1956-1991

Brief Description: One of the central relationships in the Beat scene was the long-lasting friendship of Allen Ginsberg and Gary Snyder. Ginsberg introduced Snyder to the East Coast Beat writers, including Jack Kerouac, while Snyder himself became the model for the serious poet that Ginsberg so wanted to become. Snyder encouraged Ginsberg to explore the beauty of the West Coast and, even more lastingly, introduced Ginsberg to Buddhism, the subject of so many long letter exchanges between them. Beginning in 1956 and continuing through 1991, the two men exchanged more than 850 letters. Bill Morgan, Ginsberg's biographer and an important editor of his papers, has selected the most significant correspondence from this long friendship. The letters themselves paint the biographical and poetic portraits of two of America's most important--and most fascinating--poets. Robert Hass' insightful introduction discusses the lives of these two major poets and their enriching and moving relationship. Review Citations:

New York Times Book Review 01/11/2009 pg. 15 (EAN 9781582434445, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:  Morgan, Bill Bill Morgan is the author and editor of more than a dozen books about the Beat writers, including the acclaimed biography, "I Celebrate Myself: The Somewhat Private Life of Allen Ginsberg". For nearly forty years he has worked as an editor and archival consultant for nearly every member of the Beat Generation including Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Jack Kerouac, Gary Snyder, Michael McClure, Diane Di Prima, Gregory Corso, William S. Burroughs, and Edie Kerouac. He lives in Vermont.