Product Description

Allen Ginsberg was one of the bravest and most admired poets of this century. Famous for energizing the Beat Generation literary movement upon his historic encounter with Gregory Corso, Jack Kerouac, and William Burroughs in mid-century New York City, Ginsberg influenced several generations of writers, musicians, and poets. When he died on April 5, 1997, we lost one of the greatest figures of twentieth-century American literary and cultural history. This singular volume of final poems commemorated the anniversary of Ginsberg's death, and includes the verses he wrote in the years shortly before he died.

In the title poem of Death & Fame, Ginsberg ponders his life, and, in his own inimitable way, how he would like his funeral arranged and who would be there. He reflects on his life as a celebrity, contemplating past lovers, friends, and fans. In "The Ballad of the Skeletons," Ginsberg shares his always unsettling and controversial thoughts on America's political and social systems. "Things I'll Not Do (Nostalias)," the most poignant poem in the collection, was written just six days before he died. Ginsberg ruminates on the people, places, and events that held importance for him but that he will leave behind. In all of the poems, Ginsberg's signature style and unique perspective are remarkably present as we are allowed one last glimpse into the workings of his mind.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2339514 in Books
• Published on: 1999-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 116 pages

From Publishers Weekly
There has never been an American poet as public as Ginsberg. He bared?and dared?all: as Beat, as bohemian, as gay man, as Buddhist, left-winger, East Village stroller?greeting all with messages of peace, dissent and sex. Despite his unorthodoxies, he belonged very much to a culture he helped build. Above all he was a survivor (unlike many of his compatriots), a seemingly eternal and yet contemporary voice always fresh with headlines. This volume, to be published on the second anniversary of his death, is no throwaway compendium of scattered verses. Rather, it is a perfect capstone to a noble life; the authentic, unmistakably Ginsbergian nature of its themes ("God"; "Excrement"; "Butterfly Mind") mixes effortlessly with remarkably intimate renderings of his approaching death. Though diabetes and heart problems plagued his last years, Ginsberg was not told of his metastasizing liver cancer till a week before he succumbed, during which time he worked on his last poem, "Things I'll Not Do (Nostalgias)," which poignantly lists friends and places and dreamscapes that will be forever unvisited by him. Robert Creeley's short foreword is a dissertation in abstract, reminding us of the inimitable Ginsberg cadences?"no poet more heard, more respected, more knew the intricacies of melody's patterns." It is "the last mind," says Creeley, of "the enduring friend." And no friend of Ginsberg's will be without this book; no friend of American poetry should be either.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
"If you've an ounce of strength, use it to look inside," Ginsberg says in a 1996 poem, written as his health was failing. Chronologically arranged and judiciously edited, this volume collects poems from January 1993 through March 1997. Built around Ginsberg's trademark concerns, we find explicit homosexual erotica, with parts of the body that are usually kept hidden brought to the forefront. But Ginsberg's tenderness and caring is also much in evidence, as in "New Stanzas for Amazing Grace," a song reaching out to the homeless. In 21 poems written during the final month of his life, Ginsberg captures the child's sense of enchantment, often turning to whimsical rhyme; whether it's five pages of couplets pointing out CIA involvement in drug wars or giving advice to readers in poetry slams, we're returned to a time when putting words on paper was pure enjoyment (assuming the reader can overlook extensive annotations). Every book by Ginsberg should be in most libraries, but this one is essential.?Rochelle Ratner, formerly with "Soho Weekly News," New York
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Pity the young reader who first encounters the famous Beat poet in this last volume written before his death in 1997. When they read Ginsbergs confession in Is About (Allen Ginsberg is about confused mind writing down newspaper/headlines from Mars), they wont know whether to laugh or feel sorry for this self-proclaimed pederast and Beat icon. Certainly, new readers wont realize that this entire collection is nothing less than an endless (and unintentional) parody of every form and trope from Ginsbergs long career. There are: the political rants about the CIA and repressive Amerika (Reverse the rain of terror on street consciousness U.S.A.); the quasi-Buddhist chantverse (Catholicism capish/Catholicism capish/Catholicism abortion capish/Capish capish capish); the biblical-Whitmanesque, long-line verse (Walking with aching back at base of spine, walked stiffly to kitchen/toilet to pee); the long, breathless bop prosody; and lots of childlike ditties and silly songs that prove once and for all that Ginsberg is not the second-coming of Blake. The title poem, a grandiose vision of his own funeral, catalogues his many lovers and samples the countless readers hes influenced. Old age and impending death inspire much scatology (Shit machine shit machine/Im an incredible shit machine), none of it Swiftian. Further evidence that the Beat Generation is a sociological phenomenon (not an artistic one) that loses its bite out of its historical context. What might have shocked and entertained in the '50s, here seems the sad and pathetic ravings of a dirty old man. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

a sad ending to a great poet
I thought long and hard about what to say about this final collection of Ginsberg's. As a poet, he was one of the best, and it is out of sentiment and respect that made me want to like his final poems. But in reality, they do not stand up to his former work. I almost find it hard to believe that this is the same man who wrote Howl, Kaddish, and others. It was interesting to see what Ginsberg's state of mind was at the end. It would appear that it was mostly scatological thoughts and political ravings. Not that I mind those types of poems, if they are well written. But still, it is a collection that I would recommend for your personal library, if only because it is Ginsberg's last. Though there were some good poems and interesting thoughts in this collection. We will miss Ginsberg.

Ginsberg meets a new subject worthy of his poetry
Ginsberg wrote his greatest works in the fifties although moments of his power were felt later, for example the work 'White Shroud.' He did not find a subject worthy of his powers. The poet/prophet sometimes did seem to waste his insights on matters of transitory importance. Unfortunately, it was his own inpending death that did provide a powerful subject for his pen. Not every poem in this volume is up to the standards he had reached in previous work,but many can be counted among his best poems.

More Notes Than Poems
When one first approaches this book, one can't help but be drawn in by Ginsberg's knowing smile. His life experiences, loves, and tragedies can all be summed up within this book. However, the many monumental poems in this book("Things I Will Not Do", etc.) are spaced apart with lymerics, catchy tunes, and mostly toilet humor. When both reading about Ginsberg, and reviewing his earlier work, a person feels a sense of awe and wonder. A person begins to look upon the world with new eyes. However, I felt a little let down after reading this one. I just felt most of the poems to be far too juvenile, and this really detracts from the over all concept, and sentimentality of the book. I'd really consider this a "half-n'-half" book. Half was good, and half was not. If anyone is looking into this book for a first look into Ginsberg, I strongly advise you read his earlier stuff first.