Lawrence Ferlinghetti has died. An era closes.

[nolabear]

Yes, he was very old. He was also one of the most influential people in literature, ever. I hope people remember him with the respect he’s due.

Link to tweet

?s=12

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. He was pivotal for the Beat Generation.

[msongs]

2. one notices there is not non-stop coverage of this. nt

[frazzled]

3. Truly

He influenced so many West Coast writers and visual artists of the era, and of course, publishing Ginsburg’s Howl was a gift to civilization at large.

I remember sitting on my bed at age 18 or 19 reading A Coney Island of the Mind, and I can still remember the look of the paperback cover.

[PittBlue]

19. I bought both of those titles at the college bookstore

back in the day. Still have both copies...I must have read them a hundred times.

[panader0]

36. Me too. Still have them.

Also, every book Kerouac wrote, and many more beat writers.

[Demovictory9]

4. lots on him on youtube

[scarletwoman]

5. Respect always. Good journey, Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

I attended an in person reading of his, decades ago when I was in college - late 60s. Was blown away back then, and loved him since.

[madaboutharry]

6. 101 years old.

He certainly lived an interesting life. RIP

[Retrograde]

7. He founded City Lights books in San Francisco

A friend, who grew up around the corner in Chinatown, asked me once if I had ever heard of it. He was astonished to know it was world-famous: he always thought of it as the neighborhood bookstore where they let the little Chinese boy sit quietly in the corner and read!

[IcyPeas]

8. A Coney Island of the mind 9

See
it was like this when
we waltz into this place
a couple of Papish cats
is doing an Aztec two-step
And I says
Dad let's cut
but then this dame
comes up behind me see
and says
You and me could really exist
Wow I says
Only the next day
she has bad teeth
and really hates
poetry

[ancianita]

11. He and Shelley were my favorite poets in high school. I dug his "Dog" from Coney Island of the Mind

Damn, Lawrence! Way to live so long!

[Wild blueberry]

9. All respect

Rest in peace

[MineralMan]

10. I met him once, in 1963.

I went into City Lights bookstore in San Francisco and ended up picking out one of his books, "Her." I read the first few pages in the store and decided to buy it. When I took it to the cash register, the man behind the register said, "Good choice. Want me to sign it for you? I wrote it." So, I said, "Sure."

I was 18 years old, and had never actually heard of him. The book turned out to be weirdly wonderful. Somewhere in my life's journey, though, it was lost. Too bad, although he signed his books all the time in City Lights. It was his store, after all.

I'm probably one of not all that many people who read that book, which inspired me to write a poem of the same name that ended up being published in an poetry anthology.

[turbinetree]

12. Do you still have that signed book?

[MineralMan]

13. No. As I said, it got lost somewhere as I rambled around

through my life. Wish I still had it.

I remember it, though. It was completely unlike any writing I had ever encountered. A wake-up moment for a future writer.

[turbinetree]

18. I missed that part of it being lost, that really is a bummer

It is amazing how one can remember an author and forever be linked to them in some form or fashion.
I have poster that was signed by Bob Seidemann while I was out at an air show in China Lake, Ca, 1989. he was at the booth with his book and a poster, and it is about "Airplane As Art", he is the same man that designed some of the album covers like Blind Faith first album cover, he passed away in 2017, what is remarkable is that he graduated from a Aviation Trade school in New York

[NBachers]

14. Well, shit. I'm not far from City Lights now. I'll have to make a pilgrimage this afternoon.

[LuckyLib]

20. Do it! One of the best bookstores ever, along with Strand in NYC,

Powell’s in Portland, and McLeod’s in Vancouver BC. Places to get lost in!

[nolabear]

21. Blow him a kiss for me. Hell, for all poets everywhere.

[byronius]

15. Super sad.

I loved his book explaining quantum physics to ordinary people. What a powerful figure.

[OMGWTF]

26. Re: your avatar, I met Abbie Hoffman at a bar in Cleveland where he was speaking

about a year before he killed himself. I bought him a beer and he signed my copy of "Steal This Book" (that I stole from my brother). It's one of my prized possessions and memories.

[electric_blue68]

32. Woah...

have I forgotten, or did I miss that he, AB, committed suicide?!

[byronius]

39. That was a dark day indeed.

However -- right after H.W Bush took office -- who was Nixon's CIA man -- Abbie was found dead of an overdose in his bed under the covers with his shoes on -- with an open window -- and no one who lived with him believed he did it. He had big plans that year.

Hmmm. It's always bugged me. He was viciously hated by the pre-Magas.

I loved him.

[electric_blue68]

40. Hmm That does seems questionable

[byronius]

38. I met him in Boulder during the Kerouac Conference.

Got to see him debate Allen Ginsberg.

Abbie shaped my politics heavily.

[sheilahi]

16. Tears

RIP Dear Mr Ferlinghetti. Your poetry has meant so much in my life. Coney Island of the Mind, my go to book of poetry. Absolutely brilliant. Favorite line ever, "America, my country tears of thee". You'll be missed

[SergeStorms]

17. Wow, he was big back in the 60s.

Ferlinghetti, Ginsberg...they were huge in the 60s counterculture. RIP gentle soul.

[NNadir]

22. I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness...

He didn't write it but he published it. Eventually it made a difference.

Of course I'm not entirely sure Allen Ginsberg actually saw the best minds of his generation but neither have I.

I loved Diprima's Calculus of Variations, probably because at the time I didn't know calculus.

City Lights was fun in its time. It's good he led a long life, one well worth living.

I'm surprised to learn he was still around. RiP.

[Ferrets are Cool]

23. Flags at half mast???

Makes more sense than the other one.

Now I feel evil for mentioning both of them in the same post.


RIP LF

[Bradshaw3]

24. City Lights was a must stop place when I visited SF

Always hoped to see him there but never did. The Beats were and still are so influential in our culture. He was the last but the beat goes on.

[BobTheSubgenius]

25. We had a somewhat underground movie theater in Vancouver.

It showed things like 200 Motels and Putney Swope. It was named as a tribute to one of LF's contributions to "new culture" or "beat culture," or however you want to label it.

City Lights, of course.

Smooth sailing, Lawrence. You were a true original, and so, so important in shaping the whole culture.

[Turin_C3PO]

35. I'm a Zappa fan

but haven’t seen 200 motels! I’ve always wanted to though.

[jmowreader]

37. It will make you feel chemically altered even if you're not

[jeffreyi]

42. It's on Amazon Prime at the moment...

Watched part of it last night.

[Turin_C3PO]

43. Thanks for telling me!

I have Amazon Prime, I’m gonna have to check it out today.

[XanaDUer2]

27. Not a word on msnbc nt

[Hekate]

28. Oh! A giant has passed....

[Hekate]

29. Maybe if we all drop a line to Rachel this afternoon, she'll mention Ferlinghetti tonight....

It’s a thought.

[nolabear]

33. Good idea.

[DemoTex]

30. How sad. Such a gentle soul.

Gary Snyder, the Pulitzer-winning Beat Poet remains .. at age 90. Any others? I cannot think of any.

[nolabear]

34. Not many if any. I actually had dinner with Diane Di Prima once.

Not that I had anything to do with it. I have a friend who loved and interviewed the Beats and other “modern” poets from back in the day. She was in Seattle for an event and we all sat around and basked. I enjoyed being a nobody at the table. 😄

[electric_blue68]

31. Thanks for the CL Bookshop photo. I went there when I visited 🥰 San Fransisco.

[jeffreyi]

41. City Lights was a cool bookstore.