Reviews
"The Beatsis as fresh and pertinent as the latest scholarly history, only far more entertaining." -Studs Terkel "This lively graphic history spotlights the 1950s youth revolt that said no to conformity and opened the way to a new world of unfettered imagination." -Franklin Rosemont, cofounder of the Chicago Surrealist Group "Capturing the flavor of that poetic era with style and wit, The Beats is a slice of countercultural history that's enhanced by its unique visual format." -Paul Krassner, author ofOne Hand Jerking: Reports from an Investigative Satirist "This graphic history has a grittiness and attention to difficult anecdote that brings a classic American romantic venture, with all its deviant sexual and economic 'crazy wisdom,' down to the gritty realism of pen-and-ink earth." -Edward Sanders, author ofAmerica: A History in Verse, "Editor Paul Buhle's graphic historyThe Beats-with riffs from cats such as Harvey Pekar and Trina Robbins-burns like a Roman candle." -Vanity Fair "The Beatsis as fresh and pertinent as the latest scholarly history, only far more entertaining." -Studs Terkel "A new angle on a familiar story . . . [The Beats] gives the hipsters back their body language. In a book that is largely about license and the enlightened rebel, it is easy to find reflections of both in the graphic form."-John Leland,The New York Times Book Review "Well researched and . . . absorbing." -Richard Pachter,The Miami Herald "Eye-catching . . . An illustrated look back at a very real part of American pop-culture history, when beat culture of the '40s and '50s-sandwiched between the improvisational nature of jazz and the recklessness of rock 'n' roll-began to speak to a part of a generation at odds with mainstream society. One word sums it up: Cool." -Cary Darling,Fort Worth Star-Telegram "The Beats: A Graphic Historyis everything a radical history should be: critical, admiring, quirky and apologetic . . . From cover to cover,The Beatsis a wonderful history of a complicated and misunderstood cultural movement-its achievements, its place in history, its flaws and its brilliance. The graphic novel format is perfect for the subject-straddling the line between respectability and disreputableness just as the Beats themselves did." -Cory Doctorow,BoingBoing "History with a deeper perspective . . . This fearless, substantial history entertains as it uncovers." -Carlo Wolff,The Boston Globe "Combines nuts-and-bolts prose with outstanding art . . .The Beatsmanages to make the scene new again on the sheer strength ofartisticplay." -Richard Gehr,ColumbiaJournalism Review "This lively graphic history spotlights the 1950s youth revolt that said no to conformity and opened the way to a new world of unfettered imagination." -Franklin Rosemont, cofounder of the Chicago Surrealist Group "Capturing the flavor of that poetic era with style and wit, The Beats is a slice of countercultural history that's enhanced by its unique visual format." -Paul Krassner, author ofOne Hand Jerking: Reports from an Investigative Satirist "This graphic history has a grittiness and attention to difficult anecdote that brings a classic American romantic venture, with all its deviant sexual and economic 'crazy wisdom,' down to the gritty realism of pen-and-ink earth." -Edward Sanders, author ofAmerica: A History in Verse "Turns hipster history into a digestible, fun read." -Kathleen Pierce,Lowell Sun(Massachusetts) "At its best, which is quite good indeed,The Beatsreflects the creative energy of the movement it chronicles."-Peter Gutiérrez,Graphic Novel Reporter "The Beatsstands as an ambitiously constructed, clever tribute."-Matthew S, "Editor Paul Buhle's graphic historyThe Beats-with riffs from cats such as Harvey Pekar and Trina Robbins-burns like a Roman candle." -Vanity Fair "The Beatsis as fresh and pertinent as the latest scholarly history, only far more entertaining." -Studs Terkel "This lively graphic history spotlights the 1950s youth revolt that said no to conformity and opened the way to a new world of unfettered imagination." -Franklin Rosemont, cofounder of the Chicago Surrealist Group "Capturing the flavor of that poetic era with style and wit, The Beats is a slice of countercultural history that's enhanced by its unique visual format." -Paul Krassner, author ofOne Hand Jerking: Reports from an Investigative Satirist "This graphic history has a grittiness and attention to difficult anecdote that brings a classic American romantic venture, with all its deviant sexual and economic 'crazy wisdom,' down to the gritty realism of pen-and-ink earth." -Edward Sanders, author ofAmerica: A History in Verse, "Capturing the flavor of that poetic era with style and wit,The Beatsis a slice of countercultural history that's enhanced by its unique visual format." -Paul Krassner, author ofWho's to Say What's Obscene?: Politics, Culture, and Comedy in America Today "This revelatory and exhilarating and funny book not only tells us of the Beat generation, but of a time when we as individuals felt truly free. It is as fresh and pertinent as the latest scholarly history only far more entertaining." -Studs Terkel, "This revelatory and exhilarating and funny book not only tells us of the Beat generation, but of a time when we as individuals felt truly free. It is as fresh and pertinent as the latest scholarly history only far more entertaining." -Studs Terkel, "This graphic historyhas a grittiness and attention to difficult anecdote that brings a classic American romantic venture with all its defiant sexual and economic "crazy wisdom" down to the gritty realism of pen-and-ink earth."-Edward Sanders, author ofAmerica: A History in Verse "This lively graphic history spotlights the 1950s youth revolt that said NO to conformity and opened the way to a new world of unfettered imagination." -Franklin Rosemont, cofounder of the Chicago Surrealist Group and author ofJoe Hill: The IWW & the Making of a Revolutionary Workingclass Counterculture "Capturing the flavor of that poetic era with style and wit,The Beatsis a slice of countercultural history that's enhanced by its unique visual format." -Paul Krassner, author ofWho's to Say What's Obscene?: Politics, Culture, and Comedy in America Today "This revelatory and exhilarating and funny book not only tells us of the Beat generation, but of a time when we as individuals felt truly free. It is as fresh and pertinent as the latest scholarly history only far more entertaining." -Studs Terkel, "Editor Paul Buhle's graphic historyThe Beats-with riffs from cats such as Harvey Pekar and Trina Robbins-burns like a Roman candle." -Vanity Fair "The Beatsis as fresh and pertinent as the latest scholarly history, only far more entertaining." -Studs Terkel "Well researched and . . . absorbing." -Richard Pachter,The Miami Herald "Eye-catching . . . An illustrated look back at a very real part of American pop-culture history, when beat culture of the '40s and '50s-sandwiched between the improvisational nature of jazz and the recklessness of rock 'n' roll-began to speak to a part of a generation at odds with mainstream society. One word sums it up: Cool." -Cary Darling,Fort Worth Star-Telegram "The Beats: A Graphic Historyis everything a radical history should be: critical, admiring, quirky and apologetic . . . From cover to cover,The Beatsis a wonderful history of a complicated and misunderstood cultural movement-its achievements, its place in history, its flaws and its brilliance. The graphic novel format is perfect for the subject-straddling the line between respectability and disreputableness just as the Beats themselves did." -Cory Doctorow,BoingBoing "History with a deeper perspective . . . This fearless, substantial history entertains as it uncovers." -Carlo Wolff,The Boston Globe "Combines nuts-and-bolts prose with outstanding art . . .The Beatsmanages to make the scene new again on the sheer strength ofartisticplay." -Richard Gehr,ColumbiaJournalism Review "This lively graphic history spotlights the 1950s youth revolt that said no to conformity and opened the way to a new world of unfettered imagination." -Franklin Rosemont, cofounder of the Chicago Surrealist Group "Capturing the flavor of that poetic era with style and wit, The Beats is a slice of countercultural history that's enhanced by its unique visual format." -Paul Krassner, author ofOne Hand Jerking: Reports from an Investigative Satirist "This graphic history has a grittiness and attention to difficult anecdote that brings a classic American romantic venture, with all its deviant sexual and economic 'crazy wisdom,' down to the gritty realism of pen-and-ink earth." -Edward Sanders, author ofAmerica: A History in Verse, "Editor Paul Buhle's graphic history The Beats -with riffs from cats such as Harvey Pekar and Trina Robbins-burns like a Roman candle." - Vanity Fair " The Beats is as fresh and pertinent as the latest scholarly history, only far more entertaining." -Studs Terkel "A new angle on a familiar story . . . [ The Beats ] gives the hipsters back their body language. In a book that is largely about license and the enlightened rebel, it is easy to find reflections of both in the graphic form." - John Leland, The New York Times Book Review "Well researched and . . . absorbing." -Richard Pachter, The Miami Herald "Eye-catching . . . An illustrated look back at a very real part of American pop-culture history, when beat culture of the '40s and '50s-sandwiched between the improvisational nature of jazz and the recklessness of rock 'n' roll-began to speak to a part of a generation at odds with mainstream society. One word sums it up: Cool." -Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram "The Beats: A Graphic History is everything a radical history should be: critical, admiring, quirky and apologetic . . . From cover to cover, The Beats is a wonderful history of a complicated and misunderstood cultural movement-its achievements, its place in history, its flaws and its brilliance. The graphic novel format is perfect for the subject-straddling the line between respectability and disreputableness just as the Beats themselves did." -Cory Doctorow, BoingBoing "History with a deeper perspective . . . This fearless, substantial history entertains as it uncovers." -Carlo Wolff, The Boston Globe "Combines nuts-and-bolts prose with outstanding art . . . The Beats manages to make the scene new again on the sheer strength of artistic play." -Richard Gehr, Columbia Journalism Review "This lively graphic history spotlights the 1950s youth revolt that said no to conformity and opened the way to a new world of unfettered imagination." -Franklin Rosemont, cofounder of the Chicago Surrealist Group "Capturing the flavor of that poetic era with style and wit, The Beats is a slice of countercultural history that's enhanced by its unique visual format." -Paul Krassner, author of One Hand Jerking: Reports from an Investigative Satirist "This graphic history has a grittiness and attention to difficult anecdote that brings a classic American romantic venture, with all its deviant sexual and economic 'crazy wisdom,' down to the gritty realism of pen-and-ink earth." -Edward Sanders, author of America: A History in Verse "Turns hipster history into a digestible, fun read." -Kathleen Pierce, Lowell Sun (Massachusetts) "At its best, which is quite good indeed, The Beats reflects the creative energy of the movement it chronicles." - Peter Gutiérrez, Graphic Novel Reporter " The Beats stands as an ambitiously constructed, clever tribute." - Matthew Schniper, Colorado Springs Independent " The Beats serves to introduce an American cultural phenomenon to a new audience while giving some of its less well-known players fresh exposure . . . The comics celebrate the individuals that made up the anti-establishment of the times and whose art and social action outlives them. The stories are drawn by an eclectic mix of cartoonists and told by characters-including Pekar-every bit as individualistic as their subjects." -Cabbage Rabbit, Cabbage Rabbit Review of Books & Music "A well-informed, engaging, and dynamic presentation of the core precursors and descendants of the Beat ethos in both literary and popular American life . . . Belongs in every library where any Beat literature has a home. This is a perfect gateway to both the art and the era for today's teens to access the Beat world." -Francisca Goldsmith, School Library Journal
