Beat Generation
This three-disc set is a gold mine for anyone with even a passing interest in the music, the poetry, and the people of the beat era. The stars--Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Burroughs--are here, of course. But so are the players (Charles Mingus, Gerry Mulligan), the architects (Kenneth Patchen, Kenneth Rexroth), the cutups (Lenny Bruce, Lord Buckley), the pretenders (Rod McKuen, Edd Byrnes), the critics (Carl Sandburg, Howard K. Smith), and the heirs (Tom Waits). What a great selection of vibrant poetry, hip music, and sonic ephemera. The well-annotated booklet offers classic photos, historical context, cool quotes, and, perhaps most important, an extensive "Beat Bookshelf" that will lead to further exploration. Dig this crazy box, man!--Michael Ruby