Beats, The (Hardcover)

"Pekar's history of the post-war literary, cultural and spiritual awakening is well researched and intended . . . Piskor is joined by such stellar artists as Kuper, Tooks, Gary Dumm and Fleener . . . More writers pitch in, too, and the diversity of images and narrative voices add texture and resonance to the proceedings . . . The absorbing graphic presentation may elicit interest from unexpected quarters."—Richard Pachter, The Miami Herald

"Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William Burroughs need no introduction, but here they are introducing The Beats: A Graphic History—in the section written by Harvey Pekar and illustrated by Ed Piskor. It's warts and all: the alcohol-fueled writings, the drug-fueled globe-trotting, not to mention the rampant sexuality and jaw-dropping misogyny . . . But there's humor here too by Joyce Brabner and Summer McClinton on a topic ripe for latter-day ridicule: 'Beatnik Chicks.' Good thing too that Pekar et al. salute some lesser lights in this primer on the birth of the cool: City Lights bookstore founder and poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, in addition to poets Philip Whalen, Kenneth Patchen, and D.A. Levy, plus former hobo Slim Brundage."—Leonard Gill, The Memphis Flyer

"Graphic novels don’t just have to be about dystopian alternative universes, no matter if Watchmen might indicate otherwise. Just peruse the eye-catching The Beats: A Graphic History (in stores as of Tuesday), from Harvey Pekar, Ed Piskor and Paul Buhle, which takes 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, Star-Telegram

"Do we really need another bio on the lives of Kerouac, Ginsberg, et. al.? Yes, especially should it be one like The Beats. I expected The Beats to be dry, regurgitated history presented in graphic novel form simply because graphic novels are so 2009. So much for first impressions. American Splendor's Pekar leads a troop of writers who bring these influential—and often seriously flawed—writers to life . . . The Beats is strong, dramatic storytelling that is executed and illustrated by major leaguers."—Randy Myers, Contra Costa Times

"Written by Harvey Pekar and four other authors, with art by eleven cartoonists and illustrators, The Beats covers all the major writers of the generation—Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Philip Whalen, Robert Duncan, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Charles Olson, Diane DiPrima, and many more. 'No one claims this treatment to be definitive,' Buhle and Pekar write in their introduction to the book. 'But it is new and it is vital.' And, perhaps more important, it's fun."—Poets & Writers

"If you're a fan of Harvey Pekar, author of the successful graphic novel-turned-film American Splendor, then you can imagine how his voice sounds on a weekday morning, discussing topics including homophobia, Yiddish, and moves about Joseph McCarthy. In his latest project,