Lawrence Ferlinghetti was an American poet, painter, activist, and co-founder of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers. He is known for his collection of poems titled 'A Coney Island of the Mind', which has sold over one million copies worldwide.
Lawrence Ferlinghetti was born on March 24, 1919, in Yonkers, New York.
He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and then attended the University of North Carolina, Columbia University, and the Sorbonne in Paris.
In 1953, Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin founded City Lights Booksellers & Publishers in San Francisco, which became a hub for Beat Generation writers and poets.
In 1956, he was arrested and put on trial on obscenity charges for publishing Allen Ginsberg’s 'Howl and Other Poems', but was later acquitted.
Ferlinghetti passed away on February 22, 2021, at the age of 101.
Allen Ginsberg was an American poet and writer, and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation. He was a close friend of Ferlinghetti and his work was published by City Lights.
Jack Kerouac was an American novelist and poet, and also a leading figure of the Beat Generation. He was a close friend of Ferlinghetti and his work was published by City Lights.
William S. Burroughs was an American writer and artist, and another prominent member of the Beat Generation. His work was also published by City Lights.
A collection of poems by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, first published in 1958. It has since become one of the bestselling books of poetry in the United States.
Ferlinghetti's first book of poetry, published in 1955. It contains many of his most famous poems, including 'Dog' and 'Constantly Risking Absurdity.'
A series of poetry collections published by City Lights, which has included works by Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, and many others. It has been credited with helping to popularize the Beat Generation and other alternative literary movements.
Lawrence Ferlinghetti is known for being an American poet, painter, activist, and co-founder of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers. He is especially famous for his collection of poems titled 'A Coney Island of the Mind'.
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers is a bookstore and publishing company located in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1953 by Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin and played a significant role in the literary and cultural scene of the Beat Generation.
'A Coney Island of the Mind' is a collection of poems by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, first published in 1958. It has sold over one million copies worldwide and is one of the bestselling books of poetry in the United States.
Ferlinghetti was friends with many of the leading writers and poets of the Beat Generation, including Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and William S. Burroughs. He also had associations with other writers, such as Charles Bukowski and Bob Dylan.
The trial was significant in that it helped to establish the boundaries of free speech and artistic expression in the United States. It also brought attention to the work of Ferlinghetti and the other writers of the Beat Generation, and helped to promote their writing to a wider audience.
