Allen Ginsberg

Described by one critic as one of America's minor poets - a characterization that inevitably sends his fans into spittle flinging diatribes - from the 1950's through the 1990's Allen Ginsberg was one of America's best known poets - of course, if you don't count people like Robert Frost, Carl Sandburg, Sylvia Plath, T. S. Eliot, and, E. E Cummings.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Allen's relatively short life (he died at age 70) was how he navigated his way through the various 20th century generations and eras - the Great Depression, World War II, the Beats, the McCarthy, the Hippie, the Yuppies, the X-er's, and finally the Me's. And he did so with considerable aplomb.

But in the end, Allen will be forever associated with the Beat Generation, and it was Allen who was probably the real "King of the Beats" and not ...

Weeeeellllllll, we won't get into historical discussions for now. Instead, you can read more about Allen in his biography written by his friend Barry Miles. Or for a little about Allen, his life, and his times, you can just click here.