City lights booksellers

On your right, you’ll find the iconic independent bookstore: City Lights Booksellers. A highlight for literature enthusiasts and fans of Beatnik culture, this bookstore stands as a symbol of the Beat Generation. It was among the pioneering bookstores to offer paperback books, revolutionizing the reading experience for its customers. But who exactly were the Beatniks? For those unfamiliar with this 1950s movement, here’s a quick rundown. It was Jack Kerouac, renowned for his novel “On the Road,” who first used the term “Beat Generation” back in 1948. This label referred to a group of anti-conformists, sparking a literary and artistic movement that embodied a form of social rebellion and ushered in a new era in the United States. For Kerouac, “Beat” had nothing to do with feeling exhausted; instead, it evoked the rhythmic energy of jazz and a sense of beatitude. The Beatniks migrated from New York to settle in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood. Later,in 1960, as rent prices skyrocketed , they found refuge in Haight Ashbury, influencing the emerging hippie counterculture movement. Lawrence Ferlinghetti, a poet and former Beatnik, owned City Lights Booksellers since 1953. In its inaugural year, he even faced charges for publishing Allen Ginsberg’s poem “Howl,” which was deemed obscene. To this day, City Lights remains an independent bookstore and publishing house, specializing in international literature, arts, and progressive politics. If you wish to explore one of the last bastions of Beatnik counterculture, head over to the Jack Kerouac Alley, right next to the bookstore, where you’ll find the Vesuvio Cafe. This historic spot served as a hub for writers such as Kerouac, Ginsberg, Cassady, and Ferlinghetti, as well as other artists including Bob Dylan and Coppola. Nowadays, you can drop by to play chess, listen to poetry readings, or catch jazz concerts.