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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAn Encounter with Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Hearing about his death yesterday reminded me that I actually met him almost 60 years ago. In 1963, when I was just 18 years old and going to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, a friend and I drove up to San Francisco.
While we were there, I wandered into City Lights bookstore and browsed around. One book caught my eye, so I read its first page and was interested in the writing style, so I took it up to the cash register to pay for it. The book was the novella, "Her" by Lawrence Ferlinghetti. I had never heard of the author.
"Good choice," the man behind the register said. "Want me to sign it? I wrote it." "Sure," I answered. We chatted for a few minutes, about what I can't remember.
Most people thought the book was unreadable. Written in a stream-of-consciousness style, and in endless run-on sentences, it was a bit of a challenge, but it woke me up to new ways to express thoughts. It stuck with me, and influenced my own writing in subtle ways. It also introduced me to the Beat Generation, which played a large role in changing my thinking and way of life over time.
At that time I was an Electronics Engineering major. I ended up being a freelance writer, starting in 1974. My decision to make writing my career probably started with reading Ferlinghetti's book and many others from his generation and later writers. Although I wrote some poetry and fiction, almost all of my output was non-fiction. But, Lawrence Ferlinghetti triggered my thinking about career choices.
RIP, Lawrence! Thanks for the kick in the butt.
PCIntern
(25,582 posts)Growing up in New Hope , PA I also met and spoke with many famous writers and even short conversations stuck with me, for they expressed themselves in a different style than that to which I had been accustomed. Economy of language and an almost transparent-eyeball perspective of even trivial matters was fascinating.
Thanks for the story. Just wonderful.
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)I got to meet several Beat Generation writers there over the following couple of years. They wouldn't remember me. i was just a kid, but I sure remember them. Then, I moved on with my life, but it was always influenced by those people in one way or another. In 1965, I dropped out of college, wandered around the country, and then ended up in the USAF for four years. That allowed me to rethink my direction thoroughly, and led to many changes in my life.
HUAJIAO
(2,397 posts)lets us do with them what we will....
Like opening a door.....
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)until later, as part of something that influenced us in our direction. Only when reminded of a meeting do we realize the impact it may have had.