English & Literature

Who is John Clellon Holmes from The Portable Beat Reader and what is their importance? The_Portable_Beat_Reader English & Literature John Clellon Holmes | The Portable Beat Reader

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John Clellon Holmes is the author of the of the 1952 book "Go" that chronicles the lives of many of the New York Beats including Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, Herbert Huncke, Neal Cassady, and Holmes himself. Before the publication of Kerouac's "On the Road," Holmes is considered the primary voice of the Beat Generation. Holmes claims that his own writing is not about trying to capture an entire generation but attempting to work through his own shortcomings. However, Holmes still sees the Beat Generation as a positive force in history.