(1923–2002)

American poet, nonfiction writer, and novelist.

One of the leading figures of the San Francisco Renaissance, Whalen was an ally and confidant of many of the major figures of the Beat Generation. He is also known as one of the Reed College poets, a group that included Lew Welch and Gary Snyder. Although he is often labeled as a Beat poet, Whalen’s poetry differs from much of the Beat writings. His preoccupation with the wilderness and Zen Buddhism, along with his witty and self-deprecating sense of humor, distinguish his work from the more political, sometimes more sordid writings of his Beat contemporaries.

Biographical Information

Whalen grew up in a small town near Portland, Oregon. He began writing poetry while in high school, and hoped to follow in the footsteps of one of his poetic heroes, William Carlos Williams, by being both a doctor...