Poets Waldman and Wright have trawled the Naropa University audio archives to bring readers a clutch of previously uncollected essays, talks, and interviews that cast a new light on the Beats. From Michael McClure's account of the first time Allen Ginsberg read "Howl" in public to Diane di Prima's musings on the problem of "getting the stuff out", this collection shows how the works and concerns of the Beats continue to inform our contemporary world. Jack Kerouac aficionados will enjoy the stories of how Ginsberg and four others first met the man who coined the phrase "Beat Generation," and many who came of age in the late 1960s will be interested in the (surprising) inclusion of some of Abbie Hoffman's thinking about the art and science of organizing. The collection is an excellent introduction to the Beats for the uninitiated, and a welcome visit with old friends for everyone else. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)