The Domestic Lives of the Poets

Neal Cassady, the inspiration behind both Ginsberg's Howl and Kerouac's On the Road, is a beat icon remembered for his wild behavior and fast driving. In an interview in The Guardian, Carolyn Cassady, his second wife, speaks candidly about his dual life: a family man at home, and a beat on the road. The interview comes on the heels of renewed interest in the beats, especially following the film version of Howl. But rather than further mythologize these already-mythologized-nearly-as-much-as-possible figures, Cassady remembers their faults, and remains skeptical as to the lasting cultural importance of their work:

For the last 10 years of his life, Ginsberg stopped speaking to Carolyn. Does she know why? "Bill Burroughs decided I was a WASP bitch." Nevertheless, Carolyn has become something of a gatekeeper to Beat history, writing a warts-and-all memoir, Off the Road, in 1990, answering fans' emails, and consulting for the likes of Salles. Her life has been, and continues to be, shaped by these long-dead male icons. Ironically, she is mystified by the fascination. "Kids in school are still eating it up. I don't understand it. I don't see any value in that at all, culturally." Not even in reading Kerouac? "If I hadn't known him, I never would have read any of his books."

The books, from her angle, don't tell the whole story. They sensationalize debauchery, while neglecting to detail the calm of everyday life:

She is adamant, however, that the more ordinary side of Beat life should be told—even if it contradicts the drug-fuelled, bebop-soundtracked folklore. "We had this traditional, conventional home, and I think that's why Jack and Allen loved coming there. They were much more conventional than people think," she says. "They never swore in front of mixed company, ever, and they would pull your chair and open car doors. They were all perfect gentlemen."