The Awakener by Helen Weaver

I just received a copy of Helen Weaver's The Awakener from City Lights to review here on The Daily Beat. I'm excited to read it and have contacted the author to see if she would be interested in granting me an interview. Weaver was a contemporary of the beat writers and knew Jack intimately (more on that after I read the memoir!), so it promises to be a very interesting read.

Stay tuned for the review (and maybe an interview).

Beat Scene

Beat Scene claims to be "The voice of the Beat Generation." They published a Jack Kerouac special in October. Since it's a U.K. outfit, I'm not sure how ordering and getting a paper copy of the magazine will work, but I'm going to make an attempt and I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm also going to see if they're interested in mentioning The Beat Handbook.

Ruling in Kerouac estate case

Here's an update on the Kerouac estate case unfolding in Florida: Legal battle over Jack Kerouac estate.

Synchronicity

Being in the initial stages of settling my mom's estate (she died two days after Jack's death anniversary), this article about the on-going legal battles over Jack Kerouac's estate caught my eye: Get Your Sordid Kerouac Estate Details Here.

The lesson? Have a will. Make sure it is clear, legal, and current. Provide a copy to your attorney, personal representative, and beneficiaries (don't forget to be specific about who gets your collection of Jack Kerouac books and memorabilia).

But only if you care about your wishes being followed after you head out on your last road trip.

You might also want to prepare a document containing details like social security number, bank account and investment information, insurance policy and retirement information, and other stuff it might be hard for those left behind to pull together or find out about (e.g., usernames and passwords, safe deposit boxes, outstanding loans). Oh, and a concise directive about what to do with your body and how you'd like us all to go about your send-off would be very helpful as well.

And no, it's not morbid. It's called being responsible and considerate.

Jack Kerouac: Blogger

I ran across a piece on OpEdNews.com that, if nothing else, makes me want to read Why Kerouac Matters, which has been on my list of books to read for a while (hint: my birthday approaches).

Here's the link: On the Road to the Bloggers' Hall of Fame.

Art show on Friday

Don't forget to attend the art show in Richmond this Friday night. It's the first one featuring Crystal's pottery. Details are on the postcard above.

Thanks for supporting the arts (and my love)!

Jack Kerouac memorial walk

See Jack Kerouac memorial walk.