Beat Movement: Sources for Historical Analysis & Literary Criticism

This guide will provide links to selected reference works, databases, and free websites, as well as guidance for searching the online catalog for books, videos and other materials on the Beat Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

Starting Points

Beat generation : a Gale critical companion

Beats : a documentary volume

Part of the Dictionary of Literary Biography, this volume is not part of the online counterpart.

Beat generation : a bibliographical teaching guide

Articles & eResources

American Poetry (20th Century)

Gale Literature Resource Center

America: History & Life

Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective

MLA International Bibliography

JSTOR

Project MUSE

Using the Library Catalog

A keyword search on a name, e.g., Allen Ginsberg, will find books and videos by and about Ginsberg, including mention of him in the contents notes. To find only books by Ginsberg, do an author search, with the last name first, e.g., Ginsberg, Allen.

Key subject headings to use in searching the library catalog and WorldCat database include:

Beat generation
Bohemianism -- United States
Hippies

Broader headings include:

American poetry -- 20th century
Counterculture in literature
Counterculture -- United States
Nineteen fifties
Nineteen sixties
United States -- History -- 1953-1961
United States -- History -- 1961-1969
United States -- History -- 1961-1963
United States -- History -- 1963-1969
United States -- Manners and customs -- 1945-1970
United States -- Social history -- 1960-1980

Also, try searching specific events:

Stonewall Riots, New York, NY, 1969
Student movements

Books & Library Materials