The Beat Hotel: Ginsberg, Burroughs, and Corso in Paris, 1957-1963

Barry Miles

Throughout 1957 and 1963, members of the Beat movement - primarily Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Gregory Corso, and Brion Gysin (and Peter Orlovsky, although he was mostly just along for the ride with Ginsberg) lived (on and off) in an old, low rent hotel in Paris at 9 Git-Le-Rue. During these years they experimented with various literary forms and a multitude of drugs, and created a large body of their work. There were many interesting relationship dynamics going on amongst them all, and most of all this book focuses on those relationships and how they affected each of their respective creative output.

The author is in love with both Ginsberg and Burroughs though, so the narrative is somewhat skewed. He seems to have unfavorable reactions to Corso's drinking, for instance, but practically glorifies Burroughs' practice of drug-induced creativity. Still, it's an interesting account of the time spent in Paris.