Herbert Huncke (1915–1996)

In searching through the writings of the Beat Generation, one generally feels as if they've stumbled onto the obscure when they've found Neal Cassady - and why not? It's fifty years past their heydey and scratching the surface of Keroac, Ginsberg or Burroughs is an accomplishment for anyone.

Huncke was a good friend to Ginsberg and if you read through his writings, you'll find that he was not only a friend to Burroughs, but the likely Tom Doniphon of Junky if we were putting it in terms of Liberty Valance and assuming that Burroughs were Ransom Stoddard. (Go ahead, look it up on Wikipedia if you must, but when the legend becomes fact, let's just say even the 50th Anniversary Edition likes to say that certain things are autobiographical when perhaps they landed in the hands of a far more apt storyteller.) That Junky was written after Huncke had lived with him in Texas and while Huncke was incarcerated for a particularly long stint may just well be coincidence.

There's no doubt that Huncke was an interesting character fortunate to run in circles that would be filled with people destined to take advantage of a changing culture. Not all of his writing was as interesting, but portions of it have occasional sparks of something special. It's perhaps most unfortunate that the most sincere writing concerns Joan Burroughs. It is clear that he cared for her and was concerned that Bill's feelings for her were not wholly sincere...but the writings fall off as one must do when it's clear that there's only so much one can write about the relationship of friends. Huncke also writes amazingly raw passages about the power of his budding sexuality as a runaway. Huncke was no tourist or for pay hustler; Huncke embraced the power of his sexuality and later participated in Kinsey's pioneering studies - something else in the book.

Unfortunately, much of the reader is rather self-indulgent and feels like the writings of someone who clearly was passing time with pen and paper. While I don't doubt that passing time with Herbert telling stories was indeed interesting, reading ramblings led to much skimming.

I do suggest this volume if you've been on a Beat Bender of sorts - you'll recognize a number of the characters before they knew they were really going to be anyone of note.… (más)