IMPORTANT BOOKS FOR THE HIPPIE CULTURE
The City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco used to be one of the main gathering points for people that wanted to gain some wisdom by reading. Some of the books that have influenced men and women (for more explanations: see below)
why are these books hip:
Henry Charriere - Papillon (year)
Autobiographic novel about a man who was sentenced to live in French Guyana, escaped and had an adventurous life (also in the sequel 'Banco')
Herman Hesse- Steppenwolf (year)
The writer, who died years before the great hippie era, is known for his buddhist view of the world. This book has a magic theater which could be compared with a psychedelic trip.
Siddharta
Siddharta is the story of the young Buddha, before he got enlightened.
Ben Borgart- De Vuilnisroos (year)
Dutch writer with book about vague person living in a boat, fucking a teenage freemasonry daughter, trying to work with a farmer but not able to harm pigs.
anonymous- I Tjing
In the sixties many people used this book literally as a guideway. The age was guaranteed for wisdom, but the texts are multi-interpretable like a horoscope.
Robert Pirsig - Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance
Just like the book 'On the Road' by Jack Kerouac was some kinda 'bible' for the Beat Generation of the fifties, where jazz and especially bebop was 'hip', this book was very popular in circles of hippie backpackers and so. One of the main themes of this sometimes hard to read philosophical work, the difference in views between romantic and technic minds, is mirrored in our society. Hippies had romantic daydreams about utopia, and the technicians were changing the world in reality, like moonrockets and so. One called the landing on the moon the triumph of the 'square' (rightwing) people, and Woodstock the triumph of the lefties.
Tom Wolfe- the Cool-Aid Electric Acid Test
This is the all-explainig book about the trip with the Magic Bus, the Ken Kesey experience and the Grateful Dead!