Book Description
This study examines the work of six American poets who visited Mexico in the 1950s, discussing the complex relationships between location, writing, society, history, and dislocation. By interacting with Mexican culture and writing about the experience, these poets had to come to terms with the foreign as well as explore their own identities as Americans. Experiencing Mexico inspired these poets to use many different voices in their poetry, a style in opposition to the hegemony of 1950s American culture. This study compares and contrasts the poets, particularly in terms of class, race, sexual orientation, and gender, and which strategies of "going foreign" each uses. Each chapter examines a poem or series of poems based upon a trip to Mexico. Analyzed in detail are Williams’ The Desert Music, Kerouac’s Mexico City Blues, Corso’s "Mexican Impressions" and "Puma in Chapultepec Zoo," Ginsberg’s Siesta in Xbalba, Levertov’s "Tomatlan" and others, and Hayden’s An Inference of Mexico.

About the Author
Glenn Sheldon is an assistant professor at the University of Toledo (Ohio). He lives in Toledo.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

This study examines the work of six American poets who visited Mexico in the 1950s, discussing the complex relationships between location, writing, society, history, and dislocation. By interacting with Mexican culture and writing about the experience, these poets had to come to terms with the foreign as well as explore their own identities as Americans. Experiencing Mexico inspired these poets to use many different voices in their poetry, a style in opposition to the hegemony of 1950s American culture.

This study compares and contrasts the poets, particularly in terms of class, race, sexual orientation, and gender, and which strategies of "going foreign" each uses. Each chapter examines a poem or series of poems based upon a trip to Mexico. Analyzed in detail are Williams' The Desert Music, Kerouac's Mexico City Blues, Corso's "Mexican Impressions" and "Puma in Chapultepec Zoo," Ginsberg's Siesta in Xbalba, Levertov's "Tomatlan" and others, and Hayden's An Inference of Mexico.

SYNOPSIS

Sheldon (U. of Toledo) analyzes the work produced by U.S. poets based on their experiences of visiting Mexico in the 1950s. Overall, she is concerned with how the poets dealt with the concept of "Americanness," U.S. hegemony, and issues of the self and others. Long works by William Carlos Williams, Jack Kerouac, Gregory Corso, Allen Ginsberg, Denise Levertov, and Robert Hayden are explored, with each poet receiving a separate treatment. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

AUTHOR DESCRIPTION