Description
[BEAT GENERATION]. Carolyn CASSADY née Robinson (1923-2013), épistolière américaine. Muse de la Beat Generation : elle était l'épouse de Neal Cassady et eut une liaison amoureuse avec Jack Kerouac. Elle fut son modèle du personnage de « Camille » dans le roman Sur la route de Kerouac et d' « Evelyn » dans son roman Big Sur. Environ 100 lettres et cartes signées, majoritairement autographes, quelques unes tapées à la machine. Bracknell, Berkshire, Angleterre. 2000 à 2010 dont deux années particulièrement denses: 2001 et 2002. Environ 200 pages de formats divers (nombreuses cartes illustrées). Enveloppes conservées. En Anglais. Longue correspondance amoureuse et littéraire adressée au collectionneur français Gérard Leman. Important témoignage de la vie intime de Carolyn Cassady avec Neal Cassady, Jack Kerouac et Allen Ginsberg. -[Vers le 8 mai 2001] : « Mon cher Gerard, [...] I think you got the right message from Kerouac; so few do. They forget that Jack had no responsibilities, so he could freely go where and when he pleased without hurting anyone. Unfortunately, many young people deserted their responsibilities of school and home, wrongly supposing that was what Jack had promoted. Not so, and this is one of the misunderstandings that drove him to drink. I was great friends with Allen until his last 10 years, even though I didn't agree with hardly anything he said or did. Still, I loved him. Suddenly, he renewed his old resentment of me and treated me very badly. It made me so sad, and there was no way he'd let me talk to him. Near his death, he asked himself and even began a poem with "Why do I still resent Carolyn?" but he did not live long enough to answer it or make amends. Bill Burroughs believed Allen when Allen told him I was a typical bitch who wanted to keep her man to herself. As if I ever could ! He was never interested enough in me (or most women) to find the truth. I met him several times, and he usually looked right through me or referred me to his keeper. I don't mind, because I never saw anything to admire in Bill. He had a brilliant mind, but I think anyone who purposely goes about to degrade his physical instrument to the extent he did is on the wrong track. Also, he and Allen were constantly condemning and judging, but I don't think either offered a better way. Allen was incredibly ignorant of true Buddhism, as well. I never talked with him about it, although he used to preach it to me. I just let it go. Neal and I had studied it deeply at one time, and I had learned more about it through the years. The saddest part of Allen's death was that he forgot my son John. Allen used to be so nice to him, since John was also named for him. He'd get John to play guitar when he read, invited him to all the private dinners etc., gave him signed books and so on. When we learned Allen had only a few months to live, John asked me what he should do. I said, "You must call him." So John did so, and my friend who was looking after Allen said, "Oh yes, John, he'll surely want to speak with you." But Allen had just gone into a coma and never woke up. John was quite saddened, but, being John, he recovered [...] ». -24 May 2001 : « Mon cher Gerard, [...] How kind of you to offer publicity help for my book! [...] Alas, however, although Denoel had promised to bring me to Paris to promote it, they reneged, ssying my French wasn't fluent enough. Honestly. I told them I don't need much conversation when signing books in bookshops, as I do all over Europe and never have any language problems that aren't overcome. Odd, too, because there were two books by Kerouac and a translation of Neal's First Third being launched at the same time by other publishers in Paris. I'd have thought they could all have benefited by my appearing in person, since I'm connected with all of those books, and there are few of us left who are, and noe so close. I was very disappointed, to be sure. I was pleased that the publisher was Denoel, because they published Louis Ferdinand Celine, one of Jack's, Neal's and my favourite writers. They sold over 2700 books in the first six months, but I've not heard how it's doing since. Publishers go on to promoting newer books as soon as they've launched one. I'm surprised that mine is still in print in the US and UK for these 11 years. Neal's does better, which in a way surprises me. His is translated in many languages or has been. It was published in 1971, and the royalties I get from it keep me solvent financially. We are trying to get published a book of his letters but are not having much luck, which, considering how well his book sells, is a mystery. Two books of his letters have already been published, but they are now out of print. The new one contains those to Kerouac mainly with a few other people and me. The family that control Jack's estate are probably to blame, since they resent my relationship with him and have the power to influence publi
