This incisive and entertaining portrait of American poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti explores his vital role as catalyst for numerous literary careers and for the Beat movement itself. Interviews with Ferlinghetti and others reveal a rich m©¿lange of characters and events that unfolded in postwar America, including the publication of Allen Ginsberg's Howl, William S. Burroughs' Naked lunch, and Jack Kerouac's On the road. In 1953 Ferlinghetti opened City Lights Bookstore, which quickly evolved into an iconic institution symbolizing social change and literary freedom. Six decades later, it is still going. Featuring Lawrence Ferlinghetti; Allen Ginsberg; Pulitzer Prize winner Gary Snyder; Dennis Hopper; former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins; Dave Eggers; Anne Waldman; Obie Award winner Michael McClure; PEN Open Book Award winner Amiri Baraka; Bob Dylan & more.