The roots of the “Beat Generation” began in the 1940s when novelist Jack Kerouac and poet Allen Ginsberg, then students at Columbia University, met the writer William S. Burroughs. The core tenants of this new literary movement revolved around the rejection of modernity in response to a changing post-war society. Beat literature centered itself around exploration in all of its forms from psychedelics to spirituality to deep examinations of the human condition. These concepts inspired other writers and artists to join the growing collective and also inspired a larger counterculture of like-minded youths called the “Beatniks” who subscribed to this bohemian lifestyle.

The early epicenters for the Beat Generation were the Greenwich Village in New York City and North Beach in San Francisco. During the 1950s, aspiring musicians, writers, artists, and poets flocked to New York City’s Greenwich Village in search of community, the chance to be discovered, and a lower cost living. This transformed the area into a creative cauldron that became the heart of the Folk Revival and the Beat Generation.

During the day, beat poets held open forums to discuss their ideas and critiques of society at Washington Square Park. While in the evenings, coffeehouses like Cafe Wha?, The Bitter End, and San Remo Cafe hosted performances and readings from Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac with other notable Greenwich Village residents like folk musician Bob Dylan and abstract artist Jackson Pollock in attendance.

On the west coast, San Francisco’s North Beach emerged as another hotspot for Beat Generation literature with the opening of City Lights Bookstore. Founded in 1953 by beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, City Lights was both an independent publisher and reseller. Ferlinghetti gained notoriety for circulating the “City Lights Pocket Poet Series,” a collection of avant-garde poetry that featured the first publishing of Allen Ginsberg’s controversial and seminal work, Howl. City Lights Bookstore and Ferlinghetti’s influence brought many from the Greenwich Village over to San Francisco solidifying it as a second home for the burgeoning Beat movement.

Just down the street from City Lights, Caffe Trieste and Vesuvio Cafe became popular haunts for wandering Beatniks. Opened in 1956, Caffe Trieste is regarded as California’s first coffeehouse. Founded by an Italian immigrant, Giovanni Giotta, Caffe Trieste introduced espresso to the west coast and became a place of refuge for Italians dreaming of cafes back home. This sense of community and support transformed the cafe into a popular destination for the Beat Generation to come write, gather, and discuss creativity.

Throughout the 1950s and 60s, coffeehouses became the center of creative movements all across America. From the Folk Revival to the Beat Generation, writers, artists, musicians, and poets gathered in these unique spaces to exchange ideas, create, and perform. The creative culture and traditions brewed in these coffeehouses from New York’s Greenwich Village to San Francisco’s North Beach continue to live on in coffeehouses all across America.

The post Moving to a Different Beat – Coffeehouses and the Beat Generation appeared first on Blackwing.

“This page marks the beginning of another year. I must laid great stress on the necessity of a good education as the only means to achieve distinction, because in our age of enlightenment, a man’s ability is generally measured by the knowledge which he possesses.”

Despite his renown as an international cultural icon and martial artist, Bruce Lee was also a prolific writer and philosopher. He was an ardent journaler and throughout his life, kept notebooks filled with everything from daily observations to profound self-affirmations. No matter if he was producing a new film or training his students, Bruce was always known to have a small notepad close by to take notes whenever inspiration struck.

In 1959, Bruce Lee moved from Hong Kong to Seattle and enrolled at the University of Washington to study. Shortly after, Bruce opened his first formal gung fu school and in doing so, his outlook on his physical, philosophical and spiritual practice began to evolve. Bruce’s most defining and profound development came in the form of his hybrid style of martial arts called Jeet Kune Do.

Jeet Kune Do views the physical and philosophical aspects of martial arts as a symbiotic relationship, one constantly influencing the other. Jeet Kune Do became more than just a combat system, but instead a comprehensive way of thinking that could be applied to life itself. Bruce began recording daily workouts on one page while expounding on his mindset and the intentionality behind each movement on the next.

In addition to this, Bruce would also routinely fill his notebooks with self-affirmations as a way of motivating himself, training both body and mind as a daily practice. He would also write poetry and translate Chinese poems into English with the finest penmanship and accompanying drawings.

Even in the face of racial and cultural obstacles, Bruce found ways to stay determined and steadfast by carving out an outsized mark for himself. Following the success of his films “Big Boss” and “Fists of Fury,” Bruce Lee began writing and producing his own films. This not only gave him more creative freedom but also allowed him to infuse his philosophies directly into the DNA of his projects and elevate them beyond just martial arts eye candy.

Several years after his passing, his daughter Shannon Lee uncovered a series of Bruce’s handwritten notes and drawings which included an undeveloped passion project. The project was a gung fu Western that explored the reality of the Chinese immigrant experience. In 2019, Shannon helped produce the critically acclaimed show “Warrior” based on her father’s writings.

Bruce Lee’s legacy lies not only in his cultural impact as a martial artist and film star but also in the notebooks and words of wisdom that he left behind. Reading through his profound philosophies and insights on life helps paint a full and beautiful portrait of the world-changing icon.

The post Bruce Lee’s Writings appeared first on Blackwing.

Beyond being ubiquitous in the world of martial arts and action cinema, Bruce Lee was also a prolific writer and thinker. He forged these disparate elements of his life together into a practice he called “Jeet Kune Do” or “Way of the Intercepting Fist.” The core tenets of this philosophy focus on intentionality through simplicity, directness, and freedom — honing on the ability to adapt to situations in order to intercept whatever may come your way. Bruce not only applied this system to overcome the opponents he faced in his martial arts career but also to overcome the stereotypes and social limitations placed in front of him on his way to becoming a pioneer in both cinema and Asian American representation.

Bruce was raised in a performing arts family. His mother Grace gave birth to him while they were on tour with the Chinese Opera. When Bruce was 3 months old, the Lees returned home to Hong Kong amid the opening throes of World War II and the beginnings of Japanese occupation. This period was formative in Bruce’s upbringing, greatly impacting his unique worldview and philosophies later in life. Even at a young age, Bruce was an accomplished child actor in Hong Kong, starring in twenty films by the time he was 18. 

Alongside his acting, Bruce also had a penchant for dance and began his study of gung fu at the age of 13. Lee was initially barred from formal gung fu training due to his mixed-race heritage conflicting with Chinese martial arts customs. Undeterred, Bruce eventually came to study Wing Chun gung fu under the prestigious grandmaster Yip Man.

Bruce became a voracious student of both dance and Wing Chun. His acumen went beyond just practicing the physical movements. He also focused heavily on training his mental approach. Bruce journaled extensively about both and took meticulous notes about his personal philosophies pertaining to each individual movement. This practice and his love for writing would be a constant throughout his life.

To be continued in Dragon: The Life and Legacy of Bruce Lee – Part II…-

Learn more about the Blackwing 651, tribute to Bruce Lee.

The post Dragon: The Life and Legacy of Bruce Lee -Part I appeared first on Blackwing.

While we reached out to offer condolences to his family right away, we’ve been struggling for several days with how to properly acknowledge Thom’s passing publicly. The truth is, we became more than just fans. We became his friends.

The first time I met Thom was a revelation. He was cordial, entertaining and immeasurably astute. He spoke like he wrote, in a manner unsuitable of the anonymity that embraced him for so many years.

I left every visit with Thom inspired. His wisdom captivated in a way that is difficult to put into words. If Thom made this kind of impact on me in just nine months, imagine what he meant to so many others.

Though he would never admit it, or even accept such a notion, Thom’s brilliant work was often lost in the shadows of his father’s legacy. He told us once when asked why he waited until so late in life to publish his first book, “They wanted a novel. I kept telling them, the Steinbeck that writes novels is dead. I write short stories.”

I got a chance to tell Thom, and anyone else who would listen, that “Down to a Soundless Sea” is the single best collection of short stories I’ve ever read. Now, the Steinbeck that wrote short stories is gone. May he rest in peace knowing how many people he touched, and that his inspiration will be felt for generations to come.

We hope you will help us honor him by reading his work and supporting a cause he was so passionate about – artists’ rights. You can learn more about both at ThomasSteinbeck.com.

Here’s a great clip of Thom talking about being the beneficiary of his father’s used pencils.

The post My Favorite Steinbeck appeared first on Blackwing.

War & Pizza by Aled Lewis

Everybody knows the Shredder couldn’t beat the Turtles in a pizza eating contest. But, for the nonbelievers, artist Aled Lewis has recreated the scene of the famous showdown here with pixel art pulled straight from the old Ninja Turtles arcade game.

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Alex

Flannery O’Connor’s Reading of A Good Man is Hard to Find

As a former English major and a lover of Southern Gothic literature, I don’t know how I’ve gone my entire life without reading single word written by Flannery O’Connor. Thanks to Grant’s recommendation (who himself was turned on to the author by Andrew Combs), I picked up A Good Man is Hard to Find, a collection of O’Connor’s short stories, and I’m sucked in. While searching around the web for more info on O’Connor, I stumbled across this reading of the collection’s eponymous story. I’ll let Ms. O’Connor do the rest of the talking.

The post Weekly Discoveries 04.02.2015 – Aled Lewis and Flannery O’Connor appeared first on Blackwing.

Ready Player One

This little surprise showed up in my Loot Crate this month. Although I haven’t gotten a chance to start this yet, I’m a huge fan of anything that deals with gaming and/or Science fiction and this book has both!  The premise is basic enough to start, Teenager Wade Watts escapes reality by adventuring in a virtual utopia called the Oasis. Looking forward to checking this one out!

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Alex

Midori Traveler’s Notebook (Refill 002)

Last week, I was raving about my new Bellroy wallet. The wallet has a spot for your passport, but I don’t do much international traveling, so I looked for other uses for its remarkably-sized pocket. My hope was that a Field Notes memo book would be able to squeeze in, but those hopes were quickly thwarted by about two-millimeters. Enter the Midori Traveler’s Notebook. More specifically, enter the Midori Traveler’s Notebook Refill 002. This simple memo book is exactly the same size as a passport, so it fits perfectly inside my wallet. Refill 002 features graph paper, but it is also available in other paper styles (including a date book!). I carry notebooks with me everywhere I go, but I know this is going to come in clutch when I don’t have my Slate handy.

The post Weekly Discoveries 02.27.2015 – Ready Player One and Midori Traveler’s Notebooks appeared first on Blackwing.

Mary Norris’ Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen

This week I received a galley copy of Mary Norris’ new book Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen which will be published by W.W. Norton during Spring 2015. Mary was kind enough to share this advance copy with me due to her fondness for Blackwing pencils. A lifelong pencil fan with a predilection for the extra soft #1 pencils, she fondly recalls receiving daily morning deliveries to her desk by the tray-full by the “office boy”. Mary shares entertaining stories and humorous but practical advice on language, spelling and punctuation gleaned through decades experience as Copy Editor at the The New Yorker. Of course, her fondness for pencils as a critical tool of her trade is covered as well in a chapter titled, Ballad of a Pencil Junkie. So, if you love language and writing in all its quirky and imaginative forms and want a behind the scene look at the trials and tribulations of a Comma Queen, add this title to your watch list for next Spring. In the meantime, here’s a past blog post from Mary which gives you a sense of some of her chapter on pencils.

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Grant

10 string symphony

The duo of Rachel Baiman and Christian Sedelmyer (Jerry Douglas Band) are known affectionately as 10 String Symphony. I met them at the studio yesterday when they came in to lend their talents to the Willy Tea record. Even though Rachel played banjo in the session, they are known for their dueling five-string fiddles. I had a listen to what I could find online last night and I can’t wait for their record to come out next year. And they’re about as humble and friendly as it gets.

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John

Timmy’s Organism – Singles & Unreleased Tracks 2xLP (HoZac)

Detroit’s Timmy Vulgar has been a weird punk fixture for over a decade.  His garage-punk outfit The Clone Defects were considered one of the most explosive acts from the turn-of-the-cetury garage rock revival that spawned the White Stripes; his work in sci-fi punk scrappers Human Eye has transcended rock and roll in a way that Beefheart would be proud of.  His “solo” output as Timmy’s Organism has seen releases on mainstay underground labels like In the Red, Sacred Bones and now HoZac.  The upcoming “Singles & Unreleased Tracks” double-LP is my introduction to Vulgar’s inspiring recording project and I hope it will be for many others, too.  The percussive skronk of “Nocturnal Festering Bubblelites” feels as zoned-out as The Residents; “Sadness Walks” recalls contemporary home-punks like Dan Melchior with a melancholy croon and an underlying ironical sneer.

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Mahlon

Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang’s Wonder Woman

This past week comic writer Brian Azzarello and artist Cliff Chiang officially ended their run on Wonder Woman for DC comics. Having a new creative team take over a title after a story arc is finished or after a few issues is something fairly normal for the industry, which is why I wanted to take a moment to call out this particular book. Most story arcs last between 3 and 6 issues some even last upwards of a year. This arc lasted three years. Since 2011 Azzarello and Chiang have been focused on telling one story across 35+ issues of the comic. It takes a truly dedicated team to plan and execute a story that spans as long as this one has. Although I haven’t read the end of this monumental story yet, it’s been a great ride and I can’t wait to find out how they wrap this one up.

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Alex

Derick Watts and the Sunday Blues

I recently attended a conference in San Francisco that was MC’d by two comedians from South Africa who call themselves Derick Watts and the Sunday Blues. They opened with a parody of the intro to Full House that almost caused me to fall out my chair, and suddenly spending two days at a conference didn’t seem so bad. They had the unfortunate task of entertaining a room full of developers and, while many of their jokes were met with awkward silence, I hope they were able to hear my laughter from the back of the room.

A video posted by Derick Watts&The Sunday Blues (@derickwattstagram) on Sep 9, 2014 at 1:31am PDT

The post Weekly Discoveries 11.06.2014 – Wonder Woman, 10 String Symphony & Timmy’s Organism appeared first on Blackwing.

Frank’s Noodle House

I’m a sucker for handmade stuff, and that includes food. Last night, I finished up the 12 hour drive from our headquarters in Stockton, California to Portland, Oregon, where we’ll be exhibiting at Coffee Fest later this week. Needless to say, when I rolled into town, I was starving. That’s when I discovered Frank’s Noodle House.

As the name suggests, Frank’s Noodle House serves noodles. Tons of them. And they’re all made by hand every day. I ordered the handmade noodles with tofu, served extra spicy (that’s three “x’s” on Frank’s hot meter), and it was delicious. If you’re ever in Portland, check it out.

Grant

Trigger Hippy

One part rock ‘n roll, one part rhythm ‘n blues, two parts The Black Crowes. I heard Trigger Hippy for the first time on Sirius’ Outlaw Country this morning. Their music is like a pretty girl you can’t get off of your mind. It’s been a while since I’ve heard such poetic soul, and I can’t wait to buy the record.

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Mahlon

Kenner’s Recalled Alien Action Figure

This year the Alien franchise celebrates the 35^th anniversary of the original film’s release so, when I came across one of the film’s first merchandising ventures, the 18 inch tall Xenomorph figure produced by Kenner, I was floored.

Kenner struck gold after obtaining licensing rights to produce figures based on Star Wars.  Seeing Alien as “the next big Sci-Fi license,” Kenner acquired the rights to produce action figures based on the film. In 1979, they released their first figure to coincide with the film’s release.  Although the film was highly praised on its release, the figure wasn’t exactly a hit for parents. Parental outcry caused the figures to be recalled, but some of these figures can now be found selling for hundreds of dollars on eBay and in the homes of some lucky collectors.

John

Jorge Luis Borges’ Book of Imaginary Beings

I picked up Jorge Luis Borges’ Book of Imaginary Beings at Logos Books in Davis while visiting a friend.  It’s not quite a novel, not quite an anthology – it details 120 mythological beings and entities from various Eastern and Western cultures and religions. Borges did not mean for the reader to read the book from beginning to end – rather, he meant the reader to flip through its pages at random or by interest. My favorite entry is the one for Bahamut, an unfathomably large mythical fish that supports the earth. It can be quite rewarding to buy a book blindly.

The post Weekly Discoveries 10.16.2014 – Noodles, Trigger Hippy, Kenner, and Borges appeared first on Blackwing.