A conversation between Ronald Collins and David Skover, co-authors of The People v. Ferlinghetti: The Fight to Publish Allen Ginsberg’s HOWL. Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s name does not appear in any First Amendment treatise or casebook. And yet when the best-selling poet and proprietor of City Lights Books was indicted under California law for publishing and selling Allen Ginsberg’s poem, Howl, Ferglinghetti buttressed the tradition of dissident expression and ended an era when minds were still closed, candid literature still taboo, and when selling banned books was considered a crime.

The People v. Ferlinghetti is the story of a rebellious poet, a revolutionary poem, an intrepid book publisher, and a bookseller unintimidated by federal or local officials. There is much color in that story: the bizarre twists of the trial, the swagger of the lead lawyer, the savvy of the young ACLU lawyer, and the surprise verdict of the Sunday school teacher who presided as judge. Noted free speech authorities Ronald K. L. Collins and David Skover tell the true story of an American maverick who refused to play it safe and who in the process gave staying power to freedom of the press in America. The People v. Ferlinghetti will be of interest to anyone interested the history of free speech in America and the history of the Beat poets.

Browseabout Books will have copies of the book available for sale at the event and there will be a signing afterwards.

Registration is requested. Sign up online, by calling the library at 302-645-2733, or stopping by the Circulation Desk. Walk-ins are welcome.

This lecture series is co-hosted by the Lewes Public Library and Topical Seminars. Topical Seminars is a bi-monthly meeting of members of our community interested in participating in sessions of informed discourse on a variety of topics. The goal is to have a shared learning experience that will improve the social capital of our community.