Important Beat Generation Books Published in the 1950s

The Beat Generation was a revolutionary American literary movement that arose in the mid-century years. The novelists and poets closely associated with the group emphasized freedom of expression, reacting strongly against what they saw as oppressive conformity and monotony in American life in the post-WWII years. And there are many important Beat Generation books that were published in the 1950s that changed the course of literature and that continue to have a strong influence on young writers today. For anyone who'd like to get directly acquainted with the major works released during the start of the movement, below are some of the most important Beat Generation books published in the 1950s. A lot of seminal works came along in the early 1960s too (many of which were written in the previous decade), but to avoid an overly lengthy list here, we're just looking at some of the most crucial first works to emerge during the '50s. We picked eight novels and eight poetry collections to get you started. And if you're interested in reading more about American literature from this decade, also check out our general roundup of classic American books published in the 1950s.

Key Beat Generation Books from the '50s: Fiction

• On the Road by Jack Kerouac; 1957
• The Subterraneans by Jack Kerouac; 1958
• The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac; 1958
• Dr. Sax by Jack Kerouac; 1959
• Junkie by William S. Burroughs; 1953
• Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs; 1959
• Go by John Clellon Holmes; 1952
• The Horn by John Clellon Holmes; 1958

Important Beat Generation Books from the '50s: Poetry

• Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg; 1956
• Pictures of the Gone World by Lawrence Ferlinghetti; 1955
• A Coney Island of the Mind by Lawrence Ferlinghetti; 1958
• Gasoline by Gregory Corso; 1958
• Bomb by Gregory Corso; 1958
• Mexico City Blues by Jack Kerouac; 1959
• Riprap and Cold Mountain Poems by Gary Snyder; 1959
• This Kind of Bird Flies Backward by Diane di Prima; 1958