Lawrence Ferlinghetti, A San Francisco Icon, Dies at 101

KQED's Forum

Lawrence Ferlinghetti, a poet, writer, publisher and founder of City Lights Books, died on Monday at the age of 101. "I really believe that art is capable of the total transformation of the world, and of life itself,” Ferlinghetti once said, and his multifaceted career bore that out. As a poet, Ferlinghetti offered what one critic called, a “plain-spoken, often wry critique of American culture.” As a publisher, Ferlinghetti nurtured the Beat movement, publishing writers like Allen Ginsberg, whose poem “Howl,” defined a generation. And as the founder of City Lights Books, he created a haven for the literary minded. His North Beach bookstore remains a well-loved and revered San Francisco institution. We’ll talk about Ferlinghetti’s life and legacy.