Lenore Kandel

Lenore Kandel, born in New York City in 1932, was an American poet associated with the Beat Generation and the Hippie counterculture. Though raised in Pennsylvania, she later moved to Los Angeles and then San Francisco in 1960, where she became involved in the East-West House co-op. It was there she met Jack Kerouac, who featured her in his novel "Big Sur" as Romana Swartz, describing her as intelligent, well-read, and a Zen student. Kandel's early poetry included chapbooks like "An Exquisite Navel" and "A Passing Dragon." She gained notoriety for her 1966 poetry collection, "The Love Book," which included the poem "To Fuck with Love." Police seized copies of the book, leading to Kandel's "cause célèbre" status. She defended the work as "holy erotica." Although initially declared obscene, the decision was later overturned on appeal. Kandel was a speaker at the 1967 Human Be-In, where she read from "The Love Book" to a large crowd. Her only full-length book, "Word Alchemy," was published in 1967. She suffered severe spinal injuries in a motorcycle crash in 1970 but continued to write. Kandel passed away in 2009.

Lenore Kandel emerged as a significant voice within the Beat Generation and the subsequent Hippie counterculture. Her early poetic endeavors included chapbooks such as "An Exquisite Navel" and "A Passing Dragon." Kandel's presence in San Francisco's East-West House led to her acquaintance with Jack Kerouac, who immortalized her in his novel "Big Sur." Kerouac's portrayal highlighted her intellectual depth, extensive reading, and engagement with Zen Buddhism. Kandel's participation in significant counterculture events, like the Berkeley Poetry Conference and the 1967 Human Be-In, solidified her role as a prominent figure. At the Human Be-In, she was the sole female speaker, defiantly reading from her controversial work.

Kandel achieved widespread recognition, and some notoriety, with the publication of "The Love Book" in 1966. This collection, particularly its three-part poem "To Fuck with Love," led to the seizure of copies by police under obscenity laws. Kandel characterized her work as "holy erotica," a perspective that positioned her as a defender of free expression against censorship. The ensuing legal battle saw the book declared obscene by a jury in 1967, a decision that paradoxically boosted its sales. While the initial ruling was later overturned on appeal, the controversy cemented Kandel's status and amplified the reach of her poetry. She even humorously donated a portion of her profits to the Police Retirement Association.

Following the "The Love Book" controversy, Kandel published her sole full-length poetry collection, "Word Alchemy," in 1967. Her life took a difficult turn in 1970 when she sustained severe spinal injuries in a motorcycle accident. Despite enduring chronic pain, she continued her creative and social engagements. Kandel was interviewed for "Voices from the Love Generation" and recited poetry at The Band's iconic concert, "The Last Waltz," though her performance was not included in the film or soundtrack. Her collected poems were posthumously published in 2012, including much previously unreleased material, ensuring her literary legacy continued to be explored.

“intelligent, well read, writes poetry, is a Zen student, knows everything”

“holy erotica”