{"product_id":"happiness-bastard-kirby-doyle-9780578732039","title":"Happiness Bastard","description":"\u003cp\u003eAccording to author Kirby Doyle (1932-2003), \u003cem\u003eHappiness Bastard\u003c\/em\u003e, his only published novel, was \"written on a sojourn that my lover post-wife and I took to New York in 1959-1960.\" Similar to Jack Kerouac's \u003cem\u003eOn the Road\u003c\/em\u003e, the novel was composed on a single scroll formed from taped-together sheets of paper. The novel was submitted to, and rejected by, several publishers before it was finally released in 1968 by Essex House in North Hollywood, California.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePoet Michael McClure described the original manuscript of \u003cem\u003eHappiness Bastard\u003c\/em\u003e as \"the most grotesque and hilarious novel I'd ever seen.\" Charles Bukowski called the novel \"good stuff.\" In the only known review of the novel (\u003cem\u003eLos Angeles Free Press\u003c\/em\u003e, Sept. 6, 1968), Lawrence Lipton, author of The \u003cem\u003eHoly Barbarians\u003c\/em\u003e, the classic 1959 study of the Beats, wrote: \"The most important innovative breakthrough in wordcraft since \u003cem\u003eHowl\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eNaked Lunch\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Free-Lance Pallbearers\u003c\/em\u003e by Ishmael Reed, \u003cem\u003eInformed Sources\u003c\/em\u003e by Willard Bain and Mailer's \u003cem\u003eWhy Are We In Vietnam?\u003c\/em\u003e . . . Read \u003cem\u003eHappiness Bastard\u003c\/em\u003e by Kirby Doyle. Then, if you still don't know where it's at, the hell with you.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Kirby Doyle\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0578732033\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780578732039\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Tough Poets Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/12\/2020\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 224\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.39lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.00h x 5.00w x 0.56d","brand":"Kirby Doyle","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44169952788735,"sku":"9780578732039","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_0f251039-f303-4218-adc3-8787c9fe2a19.jpg?v=1689655947","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/happiness-bastard-kirby-doyle-9780578732039","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}