True Stories

About the Book

Part memoir, part eyewitness history, part storytelling, this book takes you on a rollicksome ride through a generation of experiences. True Stories traces the evolution of a New World Culture from the Beatnik 1950s through the passions and protests and psychedelics of the 1960s, and onward into environmental and cross-cultural arts and political movements which today are thriving around the world. Told with humor and peppered with the author’s philosophy, these stories take the reader to party with author Jack Kerouac, protest with the saintly Dorothy Day, and drop acid with Merry Prankster Ken Kesey. The history recounted here uncovers the origins of The Oregon Country Faire, the Rainbow Gatherings and the infamous Vortex Festival. The tales thread their way through the intimacies of America’s West Coast communes, caustic anti-Vietnam War protests, the beauty of creating community gardens in vacant city lots, and the untold tale of what really brought down the Soviet Union.

About the Author

Garrick Beck grew up in a pioneering Off-Broadway theatrical family. He has been the subject of interviews in Downtown Magazine and High Times and in books by Alberto Ruiz, Hampton Sides, Matt Love, Michael Niman, Steven Hager and Judge Dave Sentelle. As a storyteller he has performed on Garrison Keilor’s Prairie Home Companion, on Bob Fass’ WBAI Radio Unnamable, at Alphabet City’s ABC No Rio, and around more campfires than anyone can count. Here, for the first time, he writes down his stories for everyone.