The prophetic poem that launched a generation when it was first published in 1965 is here presented in a commemorative fortieth Anniversary Edition. When the book arrived from its British printers, it was seized almost immediately by U.S. Customs, and shortly thereafter the San Francisco police arrested its publisher and editor, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, together with City Lights Bookstore manager Shigeyoshi Murao. The two of them were charged with disseminating...

"Melissa has fled her San Francisco home, an indefinitely postponed wedding, and the loss of her job, taking a position as au pair to a Member of Parliament's family. A dreamer, she expects to float into a Merchant Ivory world. Instead, she floats into a continuing series of shocking surprises."--Jacket.