Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me

Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me follows Gnossos Pappadopoulis, a young wanderer and self-styled anarchist navigating life at a New York college campus in the 1960s. The story traces his encounters at "Mentor University" (a fictionalized Cornell), his travels to revolutionary Cuba, and his journeys through the American West. The narrative centers on Gnossos's experiences with campus politics, counterculture movements, and romantic pursuits as he rebels against authority and searches for meaning. His adventures include protests against university rules, encounters with various social groups and subcultures, and a series of psychedelic experiences that shape his worldview. The book stands as an influential work of 1960s counterculture literature, capturing the spirit of student activism and social upheaval of its era. Its impact extends beyond literature into music and art, influencing figures from Hunter S. Thompson to The Doors.

Readers describe the book as a chaotic, drug-fueled portrait of 1950s college life that captures the pre-hippie counterculture. Some find it pretentious and difficult to follow. Readers appreciate: - The authentic depiction of college culture and rebellion - The experimental, stream-of-consciousness writing style - The humor and absurdist scenes - Historical value as a document of the beatnik-to-hippie transition Common criticisms: - Meandering plot that's hard to follow - Dense, overwrought prose - Male characters' treatment of women - Too many obscure cultural references Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (1,900+ ratings) Amazon: 3.9/5 (80+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "Like On the Road meets Lucky Jim" - Goodreads reviewer "Beautiful prose but exhausting to read" - Amazon reviewer "The kind of book you either love or hate" - LibraryThing reviewer "Captures the energy of youth and rebellion, but plot goes nowhere" - Goodreads reviewer

On The Road by Jack Kerouac Chronicles the cross-country travels of Sal Paradise through 1950s America with themes of rebellion and self-discovery that parallel Gnossos's journeys.

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe Documents Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters' psychedelic adventures across America with the same counterculture spirit found in Fariña's work.

Drop City by T. C. Boyle Follows a group of 1960s commune dwellers in California and Alaska, exploring themes of cultural rebellion and alternative living that echo Gnossos's mindset.

Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins Tells the story of a wandering couple running a roadside zoo while exploring countercultural philosophies and mysticism similar to Fariña's narrative.

The Strawberry Statement by James Simon Kunen Presents a first-hand account of student protests at Columbia University in 1968, capturing the same campus activism and political atmosphere found in Fariña's novel.

🔸 Author Richard Fariña was close friends with Thomas Pynchon, who they met while studying at Cornell University, and Pynchon later dedicated his book "Gravity's Rainbow" to Fariña. 🔸 The book was published in 1966, the same year Fariña tragically died in a motorcycle accident - just two days after its publication and on his wife Mimi's 21st birthday. 🔸 The novel's protagonist name, Gnossos Pappadopoulis, reflects Fariña's interest in Gnosticism and Greek mythology, while also playing with the countercultural theme of seeking higher knowledge. 🔸 The book's setting is largely based on Cornell University (fictionalized as "Mentor University"), where Fariña studied in the late 1950s alongside future literary figures like Pynchon and Bruce Jay Friedman. 🔸 Before writing the novel, Fariña was a well-known folk musician who performed with Bob Dylan and was married to Joan Baez's sister Mimi, making him a significant figure in the Greenwich Village folk scene.