Historian of philosophy Dmitry Khaustov invites the reader on a fascinating excursion into the world of literature of the beat generation. The author explores the characteristic features and cultural background of the emergence of the literary movement, the flagship of which was the trinity “Kerouac – Ginsberg – Burroughs”. In an attempt to understand this great American myth of the 20th century, the author asks about the essence of the so-called American dream, turning in his search to the ideological principles of the Enlightenment. In order to find out what the Beat Generation is like, the author takes an extensive excursion into the fields of history, philosophy, sociology and art history, combining deep erudition with an expressive writing style.