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Tosh: Growing Up in Wallace Berman's World
The triumphs and tragedies of growing up as the son of a famous Beat artist TOSH is a memoir of growing up as the son of an enigmatic, much-admired, hermetic, and ruthlessly bohemian artist during the waning years of the Beat Generation and the heyday of hippie counterculture. A critical figure in the history of postwar American culture, Tosh Berman's father, Wallace Berman, was known as the "father of assemblage art," and was the creator of the legendary mail-art publication Semina. Wallace Berman and his wife, famed beauty and artist's muse Shirley Berman, raised Tosh between Los Angeles and San Francisco, and their home life was a heady atmosphere of art, music, and literature, with local and international luminaries regularly passing through. Tosh's unconventional childhood and peculiar journey to adulthood features an array of famous characters, from George Herms and Marcel Duchamp, to Michael McClure and William S. Burroughs, to Dennis Hopper and Dean Stockwell, to the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, and Toni Basil. TOSH takes an unflinching look at the triumphs and tragedies of his unusual upbringing by an artistic genius with all-too-human frailties, against a backdrop that includes The T.A.M.I. Show, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band , Easy Rider , and more. With a preface by actress/writer Amber Tamblyn (daughter of Wallace's friend, actor Russ Tamblyn), TOSH is a self-portrait taken at the crossroads of popular culture and the avant-garde. The index of names included represents a who's who of midcentury American—and international—culture. Praise for Tosh : "Tosh Berman's sweet and affecting memoir provides an intimate glimpse of his father, Wallace, and the exciting, seat-of-the-pants LA art scene of the 1960s, and it also speaks to the hearts of current and former lonely teenagers everywhere."-- Luc Sante , author of The Other Paris "This is the story of a kid growing up inside of art world history, retelling his upbringing warts and all. A well-written, fast-moving book that is candid, funny, often disturbing, and never dull."-- Gillian McCain , co-author of Please Kill The Uncensored Oral History of Punk " TOSH is a delightfully entertaining memoir filled with sly wit and a profound personal perspective."-- John Zorn , composer "One could not wish for a better guide into the subterranean and bohemian worlds of the California art/Beat scene than Tosh Berman, only scion of the great Wallace. Tosh has a sly wit and an informed eye, he is both erudite and neurotic, and often hilarious."-- John Taylor, Duran Duran "There's the life—and then there's the life . With TOSH you can have both. My life, and that of many who sailed with me, was formed by the 40's & 50's. TOSH takes you there."-- Andrew Loog Oldham , producer/manager, The Rolling Stones "As the son of artist Wallace Berman, Tosh Berman had a front row seat for the beat parade of the '50s, and the hippie extravaganza of the '60s. It was an exotic, star-studded childhood, but having groovy parents doesn't insulate one from the challenge of forging one's own identity in the world. Berman's successful effort to do that provides the heart and soul of this movingly candid chronicle of growing up bohemian."-- Kristine McKenna , co-author of Room to Dream by David Lynch "This is a beautifully written memoir, and I highly recommend it to those who are interested in the Sixties, Topanga Canyon, the Southern California art scene, and for those who wonder what it might mean to grow up as the son of one of our most acclaimed artists."-- Lisa See , author of The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
328 pages, Paperback
Published February 12, 2019
11 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
Tosh Berman
14 books777 followersI'm the publisher and editor of TamTam Books. I publish the works by and on Boris Vian, Guy Debord, Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Mesrine and Ron Mael & Russell Mael (Sparks), and Lun*na Menoh.
My books are:
"Sparks-Tastic" (published by Rare Bird/A Barnacle Book).
"The Plum in Mr. Blum's Pudding" (published by Penny-Ante Editions)
"Tosh: Growing up in Wallace Berman's World" (City Lights Books) 2019
tosh.substack.com
My books are:
"Sparks-Tastic" (published by Rare Bird/A Barnacle Book).
"The Plum in Mr. Blum's Pudding" (published by Penny-Ante Editions)
"Tosh: Growing up in Wallace Berman's World" (City Lights Books) 2019
tosh.substack.com
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 11, 2018
I'm the first reviewer here on my book, which I know, kind of sucks, but nevertheless, I will let you know what the book is about. It's a memoir of my childhood and teenage life with my father the artist Wallace Berman and mom, Shirley Berman. My dad was one of the key figures in the Beat movement and the hippie era. The story starts in the late 1940s to give background on my parents' life before yours truly came on to the world. The locations are Los Angeles, San Francisco, Topanga Canyon, Beverly Glen, and a bit of London. The cast of characters that come and go in the book are Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, Brian Jones (The Rolling Stones), Toni Basil, Dean Stockwell, Russell Tamblyn, Dennis Hopper, Marcel Duchamp, Walter Hopps, Michael McClure, Cameron, Robert Fraser, and Alexander Trocchi among others. It's very much a child or teenager's point of view of the underground or counter-cultural bohemian world at the time of the late 1950s/1960s/and up to mid-1970s. I will be doing a reading tour for the book when it's released in late January 2019. Also, it's a great honor to be part of the City Lights family. I'm very fortunate to get some blurbs for the book from various figures in the literature/music/art world. - Tosh Berman.
Praise for Tosh:
"Tosh Berman's sweet and affecting memoir provides an intimate glimpse of his father, Wallace, and the exciting, seat-of-the-pants LA art scene of the 1960s, and it also speaks to the hearts of current and former lonely teenagers everywhere."—Luc Sante, author of The Other Paris
"This book is like a fascinating series of autobiographical post-cards that could be subtitled, Growing Up Semina. As the son of artist Wallace Berman, Tosh presents fly on the wall impressions of his parents coterie in the 60s and 70s—a grouping that included such luminaries as Dennis Hopper, Brian Jones, Toni Basil, and Andy Warhol. His memoir give us a glimpse into the 'other' Los Angeles—a bohemia that thrived in the 60s and 70s in numerous enclaves such as Topanga Canyon, Venice Beach, and West Hollywood. This is the story of a kid growing up inside of art world history, retelling his upbringing warts and all. A well-written, fast-moving book that is candid, funny, often disturbing, and never dull."—Gillian McCain, co-author of Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk
"As the son of artist Wallace Berman, Tosh Berman had a front row seat for the beat parade of the '50s, and the hippie extravaganza of the '60s. It was an exotic, star-studded childhood, but having groovy parents doesn't insulate one from the challenge of forging one's own identity in the world. Berman's successful effort to do that provides the heart and soul of this movingly candid chronicle of growing up bohemian."—Kristine McKenna, co-author of Room to Dream by David Lynch
"Through the prism of Tosh Berman, only child, born 1954 to Wallace and Shirley, who personified the wild heart of 20th century West Coast art, we are offered a truly intimate invitation into a magic world of outliers, visionaries and shooting stars.TOSH recounts a life 'lived like a good book on a bookshelf,' a memoir resonant with discovery, passion, music, art, sex, celebrity, ego, desire, and dignity. All told with a son's love for his father, a continuing light into the creative life."—Thurston Moore, musician & writer
"This book is sublime: vertiginous, melancholy, highly amusing!"—Johan Kugelberg, Boo-Hooray
"One could not wish for a better guide into the subterranean and bohemian worlds of the California art/Beat scene than Tosh Berman, only scion of the great Wallace. Tosh has a sly wit and an informed eye, he is both erudite and neurotic, and often hilarious. TOSH, the book, is packed with keen observations and unique anecdotal factoids that could only come from a true insider. It's a must for anyone who cares about California counter-culture and the raggedy-ass drumbeat of the Beat Generation."—John Taylor, Duran Duran
"Tosh Berman is one of the most valuable writers, much less people, the earth has upon it. This book is exquisite. I can't think of another word. What it says, how it says it, what it is."—Dennis Cooper, author of The Marbled Swarm
"I first met Tosh Berman when he was assigned to sit next to me in 5th grade. We rode the Topanga school bus together for many years and even drove with each other to our high school graduation. But the overlap doesn't end there. Our parents frequented many of the same movie theaters, clubs, and galleries. Neither of our mother's drove, either. Both of our families had the celebrities of the day passing through our houses. I witnessed much of what Tosh saw and writes about, and I can say that TOSH: Growing up in Wallace Berman's World captures the times, places, and people with accuracy, sensitivity, humor, and, at times, great sadness. This is a beautifully written memoir, and I highly recommend it to those who are interested in the Sixties, Topanga Canyon, the Southern California art scene, and for those who wonder what it might mean to grow up as the son of one of our most acclaimed artists."—Lisa See, author of The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
"Reading TOSH, I felt like I was lying on a couch, completely relaxed and engrossed, while Tosh Berman sat in a chair beside me and told me his amazing life story. And at the end, I was very moved and wanted to cry. The affect that TOSH—the book and the man—had on me was that feeling I get when exposed to great art: a mix of sadness and wonder, which seem to be the two faces of the human heart. Wonderment at the beauty around us—the world, its people—and the sadness that nothing lasts, that all must perish. But this is our journey on planet earth: to be brave and feel both things at once, and it's great art, like this book, that reminds us to do so."—Jonathan Ames, author of You Were Never Really Here
"If you are interested in California bohemian art-scene culture, eccentric and fascinating family and friend dynamics between unique individuals, and celebrated yet oddly little-known artists with uncompromising personalities, then read this book!"—Roman Coppola, filmmaker, screenwriter
"This book is perfection. I wish it went on forever. Maybe, somehow, it does.TOSH is almost like a giant map of small city . . . Each sentence is a street. Each chapter is an era. Each memory revealing a secret passage from one place to the next . . . TO READ IT is to WALK IT with Tosh Berman." —Jason Schwartzman, actor
"Tosh Berman paints an intimate and heartfelt portrait of growing up within the quirky West Coast counterculture of the 1950-70s. At the center of the tale is his dedicated and passionate artist father, Wallace Berman, who introduces his son to a bizarre collection of artists, crooks, cowboys, beatniks, hippies, freaks, filmmakers, musicians, mystics, and assorted weirdos. Including hilarious personal stories about Dean Stockwell, Dennis Hopper, Allen Ginsberg, Cameron, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Michael McClure, Robert Duncan, George Herms, Leslie Caron, William Burroughs, Andy Warhol, Russ Tamblyn, Lenny Bruce, Phil Spector, Brian Jones, Alexander Trocchi, John Cage, and many many more, TOSH, is a delightfully entertaining memoir filled with sly wit and a profound personal perspective."—John Zorn, composer
"There's the life—and then there's the life. With TOSH you can have both. My life, and that of many who sailed with me, was formed by the 40's & 50's. TOSH takes you there. Feel the fabric, touch the canvas of all that informed us. Embrace it and move forward."—Andrew Loog Oldham, producer/manager, The Rolling Stones
"This double narrative of Tosh Berman and his father, Wallace, will tell you more about the creative process than a hundred how-to books purporting to do the same. Joyous and unselfconsciously readable, it celebrates the delights of surprise and observation on every page, as well as, yes—the confidence that things will somehow land upright."—Jim Krusoe, author of The Sleep Garden
"What compels about Tosh Berman's gorgeously written memoir is the proximity of the quotidian and the familiar to the extraordinary, the shocking even, and the enviably glamorous. He recounts a coming of age in which the unexpected laces the ordinary as surely at it does in Alice In Wonderland—only for Tosh, growing up, a cast of artists, nutcases, iconoclasts, stars, and extremists of all kinds provide the distraction and disruption once supplied by the White Rabbit or Cheshire Cat. Add to this his exemplary taste in, and understanding of, a particular pop sensibility—TV, music, Warhol, and comic books. That then heady and head-spinning world, soundtrack to a sentimental education, that was for the young romantics of the mid-twentieth century what clouds and peaks were to those of mid-nineteenth. Brava, Tosh Berman!"—Michael Bracewell, writer
"If the first movie your father takes you to as a child is . . . And God Created Woman, you can be sure of two things. First, that your father is an extraordinary person. Second, that you are destined to lead an extraordinarily interesting life. Both of these suppositions are made evident in Tosh Berman's vivid and loving memoir, TOSH: Growing Up in Wallace Berman's World. What a world!"—Ron Mael, Sparks
"Reading TOSH is like meeting your idols, one at a time, for a quiet chat. Everyone is disarmed, and it feels like you've been in the same room with them for about ten hours, or so. Dennis Hopper is unconstrained and friendly, Toni Basil is bubbly, and Brian Jones has just stopped by to say hello. Topanga, as a place is remote—filled with pockets of escapism, winding landscapes of tumult and ennui. Tosh's world is both expansive and crystalline, he traces the edges of his world, and Wallace's world. We get to come and go with Tosh as he navigates his place in and around the tangle of the time."—Soo Kim, artist, Professor at Otis College of Art and Design
"Sexually giddy, clairvoyant, messianic—Wallace Berman's socially astute photo-collages were vital bread and butter for several generations of artists. The Wallace B bloodline, from which Tosh sprouted, is a verdant gene pool. For artists-readers, TOSH, the memoir, is a luscious document of Los Angeles in the last four decades of the 20th century. Every page is filled with juicy history. Such surprises include a teenaged Sammy Davis Jr. sleepover, a pet alligator, Mae West, Allen Ginsberg, and dozens of remarkable side characters. Bask in Tosh Berman's honesty and gentle style. He is a one-of-a-kind gem."—Benjamin Weissman, artist & writer
Praise for Tosh:
"Tosh Berman's sweet and affecting memoir provides an intimate glimpse of his father, Wallace, and the exciting, seat-of-the-pants LA art scene of the 1960s, and it also speaks to the hearts of current and former lonely teenagers everywhere."—Luc Sante, author of The Other Paris
"This book is like a fascinating series of autobiographical post-cards that could be subtitled, Growing Up Semina. As the son of artist Wallace Berman, Tosh presents fly on the wall impressions of his parents coterie in the 60s and 70s—a grouping that included such luminaries as Dennis Hopper, Brian Jones, Toni Basil, and Andy Warhol. His memoir give us a glimpse into the 'other' Los Angeles—a bohemia that thrived in the 60s and 70s in numerous enclaves such as Topanga Canyon, Venice Beach, and West Hollywood. This is the story of a kid growing up inside of art world history, retelling his upbringing warts and all. A well-written, fast-moving book that is candid, funny, often disturbing, and never dull."—Gillian McCain, co-author of Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk
"As the son of artist Wallace Berman, Tosh Berman had a front row seat for the beat parade of the '50s, and the hippie extravaganza of the '60s. It was an exotic, star-studded childhood, but having groovy parents doesn't insulate one from the challenge of forging one's own identity in the world. Berman's successful effort to do that provides the heart and soul of this movingly candid chronicle of growing up bohemian."—Kristine McKenna, co-author of Room to Dream by David Lynch
"Through the prism of Tosh Berman, only child, born 1954 to Wallace and Shirley, who personified the wild heart of 20th century West Coast art, we are offered a truly intimate invitation into a magic world of outliers, visionaries and shooting stars.TOSH recounts a life 'lived like a good book on a bookshelf,' a memoir resonant with discovery, passion, music, art, sex, celebrity, ego, desire, and dignity. All told with a son's love for his father, a continuing light into the creative life."—Thurston Moore, musician & writer
"This book is sublime: vertiginous, melancholy, highly amusing!"—Johan Kugelberg, Boo-Hooray
"One could not wish for a better guide into the subterranean and bohemian worlds of the California art/Beat scene than Tosh Berman, only scion of the great Wallace. Tosh has a sly wit and an informed eye, he is both erudite and neurotic, and often hilarious. TOSH, the book, is packed with keen observations and unique anecdotal factoids that could only come from a true insider. It's a must for anyone who cares about California counter-culture and the raggedy-ass drumbeat of the Beat Generation."—John Taylor, Duran Duran
"Tosh Berman is one of the most valuable writers, much less people, the earth has upon it. This book is exquisite. I can't think of another word. What it says, how it says it, what it is."—Dennis Cooper, author of The Marbled Swarm
"I first met Tosh Berman when he was assigned to sit next to me in 5th grade. We rode the Topanga school bus together for many years and even drove with each other to our high school graduation. But the overlap doesn't end there. Our parents frequented many of the same movie theaters, clubs, and galleries. Neither of our mother's drove, either. Both of our families had the celebrities of the day passing through our houses. I witnessed much of what Tosh saw and writes about, and I can say that TOSH: Growing up in Wallace Berman's World captures the times, places, and people with accuracy, sensitivity, humor, and, at times, great sadness. This is a beautifully written memoir, and I highly recommend it to those who are interested in the Sixties, Topanga Canyon, the Southern California art scene, and for those who wonder what it might mean to grow up as the son of one of our most acclaimed artists."—Lisa See, author of The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
"Reading TOSH, I felt like I was lying on a couch, completely relaxed and engrossed, while Tosh Berman sat in a chair beside me and told me his amazing life story. And at the end, I was very moved and wanted to cry. The affect that TOSH—the book and the man—had on me was that feeling I get when exposed to great art: a mix of sadness and wonder, which seem to be the two faces of the human heart. Wonderment at the beauty around us—the world, its people—and the sadness that nothing lasts, that all must perish. But this is our journey on planet earth: to be brave and feel both things at once, and it's great art, like this book, that reminds us to do so."—Jonathan Ames, author of You Were Never Really Here
"If you are interested in California bohemian art-scene culture, eccentric and fascinating family and friend dynamics between unique individuals, and celebrated yet oddly little-known artists with uncompromising personalities, then read this book!"—Roman Coppola, filmmaker, screenwriter
"This book is perfection. I wish it went on forever. Maybe, somehow, it does.TOSH is almost like a giant map of small city . . . Each sentence is a street. Each chapter is an era. Each memory revealing a secret passage from one place to the next . . . TO READ IT is to WALK IT with Tosh Berman." —Jason Schwartzman, actor
"Tosh Berman paints an intimate and heartfelt portrait of growing up within the quirky West Coast counterculture of the 1950-70s. At the center of the tale is his dedicated and passionate artist father, Wallace Berman, who introduces his son to a bizarre collection of artists, crooks, cowboys, beatniks, hippies, freaks, filmmakers, musicians, mystics, and assorted weirdos. Including hilarious personal stories about Dean Stockwell, Dennis Hopper, Allen Ginsberg, Cameron, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Michael McClure, Robert Duncan, George Herms, Leslie Caron, William Burroughs, Andy Warhol, Russ Tamblyn, Lenny Bruce, Phil Spector, Brian Jones, Alexander Trocchi, John Cage, and many many more, TOSH, is a delightfully entertaining memoir filled with sly wit and a profound personal perspective."—John Zorn, composer
"There's the life—and then there's the life. With TOSH you can have both. My life, and that of many who sailed with me, was formed by the 40's & 50's. TOSH takes you there. Feel the fabric, touch the canvas of all that informed us. Embrace it and move forward."—Andrew Loog Oldham, producer/manager, The Rolling Stones
"This double narrative of Tosh Berman and his father, Wallace, will tell you more about the creative process than a hundred how-to books purporting to do the same. Joyous and unselfconsciously readable, it celebrates the delights of surprise and observation on every page, as well as, yes—the confidence that things will somehow land upright."—Jim Krusoe, author of The Sleep Garden
"What compels about Tosh Berman's gorgeously written memoir is the proximity of the quotidian and the familiar to the extraordinary, the shocking even, and the enviably glamorous. He recounts a coming of age in which the unexpected laces the ordinary as surely at it does in Alice In Wonderland—only for Tosh, growing up, a cast of artists, nutcases, iconoclasts, stars, and extremists of all kinds provide the distraction and disruption once supplied by the White Rabbit or Cheshire Cat. Add to this his exemplary taste in, and understanding of, a particular pop sensibility—TV, music, Warhol, and comic books. That then heady and head-spinning world, soundtrack to a sentimental education, that was for the young romantics of the mid-twentieth century what clouds and peaks were to those of mid-nineteenth. Brava, Tosh Berman!"—Michael Bracewell, writer
"If the first movie your father takes you to as a child is . . . And God Created Woman, you can be sure of two things. First, that your father is an extraordinary person. Second, that you are destined to lead an extraordinarily interesting life. Both of these suppositions are made evident in Tosh Berman's vivid and loving memoir, TOSH: Growing Up in Wallace Berman's World. What a world!"—Ron Mael, Sparks
"Reading TOSH is like meeting your idols, one at a time, for a quiet chat. Everyone is disarmed, and it feels like you've been in the same room with them for about ten hours, or so. Dennis Hopper is unconstrained and friendly, Toni Basil is bubbly, and Brian Jones has just stopped by to say hello. Topanga, as a place is remote—filled with pockets of escapism, winding landscapes of tumult and ennui. Tosh's world is both expansive and crystalline, he traces the edges of his world, and Wallace's world. We get to come and go with Tosh as he navigates his place in and around the tangle of the time."—Soo Kim, artist, Professor at Otis College of Art and Design
"Sexually giddy, clairvoyant, messianic—Wallace Berman's socially astute photo-collages were vital bread and butter for several generations of artists. The Wallace B bloodline, from which Tosh sprouted, is a verdant gene pool. For artists-readers, TOSH, the memoir, is a luscious document of Los Angeles in the last four decades of the 20th century. Every page is filled with juicy history. Such surprises include a teenaged Sammy Davis Jr. sleepover, a pet alligator, Mae West, Allen Ginsberg, and dozens of remarkable side characters. Bask in Tosh Berman's honesty and gentle style. He is a one-of-a-kind gem."—Benjamin Weissman, artist & writer
February 1, 2019
I first met Tosh while working in a record store with him. It was back when vinyl records were still the norm and there was no legitimate context for any of us to use the words “digital” or “download". If Tosh and I were working a shift together and someone came to the register to purchase a copy of The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s album, I would point to the photo of Wallace Berman on the cover and then point to Tosh and tell the lucky buyer that the man next to Tony Curtis was Tosh’s father. I don’t think a single person ever believed me. In fact I recall quite a few eye rolls.
I think in many ways this is the essence of the Berman clan. They have the ability to wander amongst the famous and the legendary and remain comfortably below the radar themselves, fame not being something they’ve ever had an interest in actively pursuing.
Wallace is frequently described as a pied piper. He seemed to naturally attract and befriend the most intriguing people of his time. Tosh may not consciously realize it but he has inherited his father’s magnetism in attracting a group of people all worthy of a seat at the Algonquin round table.
This book is his memoir of growing up in what to most of us seems like pretty extraordinary circumstances. A childhood full of the most incredible people wandering the earth in the 1950s, 60s & 70s. And a childhood that witnessed a true artist at work, doing the day-to-day, making art and being a father. And yet, I found so much of his childhood to be very relatable despite having no famous or artistic types in my own family history. The thing that struck me the most about this book is Tosh’s uncanny ability to recall his childhood perspective so well. Most of us tend to forget that knee-high perspective both physically and metaphorically. His childhood view of the cadre of adults that found themselves in the Berman household is a truly unique take on this time period.
And what a crazy mix of people found themselves mingling with the Berman family. Everyone from Andy Warhol, Allen Ginsberg, Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, Russ Tamblyn, Dean Stockwell, Dennis Hopper, Toni Basil and on and on… It’s like a fantasy list of people from the era that we all wish we could’ve rubbed elbows with. And Tosh did!
And yet, Tosh’s childhood perspective really puts things into a different context. He frequently found himself unable to discern the difference between someone on TV and that same person in their home. Children often bring things back down to earth and I think this really is a big part of what makes this book so special. While it may feel like a who’s who of the era, we get a new look at these people and they become just as human to us as they were for Tosh as a child.
This book is obviously a must-read for anyone interested in Wallace Berman, his art and the beat/hippie era but it’s also a really beautifully written coming-of-age story. In my (admittedly biased) opinion, this book is perfection in every way!
I think in many ways this is the essence of the Berman clan. They have the ability to wander amongst the famous and the legendary and remain comfortably below the radar themselves, fame not being something they’ve ever had an interest in actively pursuing.
Wallace is frequently described as a pied piper. He seemed to naturally attract and befriend the most intriguing people of his time. Tosh may not consciously realize it but he has inherited his father’s magnetism in attracting a group of people all worthy of a seat at the Algonquin round table.
This book is his memoir of growing up in what to most of us seems like pretty extraordinary circumstances. A childhood full of the most incredible people wandering the earth in the 1950s, 60s & 70s. And a childhood that witnessed a true artist at work, doing the day-to-day, making art and being a father. And yet, I found so much of his childhood to be very relatable despite having no famous or artistic types in my own family history. The thing that struck me the most about this book is Tosh’s uncanny ability to recall his childhood perspective so well. Most of us tend to forget that knee-high perspective both physically and metaphorically. His childhood view of the cadre of adults that found themselves in the Berman household is a truly unique take on this time period.
And what a crazy mix of people found themselves mingling with the Berman family. Everyone from Andy Warhol, Allen Ginsberg, Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, Russ Tamblyn, Dean Stockwell, Dennis Hopper, Toni Basil and on and on… It’s like a fantasy list of people from the era that we all wish we could’ve rubbed elbows with. And Tosh did!
And yet, Tosh’s childhood perspective really puts things into a different context. He frequently found himself unable to discern the difference between someone on TV and that same person in their home. Children often bring things back down to earth and I think this really is a big part of what makes this book so special. While it may feel like a who’s who of the era, we get a new look at these people and they become just as human to us as they were for Tosh as a child.
This book is obviously a must-read for anyone interested in Wallace Berman, his art and the beat/hippie era but it’s also a really beautifully written coming-of-age story. In my (admittedly biased) opinion, this book is perfection in every way!
June 17, 2025
An insightful and beautifully written memoir of Tosh Berman’s early life with his mother, Shirley Berman, and his father, the iconic artist, Wallace Berman. This intriguing tome features an eclectic cast of characters, from Marcel Duchamp to Brian Jones, and takes us through the Beat Generation, the Swinging Sixties, the glam rock era, and beyond. A must-read for anyone interested in the art and music scene, and to those who would like a glimpse into Tosh’s life and the world of Wallace Berman.
“The beauty of Semina is that it was a periodical made not to be sold on the marketplace. Wallace' intention was to personally hand each issue to a friend or someone he admired. Or, in most cases, he sent it to people through the mail. No one could officially subscribe to the publication, and except for that one issue sold at City Lights, Semina never was sold in a retail or specialty shop. So to receive a copy was truly a unique gesture between artist and reader.” (p.52)
“…I think I was meant to be loved from a distance. This had to do with the fact that I'm an only child. There is something catlike in that; you want someone to come up and pet you, but not hang out too much afterward. I much prefer objects: the vinyl LP, for instance.” (p.67-68)
“In his [Wallace’s] Verifax collages, some images transcend time. To see the present he needed the past, and through the past, he could see the present. Who knows? He maybe could also see the future.” (p.156)
"It was the beauty of the London '60s era, when, for a brief moment in time, if you were interesting, you could merge with others who shared the currency of a particular drug, or taste in music, clothing, and art. Wallace had the innate ability to be always interesting on many fronts." (p.227)
“The beauty of Semina is that it was a periodical made not to be sold on the marketplace. Wallace' intention was to personally hand each issue to a friend or someone he admired. Or, in most cases, he sent it to people through the mail. No one could officially subscribe to the publication, and except for that one issue sold at City Lights, Semina never was sold in a retail or specialty shop. So to receive a copy was truly a unique gesture between artist and reader.” (p.52)
“…I think I was meant to be loved from a distance. This had to do with the fact that I'm an only child. There is something catlike in that; you want someone to come up and pet you, but not hang out too much afterward. I much prefer objects: the vinyl LP, for instance.” (p.67-68)
“In his [Wallace’s] Verifax collages, some images transcend time. To see the present he needed the past, and through the past, he could see the present. Who knows? He maybe could also see the future.” (p.156)
"It was the beauty of the London '60s era, when, for a brief moment in time, if you were interesting, you could merge with others who shared the currency of a particular drug, or taste in music, clothing, and art. Wallace had the innate ability to be always interesting on many fronts." (p.227)
February 3, 2019
A fascinating look at the author's father and the cast of interesting artists that came in and out of their lives. The more I learned about Wallace Berman, his attitude, outlook, and creative endeavors, the more I kept jumping onto Google to see some of these wonders of art, film, and photographs myself. A wonderful tribute.
March 30, 2019
"TOSH: growing up in Wallace Berman's world" by Tosh Berman
I have just finished reading this affectionate and intimate memoir. The story of Tosh, a young boy, the son of Wallace and Shirley Berman, growing up in a world of progressive forward thinkers, poets, underground filmmakers and countercultural artists. There are lots of fascinating vignettes, describing a whole stellar cast of artists, actors and musicians, who all have walk-on parts. Marcel Duchamp, touchingly, bending down to shake Tosh's little hand and Mick Jagger, ruffling Tosh's hair and saying: "Cute tyke", are typical examples of the everyday events in this extraordinary life. I learned a lot about Wallace Berman's art, which was all new to me, and also about the artist, himself, but this isn't a book about Wallace Berman. This is a book about Tosh, and the world he grew up in, and it was an absolute pleasure and privilege to be allowed into it. I could have easily read this book in one weekend, but I wanted to take my time over it. This book made me think, a lot, about my own life. Even though it is about a whole different world, to my own. I really did feel that I could identify with it. A strange thing happened, while I was reading this book. I am in the habit, of playing instrumental music, really quietly, in the background. For this book, I ended up choosing Erik Satie, at an almost ambient level, so that I could only just hear it, but I could just as easily have chosen something else. When I was about halfway through the book, I had a vivid flashback, to when I was about twenty years old, some forty years ago. I remembered myself, at my parents' house, in my bedroom, listening to Satie and reading. The book was, 'Life With Father' by Clarence Day Jr, an affectionate memoir of a boy growing up in the shadow of a larger than life father. It was such a strange coincidental flashback. Not that Wallace Berman is anything like the domineering stockbroker in that particular book. Then I remembered my favourite chapter of 'Life With Father': "Father Interferes with the Twenty-third Psalm", in which, Clarence explains his father's opinion of the twenty-third Psalm: "I couldn't imagine Father being comforted by the Lord's rod and staff, or allowing anybody whatever to lead him to a pasture and get him to lie down somewhere in it. I could see him in my mind's eye, in his tailed coat and top hat, refusing point-blank even to enter a pasture." Dads, eh? Maybe, every son should write their own Life With Father?
I have just finished reading this affectionate and intimate memoir. The story of Tosh, a young boy, the son of Wallace and Shirley Berman, growing up in a world of progressive forward thinkers, poets, underground filmmakers and countercultural artists. There are lots of fascinating vignettes, describing a whole stellar cast of artists, actors and musicians, who all have walk-on parts. Marcel Duchamp, touchingly, bending down to shake Tosh's little hand and Mick Jagger, ruffling Tosh's hair and saying: "Cute tyke", are typical examples of the everyday events in this extraordinary life. I learned a lot about Wallace Berman's art, which was all new to me, and also about the artist, himself, but this isn't a book about Wallace Berman. This is a book about Tosh, and the world he grew up in, and it was an absolute pleasure and privilege to be allowed into it. I could have easily read this book in one weekend, but I wanted to take my time over it. This book made me think, a lot, about my own life. Even though it is about a whole different world, to my own. I really did feel that I could identify with it. A strange thing happened, while I was reading this book. I am in the habit, of playing instrumental music, really quietly, in the background. For this book, I ended up choosing Erik Satie, at an almost ambient level, so that I could only just hear it, but I could just as easily have chosen something else. When I was about halfway through the book, I had a vivid flashback, to when I was about twenty years old, some forty years ago. I remembered myself, at my parents' house, in my bedroom, listening to Satie and reading. The book was, 'Life With Father' by Clarence Day Jr, an affectionate memoir of a boy growing up in the shadow of a larger than life father. It was such a strange coincidental flashback. Not that Wallace Berman is anything like the domineering stockbroker in that particular book. Then I remembered my favourite chapter of 'Life With Father': "Father Interferes with the Twenty-third Psalm", in which, Clarence explains his father's opinion of the twenty-third Psalm: "I couldn't imagine Father being comforted by the Lord's rod and staff, or allowing anybody whatever to lead him to a pasture and get him to lie down somewhere in it. I could see him in my mind's eye, in his tailed coat and top hat, refusing point-blank even to enter a pasture." Dads, eh? Maybe, every son should write their own Life With Father?
April 23, 2019
I love this book!
March 3, 2019
Exceptional memoir. I picked up “Semina Culture: Wallace Berman & His Circle” a few years ago as it featured a few of the Beats. ”Tosh - Growing up in Wallace Berman’s World” is a great companion to that book and I now have a better understanding of his father’s work as seen through the eyes of his son. Tosh Berman brilliantly writes about this time with affection, wit and first hand knowledge that gives insight to not only his parents but their friends, such as Allen Ginsberg, Michael McClure, Russ Tamblyn, George Herms, etc.
Didn’t realize that Wallace Berman was one of the faces featured on The Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper cover, until I read this book. Related to a few of the stories such as the author’s grandparents living in Boyle Heights (where my father was also from when it was a Jewish and Japanese American community); Tosh playing Bowie’s “David Live” in his car while driving through Topanga Canyon (a place I have driven through many times as well and wearing out the same record and 8 track) or carrying his vinyl records around in high school and then to on the other end of the spectrum - the day he lost his father and how your life changes in an instant from that loss.
A wonderful read from page one to the end. You can also find Tosh Berman on YouTube in a series of videos about this book.
Didn’t realize that Wallace Berman was one of the faces featured on The Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper cover, until I read this book. Related to a few of the stories such as the author’s grandparents living in Boyle Heights (where my father was also from when it was a Jewish and Japanese American community); Tosh playing Bowie’s “David Live” in his car while driving through Topanga Canyon (a place I have driven through many times as well and wearing out the same record and 8 track) or carrying his vinyl records around in high school and then to on the other end of the spectrum - the day he lost his father and how your life changes in an instant from that loss.
A wonderful read from page one to the end. You can also find Tosh Berman on YouTube in a series of videos about this book.
March 10, 2019
I found Tosh Berman in a Sparks group on Facebook. The more I discovered about him—his intelligent, discreetly twinkling prose, his immaculate taste in music, his impeccable manners and, wait! His dad on the cover of Sergeant Pepper?!—the more I wanted to know. This book, which I have eagerly anticipated, does not disappoint.
Tosh’s wee face is so serious in the photos Wallace takes of him. Tosh’s dad focuses relentlessly on his art. His mum goes out to normal day jobs, but Tosh at home finds the most security existing almost between the lines in Wallace’s work, learning to return the stylus to the beginning of the pop-7”-of-the-day again and again, to feed The Muse. Their world is peopled by incredibly famous names and fantastic talents whom the absorbent Tosh is able to observe at first hand, mostly in California, but also when he finds himself, age 12, at the 14 Hour Technicolour Dream in London.
Tosh is a sensitive child, terribly afeared of even slight heights, but learning to depend on his inner resources and imagination, so amply modelled by the unique being of Wallace Berman. It is truly awesome to read this story and I can’t help comparing the parental styles of Wallace and Shirley against my own parents who were the same age! On the one hand, one might perceive a degree of neglect(Tosh is never directed or instructed, living the dream!) but on the other hand, truly conscious and creative living answers for itself. While Wallace chose to live largely as “l’homme invisible”, eschewing interviews and explanations of his work, he was a generous and sociable human and Tosh’s eloquence and freedom as a writer is a testament to his legacy.
Tosh’s wee face is so serious in the photos Wallace takes of him. Tosh’s dad focuses relentlessly on his art. His mum goes out to normal day jobs, but Tosh at home finds the most security existing almost between the lines in Wallace’s work, learning to return the stylus to the beginning of the pop-7”-of-the-day again and again, to feed The Muse. Their world is peopled by incredibly famous names and fantastic talents whom the absorbent Tosh is able to observe at first hand, mostly in California, but also when he finds himself, age 12, at the 14 Hour Technicolour Dream in London.
Tosh is a sensitive child, terribly afeared of even slight heights, but learning to depend on his inner resources and imagination, so amply modelled by the unique being of Wallace Berman. It is truly awesome to read this story and I can’t help comparing the parental styles of Wallace and Shirley against my own parents who were the same age! On the one hand, one might perceive a degree of neglect(Tosh is never directed or instructed, living the dream!) but on the other hand, truly conscious and creative living answers for itself. While Wallace chose to live largely as “l’homme invisible”, eschewing interviews and explanations of his work, he was a generous and sociable human and Tosh’s eloquence and freedom as a writer is a testament to his legacy.
April 11, 2019
I've got an older friend who's one of the best read people I know and he actually knew and interacted with many famous beats. So....When he gave me this book as a gift (he bought a whole box online direct from City Lights!), I already knew I'd probably enjoy it or at least should appreciate it!
I confess I'm not familiar with the art of Wallace Berman but I love a good memoir, anything beat or Bohemian and I"m also a huge fan of LA History and the Topanga Canyon area so there were a lot of pluses before I even opened the covers of this engrossing memoir. Tosh does a great job of recounting his relationship with his eccentric but lovings parents and the intriguing groups of celebrities they hung out with. The book is comprised primarily of small chapters (some of them only a couple of pages long) devoted to various celebrities of the era, I would have preferred to read more about Wallace than some of these people but Tosh writes well enough that I was happy to go along with the ride. Some of his personal opinions were a little hard to take; for instance he says that he's confused why Tony Basil, the singer of the one hit wonder "Hey Mickey", is not more famous than Madonna, but it's his book so I guess he's entitled to his opinion. The whole book is accompanied by a generous amount of amazing black and white photos of Tosh, family and friends taken by Wallace.
I confess I'm not familiar with the art of Wallace Berman but I love a good memoir, anything beat or Bohemian and I"m also a huge fan of LA History and the Topanga Canyon area so there were a lot of pluses before I even opened the covers of this engrossing memoir. Tosh does a great job of recounting his relationship with his eccentric but lovings parents and the intriguing groups of celebrities they hung out with. The book is comprised primarily of small chapters (some of them only a couple of pages long) devoted to various celebrities of the era, I would have preferred to read more about Wallace than some of these people but Tosh writes well enough that I was happy to go along with the ride. Some of his personal opinions were a little hard to take; for instance he says that he's confused why Tony Basil, the singer of the one hit wonder "Hey Mickey", is not more famous than Madonna, but it's his book so I guess he's entitled to his opinion. The whole book is accompanied by a generous amount of amazing black and white photos of Tosh, family and friends taken by Wallace.
March 8, 2020
It is a bit pathetic when the child of a celebrity has nothing to trade on but the fame of their parent. It is doubly pathetic when that fame is minor at best. Mr. Wallace sees to think that his father name, that of a justifiably minor artist on the fringes of the beat scene, will help him sell this tedious, aggressively aspires to middlebrow, memoir. Why anyone would be interested is beyond me, as the whole thing is the most shallow wallpaper observations peppered gratuitously with counterculture names much better known than his mediocre parent. Mr. Berman seems to think that this is enough to hold our interest and if trainspotting minor cult figures submerged in a mess of literary instant oatmeal is your thing, maybe it is. Otherwise give this a hard pass and read something written by the real thing.
February 14, 2019
I swear this only took so long for me to finish because there was about a week there (maybe more?) where my personal life was in unexpected chaos, and then on top of that I also got sick. It's accessible, charming, intriguing, surprising (even for those of us lucky enough to know Tosh personally, because who out there really knows ALL of Tosh?), amusing, and lovely. I love the non-linear format, and the shorter, stream-of-consciousness-like chapters, which make it both easier to get into from any angle, and make me feel a lot more confident about my own memoir writing style (but seriously, folks). It captures a special space in time, a fascinating group of extraordinary and ordinary people floating in and out of his life, and a special writer all at the center of it.
March 20, 2019
There are many books written about this time period, mainly the 50s, 60s and 70s, some of them first-hand views. Tosh is the son of two incredible parents, artist Wallace Berman, and his wife Shirley. Many stories have been told about Wallace. This is a first-hand view from Tosh while he was growing up. There is an honesty to the way Tosh writes which is matter-of-fact and refreshing. The stories are heartfelt which makes them wonderful.
Amber Tamblyn's introduction has this same feel with a straightforward honesty.
Amber Tamblyn's introduction has this same feel with a straightforward honesty.
June 30, 2019
Because I knew the author's parents back in the day, this book stirred up many memories. Tosh Berman has a clear and incisive memory and relates some fascinating details about life with a well-known and respected artist, his father Wallace Berman. Of course, as a child he had no full understanding of the special life he led, but it seems that from his adult perspective he can appreciate what a unique upbringing he had. An interesting look into the past, peopled by famous and semi-famous actors, artists and musicians.
March 5, 2021
Although I enjoyed this book, it is not a memoir or biography of Wallace Berman. He is on the periphery and that is alright, he is a complicated person to parse out. What irked me the most was when the book was only a memoir of Tosh and not the art world or times. When he would speak of sexuality as a teenager and yadda yadda yadda. He had a rich interior for "love" but isn't great in school and has a legendary father. At times I thought it deeply insightful and at times it was name dropping and mediocre prose.
August 28, 2023
Tosh vividly and wittily describes the fascinating bohemian milieu in which he was raised by his eccentric beatnik parents. He's definitely one of the fabulous fourth (my term for the 25% of straight men uninfected by toxic masculinity) and is charmingly open about his failures and insecurities as well as his quirks, passions, and consistently good taste. Anyone interested in the cultural history of mid-20th century America should find this a rewarding read.
August 13, 2019
Sadly more name dropping than content. I was really hoping for a more detailed account of the times and friendships with many famous people of that era. I liked the writing but not enough content for me.
June 25, 2021
This memoir is a thoroughly charming, enjoyable, and fascinating read with beautifully candid insights about growing up in Southern California (and briefly San Francisco) and the intersecting lives of visual artists, writers, musicians, actors and others during the fifties, sixties, and seventies.
December 11, 2021
I loved this book. Tosh Berman had an unusual life as the son of bohemian parents whose friends were an amazing array of artists, movie stars, writers and musicians. The book is a memoir of a life experienced as a young boy in this wonderful, sometimes confusing but certainly interesting world.
July 10, 2022
I thought this was very well done. I knew nothing about Wallace Berman before reading this book but he sounds like a fascinating man. Very impressed with Tosh’s ability to remember sensations from his childhood.
July 28, 2025
“At age 63, yet still feeling like the child in this book, I’ve witnessed so many changes in the world that are both awesome and horrible at the same time. I honestly believe that it is a blessing to be a writer or artist in our age now. It’s an honor to be in the presence of those we love, and equally fascinating to be with those we despise as well.”
July 8, 2020
This is a fascinating read. I enjoyed it immensely.
April 14, 2021
Interesting, but a little preachy.
August 26, 2025
Not to get in Tosh Berman's way in his reviewing his own book -- it certainly fits his father's philosophy to offer encomia (though his father might tell him to lose the friendly exegesis) that speak to the book's qualities. So that we may share. Tosh: Growing Up in Wallace Berman's World is both a metakosmos set in the hills near the edge of the continent, but also a meditation on what taste is for, for Tosh Berman was lucky enough to receive from his father an almost epicurean aesthetic education highly advanced upon the cultural cut of West Coast poetics and California subculture.
I offer 10 hadiths from the apocrypha of Wallace Berman (and I'll hope that "Hadith" will suggest a garbled, or mis-translated transmission):
Maybe Ian Fleming wasn't wackadoodle when he said, in one of his novels, that homosexuality was caused by suffragette agitation.
All film is a plastic art, and with Cocteau, "cinema is 'a poetry written on light.'"
Petty crime keeps the spirit from being too clean.
Never show exclusively.
Sign nothing. Join nothing. Vote for nothing. Never put a phone near where you're working. Have only the reputation your work and friendships grant you. Otherwise, be invisible.
California poetics would subvene the camp as Dante subvened epicureanism, or a parent might tell a son that Batman's central relationship isn't campy, but a story about Fathers and Sons.
No drugs. Always a joint. Don't let open the tab at your local tavern too long.
Never read anything but about art, but never write a word about art. Don't talk about art, unless it's with or for a friend.
Always play music while you work. Preferably singles. Keep an ear open for the music about you. Poetry is nothing if not an allied art.
Don't submit to be interviewed.
I offer 10 hadiths from the apocrypha of Wallace Berman (and I'll hope that "Hadith" will suggest a garbled, or mis-translated transmission):
Maybe Ian Fleming wasn't wackadoodle when he said, in one of his novels, that homosexuality was caused by suffragette agitation.
All film is a plastic art, and with Cocteau, "cinema is 'a poetry written on light.'"
Petty crime keeps the spirit from being too clean.
Never show exclusively.
Sign nothing. Join nothing. Vote for nothing. Never put a phone near where you're working. Have only the reputation your work and friendships grant you. Otherwise, be invisible.
California poetics would subvene the camp as Dante subvened epicureanism, or a parent might tell a son that Batman's central relationship isn't campy, but a story about Fathers and Sons.
No drugs. Always a joint. Don't let open the tab at your local tavern too long.
Never read anything but about art, but never write a word about art. Don't talk about art, unless it's with or for a friend.
Always play music while you work. Preferably singles. Keep an ear open for the music about you. Poetry is nothing if not an allied art.
Don't submit to be interviewed.
February 27, 2025
There is something enchanting when reading into another time and place, romantically experiencing an elsewhere, and Tosh Berman captures moments of this in slight chapters; each focused on a particular person, event, or happening. Telling the story of one's life, specifically their upbringing when compounded by the relationship to an artist-parent seminally famous (see what I did there?), cannot be an easy project. Tosh allows for this in the structure he employs, smartly, letting the child's memories bloom as they mature and comprehend more. It is in the final chapters however, the teen years, where the sharing of favorite cassette tapes, rock bands he would rather dismiss, and sexual positions enjoyed in his bedroom-garage that we lose touch with the sepia-colored, dusty, and precious world we first wandered around in at the start of this book, and in turn wonder about Wallace and consider what we haven't been told. There is a real history here that Tosh experienced first hand, and this enables greater appreciation for the making of an art not only for its precedent, but as situationally important. One wishes Topanga Canyon still held the same magic and mess it once did, and in turn breathe the air of those incredible people who ventured and created within its remoteness.
May 3, 2025
4.5. Very few people ever give me books. I think they tend to assume I may of already read it or they don’t know my taste well enough to choose for me. I’m super appreciative that my friend took a chance and sent this to me for my birthday in 2020 because I would of never chosen it for myself. My only regret is I slept on reading it for four years. It is an incredible memoir that depicts so many remarkable moments in the counter culture history of art, music, film, literature and the pursuit of creative exploration. It’s a perfect time capsule of LA and SF and anyone who has spent time there will be instantly transported back to a period that simply cannot exist anymore. I had no clue who Wallace Berman was but his influence is everywhere. So much of it is right time, right place but holy fuck what a life to experience as a kid. To even of been in this world for a weekend would of been vastly memorable. It’s hard to explain other than this book somehow hits on every topic that has appealed to me artistically throughout my life. I just feel really lucky to have read it.
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