Herbert Gold

Herbert Gold (March 9, 1924 – November 19, 2023) was an American novelist, essayist, short story writer and poet. Originally from Cleveland, he studied at Columbia University in New York City before serving in the U.S. Army in World War II. After the War he settled in San Francisco, California but did not become a member of the Beat Generation. A prolific author, he wrote 29 novels and works of essays, short stories and poems in his long life.

Early life Herbert Gold was born on March 9, 1924, in the Cleveland suburb of Lakewood, Ohio, to a Russian Jewish family. His parents were Samuel S. and Frieda (Frankel) Gold. His father ran a fruit store and later a grocery store. Gold memorialized his hometown in his first book, Birth of a Hero (1951). He attended Taft Elementary and Lakewood High School.

Gold moved to New York City at age 17 after several of his poems had been accepted by New York literary magazines. While there, he studied philosophy at Columbia University and became affiliated with the burgeoning Beat Generation, which resulted in a lifelong friendship with writer Allen Ginsberg. His studies were interrupted when he served in the United States Army from 1943 until 1946, during World War II.

Personal life Gold was married to writer and professor Edith Zubrin from 1948 until 1956, with their marriage ending in divorce. Gold had two daughters by this marriage, Ann and Judith. After they divorced, Melissa remarried and later became involved with concert promoter Bill Graham. He died there on November 19, 2023, at the age of 99.

Father Verses Sons: A Correspondence in Poems, co-written with Ari Gold (2024), Rare Bird Books.

Essays and short stories

A Walk on the West Side: California on the Brink, Arbor House, 1981. Stories and essays. Stories of Misbegotten Love, with Don Asher (Capra Press, 1985) Lovers & Cohorts: Twenty-Seven Stories (Donald I. Fine, 1986)