Bohemian Manifesto

Bohemian Manifesto: A Field Guide to Living on the Edge is a 2004 book written by Laren Stover and illustrated by IZAK. The book details the eccentricities, peculiarities, and informalities of being a Bohemian. Stover uses prominent Bohemian artist quotes and letters to describe the traditional lives of Bohemians based on five "class" types: Nouveau, Gypsy, Beat, Zen, and Dandy.

Stover classifies Bohemians into five mindsets/styles. He says Bohemians are "not easily classified like species of birds," noting there are crossovers and hybrids.

The Nouveau Bohemian: This type of Bohemian harmonizes elements of traditional Bohemian ideology with contemporary culture without losing sight of the basic tenets—the glamour, art, and nonconformity. While Nouveaus may suffer poetically, artistically, and romantically, they have what appears to be, at first, one advantage over other Bohemians: the Nouveau has money.

The Gypsy Bohemian: The expatriate types. They create their own Gypsy nirvana wherever they go. They are folksy flower children, hippies, psychedelic travelers, fairy folk, dreamers, Deadheads, medievalists, anachronistic throwbacks to a more romantic time. Gypsies scatter like seeds on the wind, don't own a watch, show up on your doorstep and disappear in the night. They are happy to sleep in your barn and may have done so without your awareness.

The Beat Bohemian: Reckless, raggedy, rambling, drifting, down-and-out, Utopia-seeking. It may seem like Beats suffer for their ideals, but they have let go of material desire. Beats are free spirits. They believe in freedom of expression. They travel light, but there is always a book or a notebook in their pocket. Beats jam, improvise, extemporize, blow ethereal notes into the universe, write poetry, ramble and wreck cars. They live on the edge of ideas. They take the part and then make up their own lines.

The Zen Bohemian: No other Bohemians fathom the transient, green and meditative quality of life better than the Zens, even if they are in a rock band, which they often are. The Zen is post-Beat, a Bohemian whose quest has evolved from the artistic, smoky, literary and spiritual wanderlust to the spiritually lustful.

The Dandy Bohemian: A little seedy, a little haughty, slightly shredded or threadbare, dandies are the most polished of all Bohemians, even when their clothes are tattered. The Dandy aspires to old money without the money. You are more likely to find unpopular liqueurs such as Chartreuse and Earl Grey brandy in the Dandy home than a six-pack of Budweiser.

• Bohemian style
• Flâneur

• Official website