Describes the wanderings across America, casual friendships, labours, and affairs of Sal Paradise, a young writer, and his friend and hero, Dean Moriarty. Episodic, fast-moving, unstructured, it produced a mythology of its own and many imitators.
On the Road
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On The Road, the most famous of Jack Kerouac's works, is not only the soul of the Beat movement and literature, but one of the most important novels of the century. Like nearly all of Kerouac's writing, On The Road is thinly fictionalized autobiography, filled with a cast made of Kerouac's real life friends, lovers, and fellow travelers. Narrated by Sal Paradise, one of Kerouac's alter-egos, On the Road is a cross-country bohemian odyssey that not only influenced writing in the years since its 1957 publication but penetrated into the deepest levels of American thought and culture.
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
From Publishers Weekly
In introducing the fabled first draft of Kerouac's autobiographical novel-written on a single giant roll of paper, without breaks in the text, in an amphetamine-fueled marathon-editor Howard Cunnell refers to Allen Ginsberg's claim that "the published novel is not at all like the wild book Kerouac typed in '51." Characters are identified by their real names (rather than the 1957 version's apt pseudonyms) and their love affairs are more explicit, giving the book a juicy memoir-like feel, especially where Cassady and Ginsberg are concerned. The plot, however, is identical. Neal Cassady joins Kerouac and Ginsberg's bohemian circle in New York in the late 1940's, and inspires and cons them into traveling around the country, "searching for a lost inheritance, for fathers, for family, for home, even for America." The death of Kerouac's father plays a larger role in the story than in the 1957 version; and Justin W. Brierly, a teacher who served as mentor to Cassady and has a cameo in the published book, makes a series of recurring appearances in the scroll. The lack of paragraphs or chapters emphasizes the breathless intensity of Kerouac's prose. The anniversary publicity will introduce this classic to a new generation of readers, and while the scroll probably won't displace the novel's more familiar, polished incarnation, it will be of keen interest to beat aficionados and scholars.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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First Sentence
I first met Dean not long after my wife and I split up. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
I first met Dean not long after my wife and I split up. Read the first page
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Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Read this book a number of times now, lost count. Kerouac is an inspriational and creative writer. This book always drives me manic, like Ive got to move move move, man. Read it.
Format:Paperback
This book first appeared in 1957---I read it in 1976, and have now re-read it in 2006. Strange, but it holds up well, yet is dated. A time capsule really, this is a throw back to the "beat" days and a first stab at autobiography. Sald Paradis sis the narrator of this journey, and it covers everything from reform school to hitchhiking. Full of beautiful and disturbing "music" this has now become a classic. So many writers can be connected with Jack K., and certainly Salinger's "Holden" comes to mind with his wacy takes on life and his own "journey." Must also recommend the excellent novel, "Katzenjammer" by Jackson McCrae, for another excellent book.
Format:Paperback
Jack Kerouac wrote this novel about several escapades he took across the country in the late 1940's. He used characters from his real life, such as Allen Ginsburg the poet and author; and Neal Cassidy, Kerouac's idol, and changed their names to use in the story.
In "On The Road", Sal Paradise(Kerouac), a young writer from New York City, ventures to cities around the country, staying with old friends, making new friends, and doing everything he can to stay alive and move on. His mentor and friend, Dean Moriarty(Neal Cassidy), often travels with Sal, always talking, laughing, and being his insane self. Now let's stop and take a brief look at the fascinating life of Dean Moriarty: Throughout the story, Dean plays several different women, has 3 wives and 4 children, half of whom he can't account for ever meeting. He was born in Salt Lake City, and grew up going to reform schools and jail. Dean was an infamous hustler in Texas and Denver who was always stealing cars and money, but never for more then $10 or just when he needed a quick ride. He was insane, always laughing and having a great time, and always getting the most he could out of life. Sal and Dean experienced some great high's and low's of travelling together, seeing such cities as Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, and Mexico City. Throughout the book you get to know the fascinating personalities of Sal, Dean, and several other characters.
Just as important as the story and the characters is the STYLE in which the book is written; it's this style, which gives the book its vibrant, breathless, spontaneous intensity. And, yes, this is where the book really earns its legendary status, because few other books are able to convey the exhilaration and excitement and fun of a mad attempt to "seize the day." On The Road is truly a life-affirming, free-wheeling experience. Along with On The Road, I'd also like to recommend "The Losers' Club: Complete Restored Edition" by Richard Perez, a strange little beat-influenced romance and, weirdly, the second best book I read so far this year.
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Most recent customer reviews
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On the Road
The book was banged up a bit, but for the dollar that I paid for it, I received exceptional value.
As for the book itself, I am pleased that I finally got around to... Read more
As for the book itself, I am pleased that I finally got around to... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Andrew Raczynski
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fast Paced, Stream of Consciousness Writing, Fantastic!
"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a... Read more
Published on Mar 12 2009 by James Gallen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excitement
I'm not sure whether I'm reading truth or fiction. The feeling of being out on the road is intense and personal. The writing is absorbing and complex. Read more
Published on Jun 10 2008 by JR
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dillon Does it...
I picked this up second-hand a while ago, and just got around to listening to it. Although it helps that I had already read the book several times, Matt Dillon's reading of it... Read more
Published on Dec 31 2005 by "calmdragonkiss"
5.0 out of 5 stars
True yesterday, true today, true tomorrow
Sal Paradise is a writer just like Kerouac who decides to 'see America'. He hitches rides, washes dishes, works on farms, sleeps on floors and under the stars, experiencing new... Read more
Published on Jun 23 2005 by Tomra Dale
5.0 out of 5 stars
True yesterday, true today, true tomorrow
Sal Paradise is a writer just like Kerouac who decides to 'see America'. He hitches rides, washes dishes, works on farms, sleeps on floors and under the stars, experiencing new... Read more
Published on May 9 2005 by Tomra Dale
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bygone era
This book depicts genuine counter-culture before rebellion was mass marketed and served up as cookie cutter corporate leech fodder.
Published on July 19 2004
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Exciting, Breathless, Attempt to "Seize the Day!"
Jack Kerouac wrote this novel about several escapades he took across the country in the late 1940's. Read more
Published on Jun 28 2004
5.0 out of 5 stars
Road trip
On the Road captures Americana in a stronger and more vivid fashion than John Steinbeck did The Grapes of Wrath. Read more
Published on Jun 13 2004 by Sarah Sammis
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Beat Novel
This highly readable novel epitomizes what it was to be a Beat back in the '50s and '60s. In this story, we see how the Beat Generation lived, or what lifestyle they idealized--a... Read more
Published on Jun 11 2004 by I ain't no porn writer
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