On the Road [Paperback]

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.

Fans of Kerouac get the whole beautiful, groovy deal with this new recording of the radically hip novel that many consider the heart of the Beat movement. Poetic, open and raw, Kerouac's prose lays out a cross-country adventure as experienced by Sal Paradise, an autobiographical character. A writer holed up in a room at his aunt's house, Paradise gets inspired by Dean Moriarty (a character based on Kerouac's friend Neal Cassady) to hit the road and see America. From the moment he gets on the seven train out of New York City, he takes the reader through the highs and lows of hitchhiking, bonding with fellow explorers and opting for beer before food. First published in 1957, Kerouac's perennially hot story continues to express the restless energy and desire for freedom that makes people rush out to see the world. The tale is only improved by Dillon's well-paced, articulate reading as he voices the flow of images and graveled reality of Paradise's search for the edge.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Who hasn't wished to be "on the road," free from daily responsibilities, crossing vast geographical distances, preoccupied largely with sex, music, alcohol, and conversation with friends? Kerouac carved a place in American literature by capturing that common longing with his characters Sal and Dean and their intermittent, rambling trips throughout the Western United States and Mexico. On the Road is an excellent choice for the audio format, since Kerouac's use of language seems even richer when the words are spoken aloud. Narrator David Carridine's nonchalant manner is a perfect match to the work's tone. A necessary addition to most collections. Be aware, however, that this is a reissue of a 1986 recording.
- Jeanne P. Leader, Western Nebraska Community Coll. Lib., Scottsbluff
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

First published in 1957, this novel epitomized to the world the Beat philosophy. It chronicles a spontaneous and wandering life style founded both on jazz and drug-induced visions.

REA’s MAXnotes is an insightful series of literature study guides covering over 80 of the most popular literary works.

MAXnotes study guides are student friendly and provide all the essentials needed to prepare students for homework, discussions, reports, and exams.

Our MAXnotes for Jack Kerouac’s On the Road study guide includes an overall summary, character lists, explanation and discussion of the plot, overview of the work’s historical context, and a biography of the author. Each section of the work is individually summarized and includes study questions and answers.

Our Jack Kerouac’s On the Road MAXnotes study guide is a handy resource when preparing for exams or doing homework, and it makes a great companion to the original work.

The Jack Kerouac’s On the Road MAXnotes is also an invaluable resource for English teachers who are teaching the original work and need a refresher. Each MAXnotes includes topics for term papers with sample outlines.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

In this "Beat Generation" classic, Jack Kerouac describes his years exploring North America with Neal Cassidy ("Dean" in the book) and other friends. Kerouac saw Dean as a kind of dropout saint, and generations of young people have obviously agreed with that assessment. The ultimate meaningfulness of Dean's own life as a vagabond may be an open question, but he was certainly a poetic aficionado of life itself. Matt Dillon, a veteran film portrayer of "outsider" youth, gives an authentic texture to the narration and voices. By capturing the lyricism of Kerouac's descriptive writing and Dean's soliloquies, Dillon demonstrates that On the Road is especially well suited to the audio format. K.C. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.