Thread: Kerouac

Well this thread seems to be brimming with cynicism, but I thought virginia's post was beautiful. Hit the nail on the head for me.
I'm still in my early twenties, so I couldn't say how far On The Road's influence will lead me, or how long I'll carry it with me (probably placing it on a ridiculous pedestal).
But I do know that it's largely responsible for my interest in writing. That book holds such a tremendously heavy legacy, and sometimes I think I may've sentimentalized it all out of proportion. But then I go back and revisit it, and I fall in love again.

There isn't much else I would describe with the rose-coloured lenses.

Kerouac is my first [literary] love.

And Virginia, definitely look into the rest of his catalogue.
He never quite reaches the heights of On The Road, but by and large the poetry there is untouchable. There's still plenty to love.

At very least pick up Big Sur. Revisiting Neal Cassidy, but everything has changed.
Jack's slow deterioration caused by the ridiculous legacy On The Road left (somewhat ironic that I'd revere him so highly (for OTR) when it's fans like me that pushed him over the edge).

Originally Posted by Tom88

And Virginia, definitely look into the rest of his catalogue.
He never quite reaches the heights of On The Road, but by and large the poetry there is untouchable. There's still plenty to love.

At very least pick up Big Sur. Revisiting Neal Cassidy, but everything has changed.
Jack's slow deterioration caused by the ridiculous legacy On The Road left (somewhat ironic that I'd revere him so highly (for OTR) when it's fans like me that pushed him over the edge).

Thank you, Tom, for all your words. I certainly will try to read Big Sur.

Virginia

I'm currently working through the entire Duluoz Legend, thus far I'm on Vanity of Duluoz having completed, Maggie Cassidy, Dr.Sax, Visions of Gerard and up. I've already read On the Road and Dharma Bums, which I'll read through again when they are next in line of the Duluoz Legend. However my favorite of his is Town and the City. A wonderful novel, completely different from his others. Though I'd say Dr.Sax has had the greatest impact on my writing thought.