Thread: Kerouac

Since his birthday was a few days ago, I decided to look back into one of my favorite authors. I don't whether it's because I'm drunk, but I'm genuinely moved by the readings of Jack Kerouac. Not only his readings but his writings of course. I am just amazed by how real it all is. Through all I have read nothing has touched me the way Kerouac's work has and I firmly believe his work should be labled as classic, especially On the Road, The Big Sur, and The Town and the City. His prose can be poetic at times and still be simple and homespun. He will forever be a legend in American Literature.

Interesting you bring this up now. I was planning on watching this documentary on him tonight.

WHAT HAPPENED TO KEROUAC? - Google Video

I enjoyed On the Road, but after reading some thoughts from people on this board, I decided to read some of his other stuff with a more critical eye. "Over-rated" is the best way I can describe him. When reading "And The Hippos Boiled In Their Tanks" which he co-wrote with Burroughs, it's obvious how much Jack pales in comparison. Burroughs is one of the greats, so maybe it's not fair to compare them, but Kerouac just doesn't impress me outside On the Road. Some of his language in On the Road is truly breath taking, though. I'll give him that. I had a professor in college that made us study him, and the prof loved him, so I came away from that with a biased view, but when you read his works as a whole rather than just On the Road and some other pretty excerpts...eh.

Have you read The Town and the City? If not I suggest you do, it's an amazing book that really sets into motion the rest of Kerouac's work. I have to agree with you that not all his work is up to par with some of his other pieces. I do however he reached high points with the books I mentioned. Though I really enjoyed Dharma Bums as well.

I've read Dharma Bums but only a few excerpts from Town and City that earlier mentioned professor chose and printed out for my class. I'll check it out based on your recommendation.

Originally Posted by Dr. Malone

"And The Hippos Boiled In Their Tanks"

Not a fair piece to judge - neither author wanted it published.

Okay then, compare pretty much any Burroughs work to any Keruoac work.

Why not just judge an author's work based on itself, not the work of others. I have not read Burroughs, so I will not say one is better than the other. I do feel however that Kerouac represented alot in his work, not only himself but generation of people. The way his style seems to change from book to book is extraordinary to me, that he could experiment in with prose in such a successful way.

I was surprised to see a couple of mixed media peices at the Guggenheim by Kerouac. I didn't know he dabbled in art. Not bad, but not really worthy of hanging with most of the artists there. (I say most because some of what I saw was questionable, in my opinion. I can't appreciate a solid off-white canvas.)

I read Big Sur as a direct follow-up to On The Road, and thought it was a very powerful piece of writing. My very foundation felt rattled by Jack's eventual deterioration.

I love all his work (though I'm yet to read Desolation Angels, it's about impossible to find), I would have to say On The Road, The Town & The City, Dharma Bums and Big Sur are the only must reads.

Why not just judge an author's work based on itself, not the work of others. I have not read Burroughs, so I will not say one is better than the other. I do feel however that Kerouac represented alot in his work, not only himself but generation of people.

Fair enough. I only compare them because they were both major figures of the beat movement, and I feel Kerouac became the figurehead because he was younger, straighter, and better looking as much as for his writing.

Kerouac definitely over-rated as a writer. He benefitted from adolescent "road trip" affection and from his Beat associations. (Funny thing was, the boyish, athletic Kerouac didn't fit the Beatnik mold at all)

BUT, by no means as over-rated as Ginsberg, possibly the most over-rated writer in the history of the world. Ok, Ok, there's Milton. But people STILL think Ginsberg was a big deal.

Hey Malone, I watched that documentary and it was great. Seeing all of Kerouac's contemporaries giving their input on this great man. Caruso, Burroughs, and Ginsberg, just to name a few of them, each telling exactly how they saw Kerouac. What a wonderful find and I'll forever be thankful for showing me this great documentary, thank you again.

I always preferred Dharma Bums to On the road, probably because it seemed like the first was about dope heads and the second about speed freaks. Nobody has mentioned Dr. Sax, that was weird. Someone told me that the road books were written when he was in his thirties, not really young man books at all, I don't know how true it is.

Kerouac may have written them in his thirties, but I'm unsure of when he wrote On the Road. I do know however that it was seven years from his travels till he began writing on that famous scroll that became On the Road. But I'd be ignorant to say I knew for sure, because I do not. Buckle, Dr. Sax should have been mentioned, I agree, but I feel it is The Town and The City, On The road, Dharma Bums, The Big Sur, and maybe Desolation Angels, though Dr.Sax could easily be thrown into that list. They are all great and differen despite being from the same author.

I've heard just horrible things about Dr. Sax. I guess I should read it for myself and find out the truth.