Jack Kerouac - On The Road

I would say it's probably the only book worth reading by Jack Kerouac. I sucked that one up like a sponge. Interesting fact, Kerouac was actually born in Quebec, Canada, then moved to the States. If you like On The Road, I would suggest The Subterraneans, and Dr. Sax, which is an interesting look into his childhood in Quebec. Neither are as good as On The Road, but they do have their charm.

Thanks cavfancier, also for the tips concerning The Subterraneans and Dr. Sax.

< writes down The Subterraneans and Dr. Sax >

Here's an interesting summation of the Beat movement, of which Kerouac was a part of:

http://www.spress.de/beatland/scene/the_arts/beatcult/intro.htm

Thanks for the link cavfancier, it seems the Beat-generation - the Beatniks - was something I loved to have been part off if I had been born in the 1930's, 1940's What actually happened to Jack Kerouac? Something deep inside me says that he was shot, but I don't know for sure.

Rick, How did you like To Kill a Mockingbird? That book may have been ghost written by Truman Capote, and as you may or may not know, Harper Lee has never written another.

Sorry, I haven't read On the Road, but beatniks were just precursors to hippies.

To Kill A Mockingbird was absolutely wonderful! On the one hand it was sad to see how Tom Robinson was victim of pure racism (because he's black, he's guilty), but it's just a part of American history which fascinates me. It's so different compared to here. The Depression, how that kicked in, the clear dividence between all social groups (we had that too here, up to the 50's, but not on racial grounds, but on religious grounds); it is a true shame Harper Lee never wrote another book. It is a book Americans should really be proud of! (and I'm not overreacting! seriously)

Letty, interestingly enough, Kerouac hated hippies, and lambasted them publicly.

As for how he died, he was a complete drunk, and died of hemorrhaging esophageal varices, basically a complication from advanced liver disease where the veins in your chest and esophagus become pinched by an enlarged liver, and swell, then burst.

Doesn't sound nice cavfancier, how Kerouac died. But who was shot then? Oh wait, hasn't there been a San Francisco mayor who was shot during those times, the 60's?

No, Cav. I did not know that. Fascinating stuff, though.

The real mockingbird in the book was Boo Radley, in my opinion. You ought to try and see the movie, too, Rick. Excellent and very true to the book.

Lots of people were shot in the 60's you neat kid, but I think it was a mayor who was gay. Not certain of who nor why.

I'm not really up on my American history, not being American myself. Lots of high-profile people were shot in the 60s. As for the Beatniks, the most famous story is how William Burroughs accidentally shot his wife in an inebriated game of 'William Tell'.

Eventually Boo Radley could be seen as the real 'mockingbird' - he was subject of many prejudices, and he was the real one who was suffering in the dark. However, it became clear that after the accusation of Tom Robinson there was little chance Robinson could ever win the trial. Doesn't that make him a 'mockingbird' too?

Not so long ago To Kill A Mockingbird was here on TV, but I missed it. But isn't it a movie from the 60's, 70's?

Just as an aside, back in 1988, when I was eighteen, I went to Buffalo to see Allen Ginsberg read from 'White Shroud', the book he was promoting. I met him, not at the show, but at the restaurant I ate at beforehand. I had copies of both 'Howl' and 'White Shroud', which he autographed and illustrated for me. Cool times.

I heard of Allen Ginsberg. Isn't he the designer of the world famous 'I love [heart] NY' sign?

Erm, I don't think so. http://www.levity.com/corduroy/ginsberg/bio.htm
My guess is that there are a lot of Allen Ginsbergs in NYC.

No prob, Cav. Rick and I aren't up on Canadian history either. Aren't you guys located somewhere over Niagara?

Rick, of course, Bill Robinson was a mockingbird, too, but somehow, I just think that he was expected to be, and few readers notice Boo. I just hope you also show that infamous teacher your diploma with Magna Cum Laude gleaming in gothic letters. lol.

No, you're correct, it was Milton Glaser. But than again, wasn't Ginsberg the writer of a famous poem called Kaddish or something?

We're somewhere north of 49th or bust, Letty. :cool:

Rick, yes, Kaddish was one of Ginsberg's pivotal works post-Howl.

You mean infamous teacher as in Literature teacher?

Luckily my memory isn't failing me on that part