His book "On the road." And I've read some others. I got in to them a few years ago. Anyways I was thinking. In todays world would hitchhiking across the country and "freeloading" off of acquaintances even be possible? Also here we are 50 years down the road (pardon the pun) would any publisher even look at this book? It's essentially just a written record of his life for a year or so. Wouldn't they just tell you to put it on your myspace or start blogging or something? Not to take anything away from it but he wasn't doing anything except living against the "normal " of the time and trying to find himself. A lot of people do this everyday. What makes it special?
2007-01-14 14:42:56 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
I bet Jack Kerouac was hot. I wish I could have known him and hung out with him (but I was born a little after his generation, which probably is a good thing). Anyway, I think the book gives us a glimpse of breaking rules and conventions in ways that are hardly damaging but loads of fun. This is immensely appealing to English teacher types and other (privately resisting) members of the middle class who live ridiculously constrained lives pursuing the almighty Dollar. The book's combination of unrestrained hedonism and undefined desires triggers something like nostalgia in us, but it is strange because it is a nostagia for something none of us really has ever had. If we had had it, we would not feel this story's pull as we do...
2007-01-14 15:57:25 · answer #1 · answered by fall2005buseng 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe you are right...But I love Kerouac. I first read On the road in high school (only 10 yrs ago) and instantly fell in love with it. I continued on with other Kerouac books and reread them all multiple times. I actually am reading On the road at this time. I love his style, he is so descriptive and his characters are so great and so real. In today's society we can not live that type of life style and I think that makes the book even more appealing. This book continues to inspire so many people. I just have such a hard time believing that it is not special!
2007-01-14 15:46:01 · answer #2 · answered by Dark Star 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's laying on my dresser. I'm going to read it next after I finish these 2. Junky - William Burroughs And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tanks - Jack Kerouac/William Burrougs
2016-05-24 03:31:27 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was a visionary, and what he wrote spoke to people, but your right, we have lost a since of artistry and placing a work on a pedastol in a world where everyone has something to say, and you can do it for free. So would his book get picked up, maybe, would he get paid alot for it, NO!, just ask any poet from this century what they do, and they'll tell you what their real job is, that they use to support their poetry habit.
2007-01-14 15:22:52 · answer #4 · answered by Punk Dude 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Memoirs still sell. Sure, it helps to be famous, but a good story still sells (usually).
2007-01-14 15:06:06 · answer #5 · answered by parrotsandgrog 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a self destructive alcoholic who died way before his time was up
2007-01-14 15:39:08 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋