The Dharma Bums

To children and the innocent it's all the same.

Spiritually a little over the top, for me. Philosophically, on par. The adventures that led Smith to 'freedom' keep the reader focused, and have a wonderful way of building on themselves. I just have one burning question, 'Are Smith and Japhy the same person?'

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

For Kerouac Fans Only

This is not the place to start with Kerouac. If you are a newbie, then you need to start with On the Road. Dharma Bums makes sense if you've read OtR first. If not, it is difficult to make sense of this book. However, Dharma Bums is interesting to read. Kerouac's take on Buddhism may not be straight out of the Shambala Center but it is close to how many Westerners are introduced to Buddhism. Plus, the story is fun to follow. The guy can tell a story.

A classical read for the adventurous mind

Kerouac successfully creates a tale of intrigue, adventure, and unbound thought in this wonderful yarn. Although not a "thriller" in the modern sense, you are taken through sweeping natural landscapes and the landscapes of the minds of the men in the Beat era. An enjoyable read to escape the modern world with characters that remain irreverent and relevant throughout the decades.

Wonderful

A totally enchanting book! My favorite of all the Kerouac books that I have read. A great story, beautifully written. A must read for anyone!!!

His best

I liked this book so much better than ON THE ROAD, which I did like, but thought it rambled a bit. DHARMA BUMS is by far the best thing Kerouac has written and it should be receiving a wider audience.

Come on, it's Kerouac.

Kerouac was a vagabond hero of the rucksack wanderers. his dabbling in Buddhism became a literary event, and his poetic run-on sentences changed many souls in a lost generation. His importance in literature cannot be denied, and his spontaneous, stream of consciousness style is the predecessor to Gonzo and many other artistic movements in personal journalism. While being slightly overrated, one cannot deny the sparkling, sizzling truths Jack exposes, seemingly on accident, within this optimistic account of hitchhiking, travelling, religion, and friendship. He documents barbershop lyricism and the beauty of a rainbow. He illustrates the fun of a naked bonfire and the sadness of a great friend who leaves. He writes about the wisdom of Buddhism and how tempting it is to fall out of its indoctrinations. In the romantic world of Ray Smith (the protagonist) there are parties with easy on the eyes women that go on for three days, there are shacks that act as solace against a world of superficiality. The ending scene that describes Mount Desolation is worth the price of the book alone. The sweeping excitement of this heart and soul prose plants a seed in the reader to wander the landscape of sixties America, a world that has escaped my parents' and will never visit the public again.

blown away, a life changer

This book changed my life. Im in highschool and i finished 'on the road' half satisfied. I decided to give his writing another shot, so I picked thi one up, because it looked overall interesting. let me tell you that it was, like the title says a life changer. I started to drink tea and go by other eastern religious things because of this book, and it gave me a new perspective on life, and nature. great one kerouac, God Bless!

Lana Renwick

This book is Kerouac's best. Finer than On the Road, finer than Mexico City Blues, and certainly finer than Desolation Angels, which is godawful. This book is a culmination of all things Kerouac, endowed with that vibrant insatiable energy for absorbing all life's inscrutable heights and abysses, conflated with the oft naive but galvanizing Buddhist strivings of his 20s. The prose is also more precise and richer than On the Road, without losing any of its rambling spontaneity. The conclusion is bittersweet and bouyant and awe-inspiring.

A Great Book On Zen & Adventure.

I read Kerouac¿s novel The Dharma Bums & I must say I liked it very much! The story is about two young men as they set out in search of truth. They are Ray Smith and Japhy Ryder (Jack Kerouac & Gary Snyder). These two meet up in San Francisco, California at Berkeley. They attend a bohemia party and poetry jamming (The Gallery Six Reading). This was the beat generation of the 50s & 60s. Japhy Ryder liked reading Zen books such as Diamond Sutra and also works by D.T.Suzuki. He was seeking his Bodhisattvas in everyone he met. Japhy would often quote Buddha: (¿All life is suffering'.) Their goal was to climb Desolation Peak. The solitude was their Satori. Dharma Bums is a great story of adventurer. I also recommend On The Road by Jack Kerouac as well.

Were we ever really this innocent?

When I reread this book after so many years I found myself wondering if we were ever really like this. The innocence, the lack of pretention, the sincerity - it is so totally alien from what this society has become. Sure Jack Kerouac had his problems with booze and relationships, but at his core there was somehow this absolutely blinding glare of innocent purity. Here was a man whose primary concerns were always the meaning of life, the nature of god, the suffering of innocents, whether he was boozing it up in a bar, hopping a freight, or hold up in a look-out cabin on top of a mountain. Jack Kerouac was a true poet in a world were poetry was in abysmal decline both before and after. Jack Kerouac's life was a spontaneous living poem- the dionysian poem of the living holy fool. This is my favorite of all Kerouac's novels. I've had people comment about how I must have patterned a huge part of my early life on this book. I remember thinking so too, except all my wandering and wondering took place before I even heard of Jack or his books....

Beautiful, bluntly

This is my favorite book. Absolutely amazing. Every time I've read this it has changed my life for the better, has given me a clearer perspective on everything and reaffirmed my faith in existence. Read it, love it.

A Book I will re-read many times

Just halfway through my first read ever and I know I will be living with this book like a soul tattoo. Kerouac's prose burns so beautifully, leaving impressions that return in my dreams. Sad funny mystical dark brightness shimmer looking searching aching... I do not want this book to end!

'The Dharma Bums' sheds optimistic light on idealism

When I read 'The Dharma Bums' for the first time I became less ashamed of my idealistic view of the world and how things should be. Jack Karouac as an almost middle-aged man sought out to find the true meaning, showing that not everyone becomes bitter and reluctant toward change as they age. His account of the events and experiences he had on the way to finding true peace makes you feel restless to find the same. I found myself being almost too restless to finish the book.

DHARMA BUMS rivals ON THE ROAD for Kerouac's best

The Dharma Bums is yet another classic Kerouac novel. It takes the reader into the mountains and through the buddist side of Kerouac's complex brain. In no way is he preaching Buddism he is just narrating one of the craziest chapters of his amazing life. Personally I thought it was more captivating and fun than On The Road his most famous novel.

JOIN THE REVOLUTION

The most inspirational book i have ever read. I want to quit school, buy a pack...and go to the mountains. i am fascinated with his writing style..runnons and whatnot..but makes for a great pondering session. i wanna go do everything he did...now. JOIN THE RUCKSACK REVOLUTION DOWN WITH BOURJIOUS AMERICA!

awesome;

it was a wonderful book, full of inspiring insights. i love this guy, all his books are wondeful, its totally worth time to not only read this, but meditate and think about it...

almost as inspiring as on the road

there isn't much i can say about the book, like _on the road_ you almost have to read it yourself. but it is inspiring--it moves you, opens you. it leaves me speechless.

Delve into the Beat Generation

I had read On the Road years ealier and raved about the inner workings of Kerouac. Unfortunately, I rave upon deaf ears; people have largely forgotten one of America's greatest poets, authors. At the onset, I found the read a bit difficult, because of Kerouac's free structure. Sentences run on and combine several ideas that I wanted to soak in fully. I read at a snail's pace, continually referencing the net to gain background information on the important characters. In fact, I had never heard of Gary Snyder prior to learning of Japhy Ryder. Now I am off on another journey to study his life and work. On a deeper note, this is a work that makes you want to abandon the life you life to take part in the rucksack revolution. I want nothing more than to abandon my Army enlistment to board a the Midnight Ghost; to find myself the way Kerouac tried to. I won't become a drunk that died in self-induced obscurity and repose, though. Read the Dharma bums, and understand the ideas, the concepts conveyed with each page. This is a novel chock full of information, and shouldn't be quickly perused, but savored.

inspirational

made me want to go out and do something. anything at all.... everything...... and then do nothing...... find myself......... be myself.......

Kerouac

I sat down and read the book in the course of a single day. It was powerful and interesting. Speaking both the the heart and common sensibilities. Endowed with humor and transcendental wisdom. Read and enjoy. Dan Reed