On the Road: The Original Scroll: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

What's all the hype about?

Okay, Kerouac was a talented writer. That is plain to see, and anybody who doesn't see it I feel sorry for. And while On the Road was an enjoyable read, one that I don't regret nor ever will, I still can't help but feel disapointed. This was supposed to be meaningful...where is the meaning? Generally, I'm better than most people at finding allegories within works of fiction, being a nit-picky satirist myself. I can give you symbolism for every event in Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle. I can give you the moral, philosophical points of Burgess' A Clockwork Orange. I can decode the works of Burroughs. But 'On the Road' left me feeling like it was pointless...a good, enjoyable read, but...pointless. So here's my advice: Read the book, don't believe the hype. Enjoy the story, but don't expect it to be life-changing, intellectually charged, and allegorically moral, like so many fans want you to believe.

14 out of 21 people found this review helpful.

extra-ordinary

To anyone with a wildly out of control friend, that one who makes you crazy but you just can't quit, the story of Sal and Dean will send echos through your head. To anyone who wants to intimately know the post-WWII wanderlust that struck so many Americans, to anyone who wants to know how the Beats and the hippies came to be, this is the bible.
Genius.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Voice of an Era

The most useful purpose On the Road serves is not as a great character exploration - which it is - or as a wild adventure story - which it isn't - but as for better understanding a generation of people inspired by it. In some ways, it's a book about nothing, a book about drifting... which sometimes makes for an aimless narrative, but does capture the way so many have wandered after.

The most appropriate thing about this nook version is that you can take Kerouac's classic on the road with you:)

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

On the Road, Jack Kerouac

On the Road is written by Jack Kerouac, published by Penguin in 1955. This book is considered to be an authentic representation of the movement in our society called the "Beat Generation." The book tells of Sal Paradise, and his decision to travel from New York to California during the late forties and early fifties, a time when the nation was recovering from the effects of World War II. The music of the time changed from a swing beat to jazz; this was a change from what was known, to something with a beat--jazz was edgy and different. This change in music was indicative of the change in young people, and this is the adventure from which Kerouac writes, because he was part of this beat generation.

3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Important Read

This book started off strong for me and I got into it really fast. About halfway through I started to really hate the characters particularly Sal but I still wanted to keep reading and I am glad that I did. While the characters were completely unlikable to me the way this story shows the expanse of America and represents a different side of this generation than what I am used to reading is great. I definitely thing everyone should read this book it might not be the best book you have ever read but you won't regret reading it!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Piece of a Generation

Jack Kerouac sets out to capture the essence of his beat generation in to one book and for the most part is successful. On the Road chronicles Sal Paradise, an archetype of the beat generation, and his aimless ramblings across the continental US. Living penniless and destitute, Sal travels cross-country several times meets many different people and places, including but not limited to, drunken southern californian vineyard adventures, the hustle and bustle of Manhattan and nocturnal guard shifts at a prison in seattle. The story is interesting and captivating, especially with the broadness of it which makes it relatable to almost anyone's own life experience. Sal's search for a home and a lover and beer, is similar to the younger generation of today, perhaps even the origin. Kerouac's reference towards other Beat Generation notables and friends, like his nod toward Neil Cassady under the guise of Dean Moriarty, gives the reader a sense of who these character's really were and most importantly, what the generation stood for. At times, the narrative can be dull and move slow however, possibly On the Road's greatest strength is that it is realistic, showing an un-biased, impartial perspective of the beat's. Kerouac chooses to leave nothing out, showing a brutal honest picture of the beat generation, the good, the bad and the down right weird. In doing this, he best captures the purpose of the beats. The book is not short of powerful, thought provoking moments which humble the reader, as it should. On the Road is one of the 20th centuries greatest literary achievements.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

KG

Kerouac is such a great writer, and I recommend watching the film adaption of this novel (directed by Walter Salles). It has great performances and captures the feelings that the book gives you perfectly.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Epic

Kristen Stewart plays Marylou in the movie :)

1 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

Life Changing

I loved this book and it made me a Kerouac fan for life. I can't wait to see the new movie adaptation and read Big Sur. A lot of people either love or hate the "Beat" generation and writings, I'm firmly in the LOVE camp.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

the ultimate american "tour de force..."

I first heard "On The Road" on tape... a most enjoyable and truly impressive presentation... subsequently bought the book for my library and an ebook version so I could read excerpts while... on the road. The written version is heavyweight great...!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Makes you think

I have seen life differently since I have finished this book. Its a great book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A must read for the free spirit adventeror A must read for those who love no ties and true freedom

Great story based on free spirit and free love just before the hippie era

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

On the Road

Really enjoyed the book. Kerouac's cross-country adventure is a fun read and gives an interesting look at counter culture.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

excellent

a classic american read

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Exquisite.

A beautiful novel by a beautiful author, Jack Kerouac has blessed us all with this esoteric, truly original piece of art. The way Kerouac writes should be seen as abstract, for it's by no means technical nor should it be treated as such. With that notion, this novel could use a bit more structure, but I think the sporadic writing is what makes this novel work. All in all, the characters are believable and dastardly charming while the mildly philosophical statements are perfection and not at all over the top. Thank you, Mr. Kerouac, for providing such wonderful escapism.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

On the Road

Jack Kerouac has created something here that few writers have the ability to do. With this original scroll, the reader is able to follow through the actual events of Kerouac's day. No revising or revisiting, just him sitting down and writing things as they happened. Some readers may be offended by his inability to put the effort forward that most writers do of revision, but I would argue that his greatest quality is his love for his life that is clearly written among the pages. This book is the living diary of his travels on the road and although some areas become confusing with the introduction of new characters, the book is an easy read. The simplicity yet descriptive portrayal of his adventure leave the reader with a desire for the same travel. A favorite read simply for the reason that, as Kerouac also respects, we all desire to get away, and to be on the road.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

about time

why has it taken so long to get this, the original manuscript, out to the general public? I've never believed it was written in one draft anyway. I found an old paperback copy of Dharma Bums in a thrift store in Modesto a while back, which I have never read. They wanted like a buck seventy five for it even though all the other paperbacks were about ten cents each. I was incensed and got into an argument with some Mexican ladies that ran the store and basically am still kicking myself for being so cheap. But it was the principle. I'm just old enough to have traveled coast to coast on old route 66 when I was a kid. You can't appreciate how this sort of a lifestyle could be possible unless you've made that journey, especially in a Studebaker like we did. I think the reason they've never released this scroll is because of repressed homosexuality. I've always felt that Kerouac and Cassidy were both at least bisexual, but that was clearly unacceptable in the fifties and frankly most of the rest of the latter half of the 20th century as well and only now can we even approach the truth.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Simple and Carefree

On The Road is a simplistic story about a man who wanted to make a drastic change with his life. Most people don't have the guts to do it. Sal Paradise was unhappy living his life as it was so took off for the west coast in search of...meaning. It was something he was skeptical in doing at first, but his buddy Dean Moriarty was sure this is what he needed. Dean is the extreme adventurous type who can never stay in one place for too long. He is the proof that as much as people need to mix it up, everything needs to be done in moderation. This gives hope to those who would like to have the option to escape from it all. It shows that it can be done. Sal experiences what life is like all throughout the country again and again. It's a scenic trip the whole time that I would recommend to any reader with a free spirit.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Hate it

I hate this book! Still can't understand why its a big deal.

(Contains Spoilers)

On the Road was a great book. Not the best I've ever read, but I enjoyed it very much. This book appeals to a crowd that can identify, or that likes imagining they are living life on the fringe, with no responsibilities. I did like this idea in the book, but after all that was said in the book, I couldn't tell if there was too much of an overall meaning behind it, or if it was just simply a story. The major topics and ideas that will mostly likely define whether or not you will like this book (I will delve into each) are: the lack of a plot line, new characters being continually introduced, new settings being continually introduced, the beatnik generation, and the lack of romance.
The main part of the storyline consists of Sal, the main character, traveling around the U.S. If you enjoy story-lines that take random twists and turns, but aren’t actually leading to much of an end-product, then you may like this story. While the book itself may be trying to say something, the storyline itself seems to lack an end goal. Sal isn’t trying to accomplish anything in his travels. About half the time he is traveling, he doesn’t even choose to travel (his personality is relatively passive), it is usually his friends that decide to go across the country. Personally this is one of the aspects I loved about the book. When a plot is evident, it’s easy to guess how the story may progress. When there isn’t much a plot however, anything is possible in the story. This kept me interested, wondering what may happen next to the characters. For the first half of the book this is the fashion it went in and I loved it. However, after the halfway point, happenings in Sal’s life repeated themselves many times. I felt a great redundancy by the latter part of the book. While this makes sense, since this is based on actual events, which aren’t always super-entertaining, I was reading for enjoyment, and the story slowly lost my attention.
Another part of the book I liked was the amount of characters that were introduced in it. If you would rather read about a main character who is independent and strong, this may not be the story for you. Many different characters influence Sal, he isn’t very definitive in comparison to the other characters, and he is quite passive in his personality compared to the other characters. But if you do enjoy these types of characters, Kerouac does a good job of introducing characters that are interesting and who give the story motion (more so than Sal). At the times where Sal is hitchhiking across the country alone, Kerouac uses parallel structure that kept me captivated. Each new person that picked Sal up has a new personality, which was fun to read about. Kerouac did a good job of diversifying the characters in the story, but within limits, which made it engrossing and realistic. This kept me wondering what the next person Sal meets would be like. Not all the characters Sal met would stay in the story: some characters would randomly resurface, some stayed prevalent throughout the story, while others made a big impact on the story, yet appeared once.
Going along with the idea of the characters in the story, there are a multitude of different settings introduced in the story. If you prefer a story that takes place in one or few settings, where you can really become familiar with the setting over the entire story, you shouldn’t buy this. However I liked the continually changing setting. As Sal travels around, I got to constantly take in the new settings. It was also interesting to see how the characters adapted to the new settings. This kept the story fresh, in a way, new possibilities arose as new settings (and characters) were presented.
Another part of the book that may attract certain readers is the fact that this book is formed around the beatnik generation. If you have a strong connection to that generation, this may be a good book for you. While reading a story in which the setting is exactly how you lived when you were younger, you could make numerous connections with the book. This would make the story much more interesting. I myself couldn’t make those connections, but I did like reading the story because the idea of rejecting traditional living was prominent. As I live a fairly structured life in comparison, it was gripping to be immersed in a story where the characters lived day-to-day and were never anchored down in one location. The characters would not know how they were going to pay for food or room most nights, and they would constantly change jobs, which made the story involving.
The last part of the book that may or may not draw in readers is the romantic ideas (or lack thereof) in the book. This may have to do more with the idea of beatniks, but since romance and relationships are major parts of books in general, it can stand alone. Most of the characters in the book have broken relationships that involve cheating, or just leaving their partner while they travel across the country. Even Sal gets in a relationship with a woman whom he leaves without much reason, after living with her and becoming involved in her life. I don’t mind this type of romance in the novel, it seems realistic with the kind of people most of the characters are. But if you’re against this type of relationship, you might not like the book, seeing as most of the male characters seem to objectify woman a lot. Again this seems realistic with their mindset and being in their mid-20s (sorry for the stereotype).
Overall I think this book is great and that if you like most of the characteristics named above, then you’ll enjoy the book. It does get relatively redundant towards the second half of the book (it’s realistic, so that makes sense). Bear in mind this is just my opinion on the book, so don’t be afraid to get even if you don’t think you’ll like it. But if you don’t mind the mild redundancy and are interested in the ideas presented, you’ll love it and you may even wish you yourself were On the Road.