On the Road- Kerouac

[MarkBastable]

Funny that this was said by somebody whose work was so mediocre that will be soon completely forgotten.

Kerouac's novels did captured a whole era, though I understand that young people find it hard to understand them today. In spite of the different opinions on their value as literature, they remain as some of the most important works of the 20th century and will be read by many generations.

I don't agree with Capote because I'm young - which I'm not - or because I like Capote - which I don't - but because I think it's a valid, if glib, encapsulation of what Kerouac did. What Kerouac did, I'd say, was little more than turning a magazine article into a philosophy. I don't think he captured an era at all -I think he attempted to capture the big idea of a tiny minority of a large country at a significant moment.

And I think that's a valuable thing to do. In fact, I think that's exactly what cutting edge fiction should do - it should universalise the specific. It should illuminate corners.

I just don't think Jack was very good at it.

[lupe]

I don't agree with Capote because I'm young - which I'm not - or because I like Capote - which I don't - but because I think it's a valid, if glib, encapsulation of what Kerouac did. What Kerouac did, I'd say, was little more than turning a magazine article into a philosophy. I don't think he captured an era at all -I think he attempted to capture the big idea of a tiny minority of a large country at a significant moment.

And I think that's a valuable thing to do. In fact, I think that's exactly what cutting edge fiction should do - it should universalise the specific. It should illuminate corners.

I just don't think Jack was very good at it.

You are certainly not the only one who thinks so, though the wide fame of his works - and the amount of discussion that has genereated - suggest the contrary.

Kerouac did inspire a lot of people of his generation and the next ones; if this is not an indication of sucesfully "illuminating corners", then what it-is ?

[MarkBastable]

You are certainly not the only one who thinks so, though the wide fame of his works - and the amount of discussion that has genereated - suggest the contrary.

Kerouac did inspire a lot of people of his generation and the next ones; if this is not an indication of sucesfully "illuminating corners", then what it-is ?

I'm not trying to persuade you not to like it. I'm simply mentioning that I don't think it's much good. I could go on at some length about why I don't think it's much good, just as you could offer a perfectly cogent argument as to why it's very good.

But can we be bothered? Let's just agree that Tom Waits is very good indeed.

[sixsmith]

Let's just agree that Tom Waits is very good indeed.

Here, here.

[rich_pip]

I loved this book when I read it, and from reading it started to loook at life in a much more spontaneous way...whether this is a good outcome or not is debatable. I am not going to go into they whys too much, as this is page 13 of this thread and most reasons have probably already given for both liking and disliking this book.
I just found this a very enjoyable read, and it was just my cup of tea. I could understand why people don't like it though.
I recently read Maggie Cassidy, one of Kerouacs more poetic books, definitely worth a read. And for anyone who liked On The Road could I reccomend Memoirs Of A Beatnik by Diane Di Prima? And of course, you would have read Howl...

[lupe]

I'm not trying to persuade you not to like it. I'm simply mentioning that I don't think it's much good. I could go on at some length about why I don't think it's much good, just as you could offer a perfectly cogent argument as to why it's very good.

But can we be bothered? Let's just agree that Tom Waits is very good indeed.

Ha, you knew I'd never disagree with this statement...

By the way, he had composed music and read some passages from Kerouac's "On the Road" and in the 70s, he was often referred to as the last "beatnik"...

[MarkBastable]

By the way, he had composed music and read some passages from Kerouac's "On the Road" and in the 70s, he was often referred to as the last "beatnik"...

Yeah, but Waits could write.

[rich_pip]

Yeah, but Waits could write.

And so could Kerouac!