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3.27 AVERAGE
3.27 AVERAGE
This book was annoying. Restless wanderlusters may enjoy it. As a pretty stable grown ass woman, I found it annoying... and naive... and *grumble grumble*...
Having read OTR three times now, I am more and more enchanted by it each time. There's more to uncover on every page and it is a portrait of America that is printed in my mind.
Yes, I do enjoy this book for the personal connection, which is not relevant here, but I admire its style for the simplicity, despite the true jazz structure of the day that Kerouac single-handedly epitomized. There are very few attempts to be the magnificent poet throughout the book, but it is clear and concise - or I guess true to character would be more appropriate. If you enjoy the jazz/beat culture of America (or whatever there once was of it) then you will love this book. That's all I have to say, but I recommend it above anything else. Classic American literature.
Yes, I do enjoy this book for the personal connection, which is not relevant here, but I admire its style for the simplicity, despite the true jazz structure of the day that Kerouac single-handedly epitomized. There are very few attempts to be the magnificent poet throughout the book, but it is clear and concise - or I guess true to character would be more appropriate. If you enjoy the jazz/beat culture of America (or whatever there once was of it) then you will love this book. That's all I have to say, but I recommend it above anything else. Classic American literature.
I struggle to put more than 2 stars because to me it was just OK. I think maybe I didn't fully understand the significance of the book. I know it is a book that has defined the beat generation, so it definitely has some meaning to it. I will be interested to see the movie in 2013.
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
there is some humor but it's overall just incredibly boring. the audiobook by will patton really helped bring some life to it though.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Turns out that freespirited, free-loving, bohemian, maverick type guys from midcentury America are just chauvinistic losers. Huh, who knew?
For real though, one of the biggest red flags to me is if a dude says his favorite authors are Jack Kerouac or Charles Bukowski. Read Steinbeck instead.
For real though, one of the biggest red flags to me is if a dude says his favorite authors are Jack Kerouac or Charles Bukowski. Read Steinbeck instead.
Rambling, egocentric and overwhelmingly masculinity-stroking
People overrated Kerouac when On the Road first came out, but if you really really read it Kerouac describes himself as nothing more than a boring guy who ran after everybody, who wanted to meet people for book material, experience things and write. He didn't understand why everyone claimed he was the king of a generation because that wasn't what he felt in his core and it wasn't what he wanted. All he wanted was to write books (and if you read his letters that's basically all he talked about, all he complained about) - he wasn't about a life or a movement or creating a new culture, the basic bitches of the 50's really ate at him.
Neal's sheer "American joy" as Kerouac puts it is his main attraction in the book. When Kerouac felt down about his intellectual friends he turned to Neal. Neal offered that raw, unlearned, energy that was new to Kerouac and it felt almost like a drug to him. OTR contains plenty of notes that can go unnoticed if you don't think too much and enjoy the ride (which is the most pleasant way to read the book and not let the homophobia and misogyny overtake your experience.)
I've tried to read OTR again and again for the last decade but I could never get through the first two chapters. It felt like it was too soon to return to. This time I managed. The pages unrolled so easily, words came out of my mouth as I read, I was so happy but also depressed and anxious at the same time. It was obvious that I completely missed out on how sad it was on my previous readings. It's a deeply and achingly sad book. I would give it 4 stars now, just out of sentimentality.
"The air was soft, the stars so fine, the promise of every cobbled alley so great, that I thought I was in a dream."
Neal's sheer "American joy" as Kerouac puts it is his main attraction in the book. When Kerouac felt down about his intellectual friends he turned to Neal. Neal offered that raw, unlearned, energy that was new to Kerouac and it felt almost like a drug to him. OTR contains plenty of notes that can go unnoticed if you don't think too much and enjoy the ride (which is the most pleasant way to read the book and not let the homophobia and misogyny overtake your experience.)
I've tried to read OTR again and again for the last decade but I could never get through the first two chapters. It felt like it was too soon to return to. This time I managed. The pages unrolled so easily, words came out of my mouth as I read, I was so happy but also depressed and anxious at the same time. It was obvious that I completely missed out on how sad it was on my previous readings. It's a deeply and achingly sad book. I would give it 4 stars now, just out of sentimentality.
"The air was soft, the stars so fine, the promise of every cobbled alley so great, that I thought I was in a dream."
I think the Dharma Bums is the stronger novel, mostly because Dean is just too whiny for my taste in this story, not to mention the way he abdicates responsibility just isn't all that appealing. He wants to be Shelley but falls far short.
Culturally, you can see why the book was so successful and the appeal of it. On the other hand, the book just isn't that good. Not bad, but not particularly amazing. Still, an interesting tour of America and beyond, featuring Sal and Dean. There is one paragraph in particular that struck me--where they are looking at a few old photographs where they actually look respectable, and Sal realizes that when his children see the photo, they will think he had his life together at that time when in reality it was a total disaster.
