Saturday, August 18, 2007

'On the Road' Again

Viking is reissuing Kerouac's On The Road and the NYTBR felt the need to again reexamine the book, the beats, all the associated crap. But I swear that I read this article not six months ago.

I was under-whelmed when I read it (late) in my early twenties, and I'm not guessing I would think any more of it if I read it today. And who would really think the unedited 'scroll' version would be any better?

3 comments:

  1. Damon- "...and I'm not guessing I would think any more of it if I read it today." This convoluted pre-judgemental statement of yours says something about your writing skill; no wonder you
    were 'underwhelmed'! As to 'who would think the unedited scroll version would be any better?' It aint a matter of 'better'; it's simply completeism. Had you read On the Road fresh in the fifties, before the many offshoots, your reaction may've been more open. Yours, L.R.Nold, (pres. Kerouac Protection Soc.Tasmanian division)

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  2. Kerouac Protection Society? Really?
    Yes, if you really want to protect his reputation, the best thing you can do is insult someone else's writing. Very classy. Next time try a proper defense.
    And I understand why the book was successful and inspirational, but I'm saying it's better read at 20 years old. Putting it against other great works, it pales.

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  3. I agree- better read at 20 years old. And in the late fifties. I was about 18, already wanted to escape from Tasmania, and it encouraged me out...Gosh, yer sensitive! No insult was meant, but your sentence WAS couched in jumbled English! What great [innovative] works does On the Road pale against? Joyce maybe...but there was nothing vaguely like it at the time. Why not give it another objective shot - maybe you're depriving yourself of some solid enjoyment? That thought was my motivation, not cavalierly (& unnecessarily)trying to protect his reputation. Yours Truly, the very classy and proper Prez of the Kerouac Defensive Irony Soc. L.R.Nold

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