On the Road (Penguin Great Books of the 20th Century) by Jack Kerouac Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of On the Road (Penguin Great Books of the 20th Century)
Book Review: if Beatnik: yes, otherwise: nay
Summary: 3 Stars
I want to begin this review with a disclaimer: every book, or more generally every work of art, has to reviewed in the context in which it was created.
"On the road", by some sources, is "the soul of the Beat movement and literature". Reading reviews, you'll encounter that in it, "Jack Kerouac captured the spirit that was seething underneath 1950s conformity". This is high praise, and for someone in the 1950s reading this book, or at least someone who understands what the 1950s were in the United States, the praise is probably true.
But for me, reading this book in 2009, and being very far, both physically and philosophically, from the Beat movement, it is difficult to find a lot of appeal in "On the road".
Yes, the author did a great job describing the "road bug" many of us, regarding of sex, age and location, are feeling from time to time. The need to roam and travel is an ancient instinct buried deep into our genes. But there is travel, and there is travel. I'm all for road-trips, visiting unusual places and meeting interesting people from different backgrounds. But does it have to be accompanied by a constant state of drugged delirium, be it from marijuana ('tea' as they call it in the book...) or alcohol? Does it have to involve hunger, abysmal states of hygiene and personal health? Is it a must to be involved in stealing, deception and other minor crimes along the way? This is hard for me to believe and to understand.
I've heard that the book used to be a required reading in some American schools. I wonder what it really has to teach. It's based on real characters and is semi-autobiographic. I can bet parts of the book were written in a delirious state induced by some kind of drugs, and I've read that the author has died in a young age from alcoholism, which isn't surprising.
To conclude, this book is probably only suitable for two kinds of readers. The first is people who lead the life described in it. The second is people who have some intimate understanding of the life in the 1950s in the USA, who lived back then or just have a historic interest in the Beat movement. Everyone else should, IMHO, steer clear of it.
Book Review: makes you want to travel.
Summary: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this book. I read the anniversary unedited edition from the origional scroll and I would recommend it. I liked reading the real names of all the people and it made it quarky having all the grammar and spelling errors every once in a a while. Reading this story really gives you a new found pride for America and all the wonderful people and places we have to offer. Everyone always thinks you need to travel abroad but this story makes you want to get to know the great scenery and characters right here at home.Book Review: meh
Summary: 1 Stars
It's a love or hate kind of book. Yes, it is groundbreaking for the generation of the beats. Yes, Kerouac wonderfully shows the alienation and the live-free-die-hard kind of lives his characters live. But no, it should not be considered a classic for all its incoherent, plot-less babble. Stream of consciousness is great only as long as its making a valid point. At least it should be entertaining. This book is boring as hell.
Book Review: not for me
Summary: 2 Stars
I have never liked this book. I've read it three times, two of which were for class, and I think I actually like it less every time I read it. I find the content interesting, but the writing style just does not appeal to me. I certainly appreciate Kerouac's originality in terms of style, but I don't personally enjoy it. It annoys me the way that it rambles on and on. The beginning of the novel rambles and moves slow, but by the end the story just abruptly finishes. I just don't find it enjoyable to read.Book Review: ramblings of an adventurer or low-life transient--you decide
Summary: 1 Stars
Reading this book is like driving upon a car accident--you just cant help yourself.
If you want to know TIME, then save your TIME and read something else. haha. Anyway, I thought the following review was exactly the way I felt and did not want anyone to miss reading it. Call me lazy but.. (all credit to uofm84 for writing it too) Enjoy...
1.0 out of 5 stars a little story, May 5, 2004
By "uofm84"
There once was an emperor who ruled over a great kingdom. One day, two tailors/book salesmen came to visit him. They told him about this glorious new novella "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac. They told him it was a barometer test for whether or not a person was intelligent. Anyone who liked "On the Road" was a genius, and anyone who disliked it a buffoon. Eager to prove how smart he was, the emperor quickly read the novella. When he was finished, he realized he was an idiot. Rather than being brilliant, he found the book to be a collection of insane ramblings and occurances that could only be interesting to Kerouac himself. It was about a man on a search for truth and meaning in the world, but he went about this by getting drunk and pretending that he liked poor people. However, when he saw true poor people in Mexico, he thought about how terrible it would be to be them. This made no sense. The philosophy for a better life was more vapid and meaningless than the life Sal was leading before Dean came around. Rather than changing the emperor's life, it made him long to have 4 hours of his life back. However, he was afraid to look like an idiot, and told the salesmen that it was the best book he had ever read. They were delighted, and told him he qualified for a special fabric...one that was invisible to everyone except those who loved "On the Road". The emperor couldn't see the fabric, but eagerly bought it. He then arranged for a public reading of "On the Road", and told the townspeople how only intelligent people liked the novella. The people all lined up to hear the reading. They thought the book was nonsense, but were afraid to say so. They pretended that the work was life altering, and that their ruler was actually clothed. Finally, a brave little boy in a tree shouted "This makes no sense. Dean isn't Jesus, he's a raging lunatic, and Sal isn't a disciple, he's just a fool. More importantly, why are you naked?"