Tristessa by Jack Kerouac Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Tristessa
Book Review: A Poet's Soul
Summary: 5 Stars
Kerouac is at his best when he writes of his adentures amongstthe downtrodden people of misfortune. It is as if these
experiences cleanse away the pores through which his soul
breathes. For those of you who may only of read "On the Road",
this book will awaken you to the depths of this great writer's
being. It is a must read for those of you who are
exloring his writings.
Book Review: A story of love and suffering
Summary: 4 Stars
Jack Kerouac's "Tristessa" is a short novel about an American poet (named, like the author, Jack) and his love for Tristessa, a Mexico City drug addict. The book follows the experiences of Jack, Tristessa, and their circle of friends in the seedy underside of Mexico City.Kerouac's language in this book is startling: a prose poetry that reminds me of Allen Ginsberg's poem "Howl." The words in "Tristessa" tumble at you in a wild, hypnotic rush. There are lots of apparently made-up words, sort of "Spanglish" flourishes, and pop culture references. Buddhism serves as a frequent subtext to the novel; I would recommend reading this together with Kerouac's "The Scripture of the Golden Eternity."
"Tristessa" is a sad look at the human toll taken by drug abuse, and is full of vivid details of the title character's world. Recommended as a companion text: "Quiet Days in Clichy," by Henry Miller.
Book Review: Amazing romantic novel!
Summary: 5 Stars
The basic story line in this book surrounded a junky Mexican prostitute named Tristessa of whom Jack(Kerouac's "alias") has fallen madly in love with. Jack can't find a way to tell her, and she sends him completely mixed signals, and is constantly too hung up on her drug addiction to care about love. At one point he leaves to go up to California(in which period of time "The Dharma Bums" takes place), and the story picks up a year later when Jack returns with his urgent need to see Tristessa.Another story line of Tristessa involves Jack sitting in the pad where Tristessa and her friend Cruz live, and his fasination with the animals that live there (a Chihuaua, a cat, a hen, a rooster, and a dove). He meditates and watches them, wondering what they're thinking and trying his best to earn their trust and respect.
This was quite an amazing book, the second best book I've read this year after The Losers' Club by Richard Perez. I find any of Jack Kerouac's works hard to put down, as there is always something new and interesting and fascinating to read and learn from his writing. I would recommend this story to any Beat Generation or Kerouac reader.
Book Review: Another fine piece from Kerouac
Summary: 4 Stars
In Tristessa, Kerouac writes about his time on the road in Mexico City. The book is broken down into two parts, a year apart. It is a sort of love poem to Tristessa, the morphine addicted prostitute that he is in love with.
In true Kerouac fashion we once again live vicariously through his vivid writing of his experience on the road. His ability to bring the reader right into the middle of his world is the reason I keep coming back to him again and again.
Book Review: Beautiful but bleak story
Summary: 5 Stars
Amidst the chaos and debris of dismal Mexico City Kerouac tells us the stroy of his most intense love for the lovely but flawed Junky, Tristessa. This is Kerouac at his most poignant and this is the best glimpse he ever gave his readers into his soul. But don't read this book if you're a manic depressive, it might drive you over the edge. One has to wonder if Tristessa could have made Jack happy. Some people are addicted to self-destruction.