On the Road chronicles Jack Kerouac's years traveling the North American continent with his friend Neal Cassady, "a sideburned hero of the snowy West." As "Sal Paradise" and "Dean Moriarty," the two roam the country in a quest for self-knowledge and experience. Kerouac's love of America, his compassion for humanity, and his sense of language as jazz combine to make On the Road an inspirational work of lasting importance.
My Rating: 2.5/5
This was a book that I had high expectations for. It seems to be rated very highly on all fronts and so I expected to like it more that what I did.
The biggest problem I had with this book was the writing style. It was very choppy and didn't have much continuity to it.
The story is not set in any particular order and characters pop in and out of the story which was confusing.
I never understood Sal's fascination with Dean. The way that he talked about him like he was his hero.
I never planned to watch the movie, but considering how confusing I found some parts of this book, watching the movie might help clear that up.
This is one of those classics that I haven't read yet. I will have to remember that it has a unique writing style!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great way to reconnect with this great classic. If you've never read it, I wouldn't hesitate to read this over the published one. This version makes it easier to reconnect the novel's/memoir's action with history. Highly recommended.
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