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Neal Cassady: The Fast Life of a Beat Hero
This fascinating and in-depth biography of Neal Cassady takes a look at the man who achieved immortality as Dean Moriarty, the central character in Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. A charismatic, funny, articulate, and formidably intelligent man, Cassady was also a compulsive womanizer who lived life on the edge. His naturalistic, conversational writing style inspired Kerouac,...more
Hardcover, 368 pages
Published
September 1st 2006
by Chicago Review Press
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Great biography on one of the 'heros' of the Beat Generation. He was Kerouac's muse and alter-ego but what is great about this book is that the authors, after conducting extensive research and interviews over a period of about 10 years, were able to debunk some of the myths around this man who occupies a legendary postion in beat folklore.
Known as 'Cody' in some of Kerouac's novels and 'Sir Speed Limit' as the driver of Ken Kesey's bus of merry pranksters, there is another side of Cassady which...more
Known as 'Cody' in some of Kerouac's novels and 'Sir Speed Limit' as the driver of Ken Kesey's bus of merry pranksters, there is another side of Cassady which...more
Cassady was a guy I was aware of who he was but I had no idea of what it is he actually did in life other than the main character in Kerouacs On the Road was supposed to have been based on him and that he hung out with all the famous beat writers, Ken Kesey and the Grateful Dead. I'm still not exactly sure what it is he did other than use his life as an example to the people mentioned. He certainly didn't write anything of note. The biggest surprise to me was he was a fanatical follower of Edgar...more
Neal Cassady… what a trip. There are several bios on Neal out there including “The Holy Goof” by William Plummer that may be more definitive but this treatment does a great job of telling the story of Neal and his wild ways. If you want to know about the Beat Generation and how Cassady came together with Allen Ginsburg, Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs et al and how they related to the hippie movement this is a good resource.
This biography was begun by David Sandison who was clearly smitten with...more
This biography was begun by David Sandison who was clearly smitten with...more
Some years ago I read another biography of Neal Cassady, The holy goof by William Plummer. The only book that Neal Cassady himself had published was a partial autobiography, The first third, so this is not a literary biography in the sense that Cassady was a famous author. His claim to (literary) fame was that he appears as a character in the novels of his friend Jack Kerouac and the poems of his friend Allen Ginsberg, and also in Go by John Clellon Holmes.
Kerouac and Ginsberg admired him tremen...more
Kerouac and Ginsberg admired him tremen...more
I saw this biography in Mac's Backs and knew I had to have it. I knew him only as the basis for character you couldn't take your eyes off of in Kerouac's "On the Road" and wanted to know what his story was.
Neal Cassady was jerk, but a charismatic and influential jerk. In that respect, not unlike most politicians. But he grew up on the other side of the tracks, became a petty criminal, dope fiend, womanizer, and icon of the Beats and the Hippies. Jack Kerouac immortalized him as Dean Moriarty in...more
Neal Cassady was jerk, but a charismatic and influential jerk. In that respect, not unlike most politicians. But he grew up on the other side of the tracks, became a petty criminal, dope fiend, womanizer, and icon of the Beats and the Hippies. Jack Kerouac immortalized him as Dean Moriarty in...more
Nov 08, 2007
Needleroozer
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fans of the Beats
Shelves:
life-stories
I was pulling books for interlibrary loan the other day and was downstairs in the history section when I came across this book. I don't know much about the beat poets and knew even less about Neal Cassady, so I grabbed this book for myself. Cassidy my parnter is named after Neal Cassady, via a Grateful Dead song titled simply, "Cassidy," so that had me interested too.
Turns out that Neal Cassady lied to, manipulated, coerced, and cheated just about everyone he ever knew. From most accounts, he wa...more
Turns out that Neal Cassady lied to, manipulated, coerced, and cheated just about everyone he ever knew. From most accounts, he wa...more
A comprehensive portrait of a Beat Generation Legend that attempts to demythologize the cornucopia of myths swirling around Neal Cassady. However, his life makes such an interesting read that it remains mythological.
Neal Cassady lead the life that I wish I could have if I only had the balls to live it.
OK, the guy invented the hipster and then, helped kick start the hippie movement in the 60's...facinating character this one.
Good Bio of Neal.
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