false 412732 34 One of the best and most popular of Kerouac's autobiographical novels, <i>The Dharma Bums</i> is based on experiences the writer had during the mid-1950s while living in California, after he'd become interested in Buddhism's spiritual mode of understanding. One of the book's main characters, Japhy Ryder, is based on the real poet Gary Snyder, who was a close friend and whose interest in Buddhism influenced Kerouac. This book is a must-read for any serious Kerouac fan. 827497 1958 The Dharma Bums total:9780|5:3250|4:3581|3:2209|2:606|1:134| 9780 38547 12681 738 4 5 false false Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Tue Mar 27 11:42:42 -0700 2007 Fri Apr 06 13:21:28 -0700 2007 On the Road" and a few other things by Kerouac, I had come to the conclusion that the dude is a hack, and that the other Beats were really on some way better shit. I just couldn't feel that "rambling" ass style tha...more...]]> 4 2 false false Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Sat Dec 06 22:15:25 -0800 2008 Sat Dec 06 22:18:13 -0800 2008 My friends frienzied onward toward the train
I had the whole thing read by Indiana
and I had been forever changed.

I started, for some time, to weep
about the beauty in a lonely life
stumbling back to his shade tree, Jack foun...more...]]> 3 2 false false Tue Mar 25 15:19:02 -0700 2008 Sun Feb 15 10:49:48 -0800 2009
But I do try. Every co...more...]]> 4 2 false false Mon Jun 25 14:37:36 -0700 2007 Mon Jun 25 14:37:36 -0700 2007 more...]]> 5 3 false false Thu Apr 19 10:35:53 -0700 2007 Thu Apr 19 11:07:21 -0700 2007
i have to say, it's one of my top ten. not for its far-reaching insights, kerouac's i...more...]]> 2 1 false false Thu Apr 23 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Apr 21 11:09:37 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 24 13:03:10 -0700 2009
"And who am I?"
"I dunno, maybe you're Goat."
"Goat?"
"Maybe you're Mudface."
"Who's Mudface?"
"Mudface is the mud in your goatface. What would you say if someone wa...more...]]> 1 3 false false Thu Aug 07 10:52:24 -0700 2008 Thu Aug 07 10:52:39 -0700 2008 4 1 false false Fri Nov 21 08:22:59 -0800 2008 Wed Nov 26 12:41:36 -0800 2008 On the Road as a high schooler and was unimpressed, I was too serious and uptight. I lacked experience. This time around I get the Zen stuff, yo, I was put off at first by his attempts at telling what is ...more...]]> 2 2 false false Wed Nov 19 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Nov 19 07:44:51 -0800 2008 Thu Nov 20 08:32:20 -0800 2008
So he is a buddhist - correcti...more...]]> 4 1 false false Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Mon Aug 20 20:01:49 -0700 2007 Sun Sep 16 07:48:44 -0700 2007 more...]]> 3 1 false false Tue May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Tue Jun 05 11:28:09 -0700 2007 Tue Jun 05 11:41:24 -0700 2007
Fir...more...]]> 3 1 false false Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Tue Aug 21 08:48:03 -0700 2007 Fri Sep 14 09:01:59 -0700 2007 more...]]> 2 0 false false Thu Mar 19 13:30:58 -0700 2009 Thu Mar 19 14:10:39 -0700 2009
I should acknowledge the likelihood that I’m just not smart enough for Kerouac. It took me longer than it should have to power through the book, and there were numerous places I almost threw up my hands in exasper...more...]]> 3 1 false false Tue Oct 06 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Oct 05 22:05:28 -0700 2009 Mon Oct 05 22:30:16 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Aug 11 15:39:15 -0700 2009 Tue Aug 11 15:51:04 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Jul 18 13:05:47 -0700 2009 Sat Jul 18 13:57:20 -0700 2009
The characters are very interested in Buddhism, meditation, etc. so there are many Buddhist allusions I didn't understand. But, Ray, who plays Kerouac in the semi-autobiographical piece, show...more...]]> 2 0 false false Wed Apr 22 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 20 11:26:38 -0700 2009 Wed Apr 22 11:32:00 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Wed May 01 00:00:00 -0700 1985 Tue Jul 28 07:56:00 -0700 2009 Tue Aug 04 06:42:41 -0700 2009 3 more...]]> 5 1 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Jul 02 07:49:25 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 02 07:49:25 -0700 2009
for example:

"one day i will find the right words, and they will be simple."

"i saw that my life was a vast glowing empty page and i could do anything i wanted."
...more...]]> 2 1 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Sat Jul 28 09:50:01 -0700 2007 Wed Nov 28 16:31:37 -0800 2007 more...]]>