Dufour's review of On the Road
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
I just finished rereading this book and it was, as I remembered, an abject delight. The great thing about Kerouac is that his narrative is almost totally self-indulgent, despite cloaking it in the descriptions of roaming west with his buddy (excuse me, Sal Paradise's buddy) Dean Moriarty. This conceit is barely noticeable however over the exceptionally rich stories about Paradise's friends and the America he visits. As someone with a bunch of crazy ass friends myself, I can appreciate these seemingly rambling tales of nothing and mundanity, mostly focused on partying and journeying. Set against a backdrop of postwar America, it's a lot of fun to experience Paradise's journeys having taken a few of them myself.
Many criticize Kerouac's style as impenetrable because of his dense packings of words into long run-ons. I find it refreshing, almost anti-Hemingway, and a challenge to read, and thus more rewarding to complete and cogitate about.
Many criticize Kerouac's style as impenetrable because of his dense packings of words into long run-ons. I find it refreshing, almost anti-Hemingway, and a challenge to read, and thus more rewarding to complete and cogitate about.
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