Why Kerouac Matters: The Lessons of On the Road (They're Not What You Think)
by John Leland
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From the Publisher: Legions of youthful Americans have taken On the Road as a manifesto for rebellion and an inspiration to hit the road. But there is much more to the novel than that. In Why Kerouac Matters, John Leland embarks on a wry, insightful, and playful discussion of the novel, arguing that it still matters because at its core it is full of lessons about how to grow up. Leland's focus is on Sal Paradise, the Kerouac alter ego, who has always been overshadowed by his fictional show more running buddy Dean Moriarty. Leland examines the lessons that Paradise absorbs and dispenses on his novelistic journey to manhood, and how those lessons-about work and money, love and sex, art and holiness-still reverberate today. He shows how On the Road is a primer for male friendship and the cultivation of traditional family values, and contends that the stereotype of the two wild and crazy guys obscures the novel's core themes of the search for atonement, redemption, and divine revelation. Why Kerouac Matters offers a new take on Kerouac's famous novel, overturning many misconceptions about it and making clear the themes Kerouac was trying to impart. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Those who read On the Road and saw it as a handbook for being irresponsible and rebellious, got it wrong. Kerouac wanted more for himself, and through his character Sal Paradise, showed that the way to get through life is to go through it and mature through its experiences. John Leland takes the reader behind the scenes to dig into the character of Kerouac and what he was trying to achieve with On the Road. Not quite completely biography, nor literary criticism, although a little of both. This is a good introduction to Kerouac and the literary milestone that is On the Road.
If you liked ON THE ROAD you will probably like this book. John Leland has created a great commentary on the contents of this book using the same language that Jack Kerouac would have used if he were writing it himself. This is a fast read and helps the reader to understand the difference between the Jack in real life and the character Sal that he has created in the book.
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3+ Works 741 Members
John Leland is a reporter and author, born in 1959. He is a graduate of Columbia College. His career includes senior editor at Newsweek, editor in chief at Details, music critic at Newsday, and an original columnist at SPIN magazine. In 2000 he began working at the New York Times, covering a wide range of topics as a Metro reporter. He is the show more author of Hip: The History (2004), Why Kerouac Matters: The Lessons of 'On the Road' (2007), and Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Lessons from a Year among the Oldest Old (2018). (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Original title
- Why Kerouac Matters: The Lessons of On the Road. They're Not What You Think
- Original publication date
- 2007
Classifications
- Genres
- Literature Studies and Criticism, Nonfiction, Fiction and Literature
- DDC/MDS
- 813.54 — Literature & rhetoric American literature in English American fiction in English 1900-1999 1945-1999
- LCC
- PS3521 .E735 .O5347 — Language and Literature American literature American literature Individual authors 1900-1960
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 161
- Popularity
- 202,712
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.55)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 2
