Vanity of Duluoz: An Adventurous Education, 1935-46
by Jack Kerouac 
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Vanity of Duluoz is a key volume in Jack Kerouac's lifework, the series of autobiographical novels he referred to as The Legend of Duluoz. With the same tender humor and intoxicating wordplay he brought to his masterpieces On the Road and The Dharma Bums, Kerouac takes his alter ego from the football fields of small-town New England to the playing fields and classrooms of Horace Mann and Columbia, out to sea on a merchant freighter plying the sub-infested waters of the North Atlantic during show more World War II, and back to New York, where his friends are the writers who would one day become known as the Beat generation and where he publishes his first novel. show lessTags
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«Vanity of Duluoz» is an autobiographical novel by Jack Kerouac. It describes his early life before he became a writer and before he became the icon of the Beat Generation. In his own words it's a book about 'football and ships'. Pretty boring stuff, mostly, except for the final three chapters which describe how he became accessory to murder, an episode which marks the beginning of the Beat Generation.
An extremely intriguing account of the early writing life of Kerouac. This autobiographical novel was much better than anticipated. The literary references were plentiful and appeasing. Additionally, the ride was fluid and wistful. This one is recommended.
The last of Kerouac's true to life Saga it details what was probably the happiest time in his life from High School sports star to Ivy League scholar to WWII merchant marine. It ends with JK deciding that he would write his saga and with the abandonment of college, the merchant marines, and the death of his father, the start of 20 years of fame and the downward spiral into alcoholism and drugs that eventually killed him in his 40's.
A great look at wartime NYC and Depression Era New England. I read it years ago w the rest of his books.
Truly a sad and magnificent life.
A great look at wartime NYC and Depression Era New England. I read it years ago w the rest of his books.
Truly a sad and magnificent life.
Book One - his sandlot and high school football days. Book Two - school and football at Horace Mann prep.
Then, he attends Columbia, quits, and starts writing. World War II begins. Jack starts, and quits, many jobs.
Kerouac’s novel “…about football and war,…”. And the murder of David Kammerer by Lucien Carr.
Really that's the meat of this book, it's just stretched out to 268 pages. I didn't find much of this to be very interesting, and I felt like some of it had been covered by him before. And when he wasn't telling those stories, he sure seemed like a grumpy old man. Definitely not the "On The Road" Kerouac, for sure!
"No generation is 'new'. There's 'nothing new under the sun'. 'All is vanity.'"
Then, he attends Columbia, quits, and starts writing. World War II begins. Jack starts, and quits, many jobs.
Kerouac’s novel “…about football and war,…”. And the murder of David Kammerer by Lucien Carr.
Really that's the meat of this book, it's just stretched out to 268 pages. I didn't find much of this to be very interesting, and I felt like some of it had been covered by him before. And when he wasn't telling those stories, he sure seemed like a grumpy old man. Definitely not the "On The Road" Kerouac, for sure!
"No generation is 'new'. There's 'nothing new under the sun'. 'All is vanity.'"
one of his best
Vanity of Duluoz: An Adventurous Education, 1935-46 by Jack Kerouac (1994)
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213+ Works 68,439 Members
Jack Kerouac was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1922. His first novel, The Town and the City, was published in 1950. He considered all of his "true story novels," including On the Road, to be chapters of "one vast book," his autobiographical Legend of Duluoz. He died in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1969 at the age of forty-seven. (Publisher show more Provided) show less
Jack Kerouac has a Legacy Library. Legacy libraries are the personal libraries of famous readers, entered by LibraryThing members from the Legacy Libraries group.
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Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Gallimard, Folio (5495)
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title*
- Die Verblendung des Duluoz
- Original publication date
- 1968
- Important places
- New England, USA
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Here's the chalice. Be sure there's wine in it.
- Blurbers
- Mailer, Norman
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- Reviews
- 6
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- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 25
- UPCs
- 1
- ASINs
- 12
