On the Road- Jack Kerouac

On the Road- by Jack Kerouac

Heard the hype.
Bought the book.
10 pages in, doubting the hype.
Is it worth my time to finish?
Is it as good of a book as people claim?
When does it get good?
hmm, let me know.


Thanks so much, Julia.

Stay Lifted.​

 

I fell in love with On the Road. I recommended it to a few people who promptly read it and hated it. So yeah..its very possible that you'll never really get into it.

It didn't really pick up for me until I got to the part where they went to Mexico, and thats towards the tail end of the book. I told everyone that read it because of my recommendation to stick it out until Mexico, and I think they all still hated it.

But yeah...stick it out until Mexico.

I was really into the lore surrounding the Beat Generation before I ever read On the Road. I was really into the Grateful Dead at the time and kept hearing about the mysterious Neal Cassady and his Grateful Dead conection.
When I finally read the book it was able to hold my interest just because I was so interested in the real people that the characters are based on.

 

I preferred Dharma Bums, that was the only Kerouac I liked and I've read most of his stuff. Though On The Road was fairly enjoyable in parts.

 

I listened to the audio book of that recently. It's quite a short book, and to be honest i was a little disappointed. It's really nothing special.

 

You have to at least "meet" Dean Moriarty/Neal Cassady before you put it down.

It's not the best book in the world but you have to take it into the context of the times it was written in.

I guess I could see how some people wouldn't enjoy it though, especially if you've already lived your "on the road" adventures personally.

 

I also didn't like The Alchemist, another popular favourite for on-the-roadsters.

I just don't like novels.

 

Well, iv'e read about half way through now. It's decent, but still yet curious about why some people say it's so goood. I'm not too impressed. I've read Dahrma Bums, Visions of Cody and Lonesome Traveler by him. They we're all reallly goood. Highly recommend them.

 

I'm having trouble seeing how someone could enjoy visions of cody but not on the road. Visions of cody is one of the biggest snooze fests I've ever read.

 

haha, i enojoyed it. i like to read books in one reading,if i can, so i'll sit for hours and read, and sometimes i'm more aprehensive and it makes books more enjoyable.

 

Damn that sucks. I just had this book handed down to me. along with the dharma bums. And some other travel books, like Into The Wild. It will be nice to finally read the book. heard its better then the movie. Will start reading one of them after the book im currently reading!

 

I've heard good things about Into the Wild.
let me know how it is!

 

well... interesting... : )

did something a wee bit similar, once upon a time, but...

i didn't get stuck...

trading your life for a good story may be worth it, but...

if you can have both... that's prolly best : )

 

Right on. ha

 

For sure worth reading! I would give it a try.
I love the way Jack Kerouac writes such beautiful words.
At times the story may seem slow, but it's all about the adventures he experiences.

 

Totally loved On The Road. It also helped a good friend who I look up to has raved & raved about it, and I happened to be traveling!
I absolutely recommend man.
I also know some people who didn't like it, or found it rather slow.

I agree about with Sunshine ^^ about the adventures.

Another cool read is The Original Scroll of On The Road, which is the first draft of On The Road. Its got a bunch of different things, more detail in regards to sex, drugs & other illicit activities.

 

You've got to put it in the context of when it was written. Given that, it was preety way ahead of itself. Today, I think its a blokey sort of book - the original bromance. I've just re-read it and still enjoyed it. Mike Manson

 

I got On The Road and Dharma Bums...I just started reading Dharma Bums and so far I like it! But as far as On The Road goes, I hope it holds up to my hopes. I also want to read Tristessa and The Subterraneans.

 

I like Dharma Bums better than On The Road . Japhy Ryder (Gary Snyder) is a hero of mine .

 

I first read this book the summer I graduated high school ('99). It was a magical time for me.

 

I agree with an above poster that Into the Wild is a fantastic read , a real on the road if you will