On The Road

Jack Kerouac (1922-1969)

It was on this day in 1957 that Jack Kerouac's book On The Road was published. A lovely description by Garrison Keillor of events leading to its publication is here.

I really loved this book from my first reading of it, back when I was in high school in New Jersey. Jack K was still alive then. I'm hard pressed to explain why the book had such a profound affect on me. And why I carried it around with me. Maybe it was because it was about what was out there in the country, far away from where I was. Maybe it was because I wished that I too had such hipster friends and knew so much and had such wonderful conversations. Maybe it was just because I was an adolescent who wanted to escape from suburbia into the world. I'm not sure.

Anyway, I've wished ever since that I could write something even half as good. I don't think I've done that yet.