Big Sur

I consider my four star review as being generous. This is my first exposure to the writings of Jack Kerouac. I am a fan of "bad boy" type authors, which is why I chose this novel. I was a bit troubled by the complete, and I do mean complete, lack of any traditional notions of grammar and usage. Most paragraphs are long, run-on sentences, with no periods, few commas, and dialogue quotation that is completely unorthodox and frequently confusing. All that said, the book was ultimately readable; however, it was broken and rambling and, at times, redundant. The author's words do have value and his use of imagery is fairly effective. His characters seem real and not at all standard faire. As for his description of his experience with (apparently) delirium tremens, frankly, I've read better, but his was also informative and interesting. My only suggestion would be that if you're looking for this type of subject matter and blunt writing, I would highly recommend reading all of the novels by Charles Bukowski and Dan Fante first. In my view, they tell better and more cogent stories, while sticking to more traditional and readable writing standards.

Very dark compared to his other works. I first started reading Jack , I was 20 years old and now I’m 40. This book makes so much more sense now! Age and alcoholism don’t mix, LOL!

I love imagining myself in Monsanto’s (Ferlinghetti’s) cabin in the middle of an old growth, northern Californian temperate rainforest within hiking distance of a secluded beach. I’ll take more of that over the heavy drinking sausage party on Skid Row. But I guess that’s what fame does to you?? I haven’t finished it yet, though. Sooo...

INTRERESTING. NEED MORE THAN ONE READ TO GET SOME OF THE MULTIPLE STORIES WITHIN THE STORY.

Didn’t like this book at all. I don’t get the big following of Jack. His life was very depressing and lots of drugs and alcohol. Not an inspiration to me. Also the poetry at the end. ???? What ? I read “On the road and felt the same. It was interesting to see that type of lifestyle but rather depressing

Kerouac draws you into his world, written five years after Road. If you don’t enjoy stream-of-consciousness prose, move on.