What is Jack Kerouac's best book?

Question

I've read On the Road and was amazed. I want to learn more about the beat generation. What in your opinion is Jack Kerouac's best book, and who are other good beat generation writers?

Answer 1

My favorite Kerouac book was alway Dharma Bums where he talks a lot about his friendship with Gary Snyder. There is a book called the Portable Beat Reader put out by Viking Books. It was edited by Ann Charters and give examples of many of the writers of the beat generation and people that were influenced by them. I would check that book out. Also there is a Jack Kerouac CD box set. One of the 3 CD's is called blues and haikus, with Zoot Sims and Al Cohn playing a musical interpretation of each haiku. That was put out by Rhino records. Oh yeah, rhino records also has a 3 cd set called the Beat Generation with poetry, music etc..



The two biggest things to read besides Kerouac would be Ginsberg's "America" and "Howl". Enjoy.

Answer 2

On the Road is Kerouac's best book, The Dhama Bums is good, also Subterranean. Other famous beat writers are Alan Ginsberg, Gary Snyder, Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Gregory Corso. Also William Burroughs. They started in the 50s, became extremely popular in the 60s, yet time has passed since they wrote, and they kind of went out of trend when Ginsburg died.

Answer 3

On the Road gets all the publicity obviously but I believe Dharma Bums is a better book with characters it is easier to feel empathy for. The distinction of course is that Dharma Bums was written about a single episode whereas On the Rod was actually originally something like nine trips but his publisher made him combine all the best bits because it rambled too much. I find the result is a pastiche of characters without the bones. He also wrote a good little group of short stories called lonesome traveller which has a bit of the background for the other stories plus some extras. Visions of Cody is meant to be quite good but I've never read it, so is Pic

Answer 4

On the Road is his best, but try The Subterraneans. Not many other novelists, but you can try Nakled Lunch by William Burroughs. For Poetry, Allen Ginsberg, especially Howl.