The Book That's In My Backpack?

On The Road. By Jack Kerouac. 

And of course, it's fantastic. It's like Howl told with a different voice. From a different perspective. And I really love Howl. Especially since I saw the movie, which was so incredibly good.

I've been putting off reading more of the Beat generation mostly because I don't have time, but partially (I suppose) because I'm afraid I wouldn't like it. And there is a part of On The Road that doesn't captivate me quite like Howl did (does?). Not every line resonates with that awe-inspiring.... I don't know. That feeling when your heart just tingles just the right way after the voice in your head reads the line. Perfect example:

"But then they danced down the street like dingledodies, and I shambled after as I've been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!"

Only Keroauc could make a run-on sentence so poetic. Reading work from the Beat generation allows me to live vicariously through people who have long since lived their life. It's so magical. They all have lived their lives and made stories and (thank god) written it all down. And now, I get to live in their shoes, at least a little bit. I mean, look at them. Who wouldn't want to live in their shoes?

Ginsberg                                              Kerouac

People talk all the time about escaping into a book, but I can't do this most times. Kerouac I can read in random lobbies of collegiate buildings. 

The Beat generation is so exhilarating. It's such a contradiction though. I mean, as I understand it, people were disdainful of this group. This ragtag group who wrote and smoked and drank and had sex. Who published things with obscenities whose very merit was questioned in court. But as much as they were held in contempt in their time and told that they didn't contribute anything to society, they ended up contributing so much. Ask any english teacher. The Beat generation contributed something inarguably awesome (as much as that word is over-used now, I mean it in the absolute sense of the word: filling me with awe) to the field of literature. 

p.s. If you're ever doubting that Kerouac truly embodied (represented?) the Beat generation, just google search "beat generation"....