Get Home Free: A Novel

by John Clellon Holmes

Returning to their respective homes in Connecticut and Louisianna, Dan Verger and May Delano find their perspectives on their relationship changed by the experience

Genres: Fiction

253 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

John Clellon Holmes, born in Holyoke Massachusetts, was an author, poet and professor, best known for his 1952 novel Go. Go is considered the first "Beat" novel, and depicted events in his life with friends Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady and Allen Ginsberg. He was often referred to as the "quiet Beat," and was one of Kerouac's closest friends. He also wrote what is considered the definitive jazz novel of the Beat Generation, The Horn.

Holmes was more an observer and documenter of beat characters like Ginsberg, Cassidy and Kerouac than one of them. He asked Ginsberg for "any and all information on your poetry and your visions" (shortly before Ginsberg's admission into hospital) saying that "I am interested in knowing also anything you may wish to tell... about Neal, Huncke, Lucien in relation to you..." (referring to Herbert Huncke and Lucien Carr), to which Ginsberg replied with an 11-page letter detailing, as completely as he could, the nature of his "divine vision".

The origin of the term beat being applied to a generation was conceived by Jack Kerouac who told Holmes "You know, this is really a Beat Generation." The term later became part of common parlance when Holmes published an article in The New York Times Magazine entitled "This Is the Beat Generation" on November 16, 1952 (pg.10). In the article Holmes attributes the term to Kerouac, who had acquired the idea from Herbert Huncke. Holmes came to the conclusion that the values and ambitions of the Beat Generation were symbolic of something bigger, which was the inspiration for Go.

Later in life, Holmes taught at the University of Arkansas, lectured at Yale and gave workshops at Brown University. He died of cancer in 1988, 18 days after his 62nd birthday.

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exploration of trying to figure life out, trying to understand the different parameters society unknowingly places on you and determining your future amidst emotion, hormones, reality, booze, and denial. Great 50's read.

[Unclemark · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about this book....It's about life,love,getting older,alcoholism....I truly think this book is a gem for all people who love books about life itself.A lot of wisdom about everyday life in there too.This is the third John Clellon Holmes book I've read (after Go and the Horn)and in my opinion the richest in language and content.Fantastic book if you like the style of the Beat writers!!!In some ways even the follow-up of Go as the two main characters in this one are minor characters in Go.

[Kirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were plenty of great descriptions and hazy sentiments. My main complaint is the abundance of rambling nonsense from the likes of Old Man Molineaux, Hobbes, and Streik.

[ted · Rating 3 out of 5]

Positive proof that very little has changed in 55 years.