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Kerouac In Florida: Where The Road Ends
Never-before published information and photos on the life of Jack Kerouac in Florida from 1948-1969 makes a great contribution to the literary history of the Beat era and the Beat-Generation writers.
- GenresBiography
167 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 5, 2015
A short book, but an eye-opening one. It's amazing that Jack Kerouac spent so much time living in Florida, produced so much work here, and yet he's seldom thought of when people are making a list of Florida authors. Kerouac was living in Orlando when he did the final edit of "On the Road," and later while living in Florida he wrote "The Dharma Bums" as well as other novels and shorter works. He died in St. Petersburg in 1969.
TV reporter Bob Kealing does a fine job of laying out Kerouac's life here, from his optimistic early years to the downward spiral of his alcoholic final days. He intersperses chapters on Kerouac -- the writer, the devoted son, the boozer, the baseball fan, the music-maker -- with chapters explaining how he tracked down the documents and witnesses, some of whom didn't even realize who Kerouac was. His writing isn't flashy, but it's clear and to the point.
The book would have a downbeat ending if it stopped with Kerouac's death. Instead, Kealing delves into the battle over Kerouac's estate, and then wisely takes us beyond that to his spearheading efforts to restore Kerouac's home in Orlando and turn it into writer's retreat. That's a far better legacy for the King of the Beats.
TV reporter Bob Kealing does a fine job of laying out Kerouac's life here, from his optimistic early years to the downward spiral of his alcoholic final days. He intersperses chapters on Kerouac -- the writer, the devoted son, the boozer, the baseball fan, the music-maker -- with chapters explaining how he tracked down the documents and witnesses, some of whom didn't even realize who Kerouac was. His writing isn't flashy, but it's clear and to the point.
The book would have a downbeat ending if it stopped with Kerouac's death. Instead, Kealing delves into the battle over Kerouac's estate, and then wisely takes us beyond that to his spearheading efforts to restore Kerouac's home in Orlando and turn it into writer's retreat. That's a far better legacy for the King of the Beats.
October 10, 2014
Interesting take on the lesser-known side of Kerouac: the side when he basically abandoned writing, moved in with his mother in Florida, got fat, started voting for republicans, and drank himself himself to death.
Not a very romantic end to this oft-romanticized life, but still worth a read. As the title suggests, it focuses heavily on the years that he lived in Florida so it is not a complete biography and readers are suggested to be at least somewhat familiar with the earlier stages of his life for context. There are not any free-wheeling adventures to speak of, just a profile of a man who lived fast and shone bright and burned out in similar fashion.
Not a very romantic end to this oft-romanticized life, but still worth a read. As the title suggests, it focuses heavily on the years that he lived in Florida so it is not a complete biography and readers are suggested to be at least somewhat familiar with the earlier stages of his life for context. There are not any free-wheeling adventures to speak of, just a profile of a man who lived fast and shone bright and burned out in similar fashion.
June 28, 2009
I liked this book so much I optioned it! Bob Kealing in surprisingly few pages packs a lot of the real Jack. I've since read everything out there and all the biographies, but Kealing's book, written with a (Emmy Award winning) journalist's eye captures the inner life of one of our generations greatest writers.
May 28, 2019
Kerouac lived a life of both achievement and chaos. This book is an interesting exploration of those aspects of his years in the Sunshine State. Enjoyed it.
July 4, 2025
Bob Kealing’s book “Kerouac in Florida- Where the Road Ends” is a remarkable accomplishment and a fascinating read. For any fans of Jack Kerouac, and anyone devoted to the history of literature in the second half of the 20th Century, this book is a goldmine of information and insight.
Focusing on the writer’s time spent in Florida between 1956 and his death in 1969, Kerouac lived in Orlando and then St. Petersburg, Florida. This book is an extensive timeline of his life in Florida, and the ephemeral history of the houses in which he lived. Abandoned by the critics and almost destitute, his health rapidly declined due to his alcoholism and years of travel and the collapse of his literary career.
The photographs and sketches included are a compliment to the text. This is definitely a recommended purchase. I give five stars to the author for attempting g this undertaking and for producing such an extraordinary book.
The extensive footnotes and Endnotes at the end of each chapter, and the Selected Bibliography, prove to be fascinating and are a testament to the herculean effort that Bob Keating has accomplished here. Every chapter is full of specific events and conversations that truly make the reader experience Kerouac’s decline.
However, the Index does not feel robust enough, and I was frustrated at not being able to find several direct references. Neither The Berg Collection, nor The New York Public Library where it is housed, are listed in the Index. I would also have appreciated more details of the content of that archive in The Berg collection.
The author makes mention of Webb City in St. Petersburg without giving proper context for its importance to St. Petersburg history. Perhaps the author believed that the readers would take an interest and delve further to learn about this unique store.
Entirely missing from the book is any mention of Haslam’s Book Store in St. Petersburg. Haslam’s had the distinction of being Florida’s largest independent bookstore before it closed during the Covid Epidemic of 2020. Kerouac would quickly visit there, drunk, and sign whatever copies of his books were on the used-books shelves. There is a legend that his ghost haunts the building as if he is still searching for the audience that forgot him and the financial success that eluded him.
Kerouac’s final home at 5169 10TH Avenue North in St. Petersburg is given ample space. Still owned through inheritance by members of the Sampas family, there are also more details of interest about the house and its upkeep than the author included in his book. For decades, the St. Petersburg “Friends of Jack Kerouac” organization had an arrangement with the Sampas family to raise funds for the maintenance of the exterior of the house, to collect the mail, and watch the property. The house is now a designated historic site and is managed for private tours, events, and offers overnight stay component. The “Friends of Kerouac” group was disbanded in 2023. This St. Petersburg “Kerouac House” is now managed entirely by the Kerouac estate. Is Kealing’s absence of information on this relationship due to legal and permission issues?
I am extremely happy that Bob Kealing has written this and has received such terrific reviews. An excellent, yet heartbreaking, book about one of the greatest literary tragedies in history.
Focusing on the writer’s time spent in Florida between 1956 and his death in 1969, Kerouac lived in Orlando and then St. Petersburg, Florida. This book is an extensive timeline of his life in Florida, and the ephemeral history of the houses in which he lived. Abandoned by the critics and almost destitute, his health rapidly declined due to his alcoholism and years of travel and the collapse of his literary career.
The photographs and sketches included are a compliment to the text. This is definitely a recommended purchase. I give five stars to the author for attempting g this undertaking and for producing such an extraordinary book.
The extensive footnotes and Endnotes at the end of each chapter, and the Selected Bibliography, prove to be fascinating and are a testament to the herculean effort that Bob Keating has accomplished here. Every chapter is full of specific events and conversations that truly make the reader experience Kerouac’s decline.
However, the Index does not feel robust enough, and I was frustrated at not being able to find several direct references. Neither The Berg Collection, nor The New York Public Library where it is housed, are listed in the Index. I would also have appreciated more details of the content of that archive in The Berg collection.
The author makes mention of Webb City in St. Petersburg without giving proper context for its importance to St. Petersburg history. Perhaps the author believed that the readers would take an interest and delve further to learn about this unique store.
Entirely missing from the book is any mention of Haslam’s Book Store in St. Petersburg. Haslam’s had the distinction of being Florida’s largest independent bookstore before it closed during the Covid Epidemic of 2020. Kerouac would quickly visit there, drunk, and sign whatever copies of his books were on the used-books shelves. There is a legend that his ghost haunts the building as if he is still searching for the audience that forgot him and the financial success that eluded him.
Kerouac’s final home at 5169 10TH Avenue North in St. Petersburg is given ample space. Still owned through inheritance by members of the Sampas family, there are also more details of interest about the house and its upkeep than the author included in his book. For decades, the St. Petersburg “Friends of Jack Kerouac” organization had an arrangement with the Sampas family to raise funds for the maintenance of the exterior of the house, to collect the mail, and watch the property. The house is now a designated historic site and is managed for private tours, events, and offers overnight stay component. The “Friends of Kerouac” group was disbanded in 2023. This St. Petersburg “Kerouac House” is now managed entirely by the Kerouac estate. Is Kealing’s absence of information on this relationship due to legal and permission issues?
I am extremely happy that Bob Kealing has written this and has received such terrific reviews. An excellent, yet heartbreaking, book about one of the greatest literary tragedies in history.
April 17, 2024
Central Florida's literary history is pretty sparse, but one can boast that Beat Generation icon Jack Kerouac resided there and wrote one of his most famous books in the College Park neighborhood of Orlando. This book traces Bob Kealing's attempt to bring some literary weight to Florida by shining a light on Kerouac's time there. Extra points for the fun of reading this that I read the majority of it sitting in front of Kerouac's house where he wrote The Dharma Bums.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews