Adam's Friend Comments

Adam, I would love to hear any other thoughts you have on Kerouac and his books, even random ones; context be damned. He's one of the few writers whom I think everyone should sample at least a few pages of. He makes you think differently about writing: what it's capable of transmitting. For the general public, I fear he's relegated to a niche time and place, a historical literary curiosity like a statue at Madame Tussaud's. While some of the other famous Beat writers might rest uncomfortably in that space, Jack transcends it. He's so much fun to read, so joyous in his wordplay. Whatever generational flavor he has is just the liquor's bouquet and mouthfeel. The body is the wonder of a mind spreading its wings and trying to find a perch in the boundless sky. And he's fun and illuminating to try and emulate, at least briefly. As with Chandler, how can you resist?