I am on the road, with Jack.
Jack who? Jack Kerouac, of course.
He is an American novelist who started the 'Beat generation', in fact the most innovative travel writer of all times. The book On the road is simply lip smacking, literally. I have never enjoyed any book so much as this one. Let me elucidate.
I love traveling. I have hardly gotten out of Maharashtra, been to Gujarat and the south. But never really just traveled. And what liberation you feel to be out there ...3000 miles away from the author's home, on his journey,and yet still come home to eat mom's home cooked meal :)
I have experienced raw America in the past 2 weeks and yet sadly have been able to cover only 60 pages of exhaustive traveling. I have known the people ' Sal' is crazy about.By Sal I mean, Sal Paradise, who is in fact 'Jack'. Dean in particular, who Jack is fascinated about.Dean is Neal Cassady in real life. Dean is someone, you are going to be in awe of, especially if you relate to the author. I do. I think the writer thinks exactly like me. He loves the people who love life. Or if the life seems tragic they run to find adventure. Well that's how life should be right. Well, its just perfect spontaneity. Only I wish I could have done that exact same thing. I will, soon. Give or take a year or two.
There is one particular quote I really like;
"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!"
This book is a rare find, and well not everyone can find it in Mumbai.If you do then mail me.PLEASE!
I have been trying to get this book since 2 years,and I stumbled on this site that has a wonderful 178 pages pdf. And every night while I leave work, I make it a point to get a print on 10 pages, which I use on the reverse the next time, so that i am not wasting pages, and my journey from Mahalakshmi to my home has been in fact, California to Arizona to Denver to New York. And it has been adventurous and simply marvellous. So if you're interested in taking a look at the beat generation and the wonderful life that's out there. Read this book. It's worth any dope that would give you a high. It's worth giving up your favorite anything, just... only just to live life like a free man / women.
Here's the link if any one of you wants to go for one helluva ride:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/15803/On-The-Road-Jack-Kerouac
1 comment:
"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!"
...i love the sound of it in my head...energises me..at the same time..lights me up in a peaceful candle-lit manner
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