Jack Kerouc - great or goon?
Have any of you read "On The Road"? I'm about half way through and really can't understand what the fuss is all about. It's not bad but the character of Dean Moriaty is really pissing me off. I wanna find out where it's all gonna lead to, but can't say i'll rush to read his other works.
posted by Keef at 3:23 AM
8 Comments:
I agree 100%. I was expecting so much more - with its reputation, and the reverence other generations have for it, I was all set for it to be a life-changing book. But in the end I was just totally underwhelmed - I got halfway through and then gave up.
10:47 AM
I think you have to look at it in the context of when it was written in the late 50s. When I read it I was in California visiting Lilly and Californication had just come out so I was constantly listening to that. It was all very sureal. My roommate at Uni managed to do a History dissertation on the social impact of the writings of Jack Kerouac so I think he might disagree. Is it wrong to say that the DaVinci Code completely blew my mind? How about Weird Al's White and Nerdy?
5:11 PM
No, it's cool to say that about the Da Vinci code. It's really good, but cos it's popular it will always be slated for that reason - usually by knobbers who've never read it and thought the film was toss. Which it is.
IMHO, Angels and Demons is better
4:18 AM
OK, I've never read On The Road, but I had the same experience with The Catcher In The Rye. Like three days spend handcuffed to Thom Yorke. I am going to argue with you on the Da Vinci Code, though only a little - it is, in my humble one, a pretty badly written book, stylistically speaking. But that said, I read the whole thing in one sitting and I really enjoyed it from an entertainment perspective. It's a question of context, I guess. Come on then, call me a knobber! The film was a bit flat, though.
I'm just finishing The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad, but I really don't know what I think of it yet. More enjoyable than I remember Heart Of Darkness being. Before that I re-read Jude The Obscure, which is, for my money, the most depressing novel ever published in the English language.
9:11 PM
Not seen the movie so I can't comment but I would probably agree with Catcher in the Rye. Just finished Jpod by Douglas Coupland, standard Coupland but a good read. Very strange that Coupland was actually featured as a character. Next I'm going to crack into Simon Schama's History of Britain 1605-1776. I can't wait. Also with the Butterfly Effect 2 coming out at the cineplex they have been showing the first one on TV and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Reminded me of a Stephen King story.
My three fav TV shows currently:
1. Battlestar Galactica
2. Heroes (Just started but has the potential to be outstanding).
3. Jericho
4:40 AM
Not read any Karouac, but I'm a fan of Coupland when he's on song. Especially love Girlfriend in a Coma (despite it labouring the message a bit) and Life Without God. This is why - based on the reviews - I don't want to read Jpod!
Catcher In the Rye completely passed me by. Bored teenager takes a walk.
I'd recommend Zen & the art of Motorcycle Repair (one of those I wanted to hate but couldn't), Another Bullshit Night in Suck City, and The Bone People. A Confederacy of Dunces is a different take on the same themes - doesn't entirely work, but worth reading.
Didn't bother with The Da Vinci code on the basis that I read the Hiram Key years ago, and it seems to be the same story, only with hot french chicks instead of middle-aged British Masons.
5:37 PM
Good call. Another Bullshit Night In Suck City is ace, and I'm not just saying that because you gave me a copy! I really loved it. And so, apparently, did Brett Anderson.
And eveyone who has any kind of interest in Japanese culture at all should read Number9Dream by David Mitchell. Forget all the "should he have won the Booker for Black Swan Green?" crap [he shouldn't, it's his weakest book, including Cloud Atlas which was laboured and a bit leaden], it's a joyous, funny, massively readable book with a sweet but not over-egged centre.
2:22 AM
Is that the same David Mitchell as in the one from Peep Show who wasn't in The Smoking Room? Which, incidentaly, has been axed by the Beeb, despite being very good - Joe, go tell someone they are a knobber for doing this.
Talking of knobbers - Rob, you are not a knobber for your Da Vinci Code comments as you have actually read it. I've read 3 of the 4 books Dan Brown has written and they're all just for entertainment, so in that respect are great. Digital Fortress will make a brilliant film, thus proving the entertainment value. Until now i've never had a huge amount of time to read so i like small chapters & short stories, stopping halfway through a chapter is just so frustrating.
BTW - I still haven't finished On The Road yet, but i will, if only so i can start on Wormwood, the sequel to Shadowmancer.
7:32 AM
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