Classics

Jack Kerouac in His Own Words

Cassandra Neace

Staff Writer

Cassandra Neace is a high school English teacher in Houston. When she's not in the classroom, she reads books and writes about them. She prides herself on her ability to recommend a book for most any occasion. She can be found on Instagram @read_write_make

Jack Kerouac’s most noted work, On the Road, was published on September 5, 1957.  The novel holds a spot on Modern Library’s list of the 100 Best English Language Novels of the 20th Century and on a similar list by Time Magazine.  He was also one of the Beat poets, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg. His work has had a lasting impact on the American literary scene and continues to pop up in a variety of other places, too -movies, music.

Here’s a look at that some of that work, from the man himself. You be the judge.

“San Francisco Scene” 

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgRCak7Nkvo[/youtube]

 

“American Haikus”

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMwAtOom7CA[/youtube]

 

“October in the Railroad Earth” 

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hjPZpaXNsw[/youtube]

 

“Visions of Cody” 

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdewKn_gli0[/youtube]

 

On the Road 

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MjPtem6ZbE[/youtube]

 

On the Writing of On the Road  (Steve Allen Show – 1959)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9SZ0IVcwjw[/youtube]

 

And for good measure, I’m including a few trailers from recent film adaptations…

On the Road (2012)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZhM-AcCzNU[/youtube]

 

Big Sur (2013) 

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w71t2lFXDU[/youtube]

 

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