Good Blonde & Others - Softcover

Jack Kerouac

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0912516224 ISBN 13: 9780912516226

Publisher: Grey Fox Press, 1993

Synopsis

In these uncollected writings Jack Kerouac has left us a portrait of himself in his life. He hitches a ride to San Francisco from Southern California with a beautiful blonde, goes on the road with photographer Robert Frank, rides a bus through the Northwest and Montana, records the blues of an old hobo, talks about the Beats and how it all began, gives his "Essentials of Spontaneous Prose" and defends his novel The Subterraneans, compares Shakespeare and James Joyce, goes to a ball game and a prize fight, and reflects on Celine, on Christmas in New England, on jazz & bop, and tells us what he's thinking about. And in the closing piece "cityCityCITY," we're treated to Jack's science fiction vision of the future."

"Reading now these various pieces, with all their substantial details so characteristic of Jack's work, I think of particular and how much a part of his way of being with others his attention really was . . ." —Robert Creeley, preface

"Kerouac offers observations on the Beat Generation, tying it to beatitude and lamenting its appropriation by the Hollywood borscht circuit.' His advice on writing is both incisively amusing (Try never get drunk outside yr own house') and perhaps unhelpful to the less talented (sketching language is . . . blowing' like a jazz musician)." —Publishers Weekly

Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) was a principal actor in the Beat Generation, a companion of Allen Ginsberg and Neal Cassady in that great adventure. His books include On the Road, The Dharma Bums, Mexico City Blues, Lonesome Traveler, Visions of Cody, Pomes All Sizes (City Lights), Scattered Poems (City Lights), and Scripture of the Golden Eternity (City Lights).

About this title

From the Back Cover

In these uncollected writings Jack Kerouac portrays himself in his life. He hitches a ride to San Francisco with a blonde, goes on the road with photographer Robert Frank, rides bus through the Northwest and Montana, records the blues of an old Negro hobo, talks about the Beats and how it all began, gives his "Essentials of Spontaneous Prose" and defends his novel The Subterraneans, compares Shakespeare and James Joyce, describes the cafeterias and subways of Manhattan, goes to a ballgame and a prize fight, and reflects on Christmas in New England, on Murnau's Nosferatu, on jazz & bop, and tells us what he's thinking about.

Reviews

Kerouac was a literary pilgrim in the "careful . . . self-conscious" 1950s, notes Creeley; this miscellany of some 30 magazine contributions (from Playboy , Escapade and other publications) is a good complement to his better-known work such as On the Road. Five pieces describe road trips; the satisfying title tale recalls a bygone time in which a beautiful blonde model might pick up a hitchhiker packing Benzedrine. Kerouac offers observations on the Beat Generation, tying it to beatitude and lamenting its appropriation by the "Hollywood borscht circuit." His advice on writing is both incisively amusing ("Try never get drunk outside yr own house") and perhaps unhelpful to the less talented ("sketching language is . . . blowing" like a jazz musician). Most interesting is his elegant and persuasive defense of his novel The Subterraneans in 1963 after it was banned in Italy. His 1969 reflection on the radicals of the era is startling: though critical of the "Establishment," he castigates young leftists and praises the American system that allowed him to travel wherever he wanted. But some other writings, like impressionistic sketches of Manhattan and articles on baseball, are strictly for fans.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Grey Fox Press
• Publication date: 1993
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0912516224
• ISBN 13: 9780912516226
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 232
• Editor: Donald Allen