THE DAILY BEAT: Several notable Kerouac resources

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Several notable Kerouac resources

In my Internet ramblings, I recently stumbled across this essay written by David Widgery soon after Kerouac's death in 1969. It gives us a then-contemporary view of Jack's contributions and also mentions the famous "Joan Anderson letter" written by Neal Cassady that some say was singularly influential on Jack's style (on p. 161 of Subterranean Kerouac: The Hidden Life of Jack Kerouac, author Ellis Amburn calls this letter "the greatest literary influence on Kerouac").

If you're a true Kerouac fan, check out Widgery's essay as well as the Joan Anderson letter. They're a necessary part of your "Kerou-education."

Put Subterranean Kerouac on your list, too (most of it's available on Google Book Search).

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Reviews of The Beat Handbook

Gerald Nicosia, author of the acclaimed Kerouac biography Memory Babe, said The Beat Handbook is "full of Jack's heart."

Jared Randall, author of the excellent book of poetry, Apocryphal Road Code, said this about The Beat Handbook: "Sometimes a book comes along at just the right time. In my wandering pack of experiences, I find they often do. Enter The Beat Handbook by Rick Dale."

Kenneth Morris, Kerouacian extraordinaire, said this:
"I just finished reading Rick Dale's beautiful utterance and call to action of Kerouac mind-set and zen sensibilities. It made me laugh and reflect on my own life and road I have naturally grooved into after absorbing the Kerouac canon. The road less traveled always had my name on it. And that has made all the difference. The Beat Handbook 100 Days of Kerouactions reaffirms the attitudes and ideology that made the Beats and Kerouac the important men of ideas that America (and the world) thirsted for, needed, and swallowed whole. Beautiful, absorbing, Top Ten whipsmart from my articulate, tender-hearted friend and fellow traveler. Highly recommended."