The legend behind the writing of Jack Kerouac's On the Road is well known, if not entirely accurate. Fueled by inspiration, coffee and Benzedrine, Kerouac sat down at his typewriter and -- in one burst of creative energy -- wrote the novel that would make him the voice of his generation in just 20 days, typing it out on a single, 120-foot-long scroll.
Kerouac actually spent much more time laying the groundwork for his novel than that creation myth suggests, but the part about the giant scroll manuscript is true. Now for the first time, the unfurled scroll has gone on display at the University of Iowa Museum of Art in Iowa City. It will travel next to the Las Vegas Public Library
I would like to take a look at this manuscript. Sometime last year I went back and reread On The Road again. It still holds up rather nicely. I was struck by the migrant worker romance section. It was sad and pathetic yet so griping.
I used to joke that everyone that I knew that picked up On The Road would skip town and never be seen again. Sometimes the truth is funny. I wonder how many young lives have been dramatically changed by this book.
Does anyone know if there are any good biographical books on Neil Cassady? Niel always fascinated me. I find it amazing that he was able to become an icon in two separate generations.
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