Jack Kerouac, How many have even heard of him?

Aging hippy here and OF COURSE I've heard of him and read him.

Having grown up in the 50's yes I have heard of him. He influenced a lot of people my age. Now that I am almost 70 I don't see what the fascination was all about. He drank himself to death before he turned 50. I am not sure that is "freedom".

puttd wrote:
... Natalie Merchant song about him too.

It was written by Natalie Merchant and Robert Buck, a fellow band member. Originally on the album "In My Tribe", by 10,000 Maniacs, released 1987. It's a good album and I have it on vinyl, but it's not a very good song, IMHO. Three-chord, mellow rock on acoustic guitars. Un-inspiring. Almost, Muzak-like.
Edit: I've never bothered to read his works. I was too busy living the life of a Free Spirit and hanging out on street corners, I guess. LOL

2gypsies wrote:
Do young people even read a book nowdays?

I'm not young, but I average about 3/month. DW sez, 'you know how much you spend on books every year?'.

Do young people even read a book nowdays?

ReadyToGo wrote:
William Least Heat-Moon's Blue Highways and
John Steinbeck's Travels With Charley in search of America
are much better travel books for most RVers.

Still haven't read Steinbeck's "Travels with Charley" but so very much enjoyed William Least Moon's "Blue Highways". Never really thought of it as a travelers' book per se but yanno what? You're right:).

"Johnny had a patch on his a$$" Nope, never heard of him.

Crowe wrote:
He's a very familiar person around here due to his living in Lowell. Half hate him, half love him. Half think he was just a drug addict, half think he was a free spirit.

http://www.nps.gov/lowe/historyculture/kerouac.htm

As a kid growing up, I felt the beatniks and hippies were a bunch of crackpots that did their best to avoid real work, or be real productive members of society . But as I matured, I found that regardless of how people look, they all can offer some provacative perspectives on things. And I learn from them.

The hippie, the druggie, the homeless, the criminal, the panhandler, the hobo, the free spirit, the politician, the CEO. I enjoy speaking to all of them with respect. Might not alway like the person, but you can learn something from anyone.

I do have to admit though that the politician usually has me leaving and scratching my head. Would much rather speak with all the others. They don't upset me nearly as much.

ReadyToGo wrote:
William Least Heat-Moon's Blue Highways and
John Steinbeck's Travels With Charley in search of America
are much better travel books for most RVers.

Having grown up on the central coast of California and currently alternating between northern Michigan and Florida, I'm torn between Steinbeck and Hemingway as favorites. :)

Jim Irsay paid big bucks for the original manuscript.