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Jack Kerouac

    March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969

    Jack Kerouac's writing captured the spirit of the Beat Generation, achieving commercial success with a landmark publication in 1957 that defined a literary movement. His distinctive style and thematic explorations resonated deeply, making his work a cornerstone of American literature. Kerouac's distinctive voice continues to influence readers and writers alike.

    Jack Kerouac
    Maggie Cassidy (Original Manuscript)
    Kerouac: Selected Letters
    Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg
    Guide to First Edition Prices 2004/2005
    Truth and Beautiful Meaningful Lies
    The Americans
    • The Americans

      • 180 pages
      • 7 hours of reading

      From the Publisher: In 1958, the first edition of Robert Frank's The Americans was published in Paris. Les Americains contained Frank's 83 photographs in the same sequence as all subsequent editions, with the image on the right hand page, but juxtaposed with historical texts about American society and politics, gathered by Alain Bosquet. The following year, in the first American edition, the French texts were removed and an introduction by Jack Kerouac was added. Over the subsequent 50 years, The Americans has been republished in many editions, in numerous languages, with a variety of cover designs and even in a range of sizes. It is the most famous photography book ever published, and it changed the face of the medium forever. Robert Frank discussed with his publisher, Gerhard Steidl, the idea of producing a new edition using modern scanning and the finest tritone printing. The starting point was to bring original prints from New York to Gottingen, Germany, where Steidl is based. In July 2007, Frank visited Gottingen. A new format for the book was worked out and new typography selected. A new cover was designed and Frank chose the book cloth, foil for embossing and the endpaper. Most significantly, as he has done for every edition of The Americans, Frank changed the cropping of many of the photographs, usually including more information. Two images were changed completely from the original 1958 and 1959 editions

      The Americans
      4.6
    • Truth and Beautiful Meaningful Lies

      • 344 pages
      • 13 hours of reading

      Truth and Beautiful Meaningful Lies is a collection of memorable quotes from one of the most quoted writers in American literature. This book covers different topics and themes woven throughout Jack Kerouac's writing. It's the perfect way to re-discover the works of this iconic author.

      Truth and Beautiful Meaningful Lies
      4.5
    • Guide to First Edition Prices 2004/2005

      • 528 pages
      • 19 hours of reading

      Compiled for collectors, book dealers and all who love books, this indispensable volume provides a guide to the value of over 33,000 sought-after books. It includes classic authors from Jane Austen to Oscar Wilde, detective writers from Eric Ambler to Minette Walters, illustrators from Aubrey Beardsley to Florence Upton, and poets from Richard Aldington to Walt Whitman. More than 600 authors and artists are represented, in British and American first editions, limited editions, and important, collectable reprints. As featured on Front Row, Radio 4, and recommended by BBC Homes and Antiques magazine. The tantalizing game of wondering how much your first editions are worth may be continued, with the publication of the Guide to First Edition Prices - Times Literary Supplement.

      Guide to First Edition Prices 2004/2005
      5.0
    • "[An] essential Beat masterpiece." --The Village Voice. Perhaps one of the last great dual correspondences of the twentieth century, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg: The Letters reveals not only the process of creation of the two most celebrated members of the Beat Generation, but also the unfolding of a remarkable friendship of immense pathos and spiritual depth. Through this exhilarating exchange of letters, two-thirds of which have never been published before, Kerouac and Ginsberg emerge first and foremost as writers of artistic passion, innovation, and genius. Vivid and enthralling, the letters, which date from their first meeting in 1944 to Kerouac's untimely death in 1969, chronicle the endless struggle, anguish, and sacrifice involved in giving form to their literary visions.

      Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg
      5.0
    • Kerouac: Selected Letters

      Volume 2: 1957-1969

      • 608 pages
      • 22 hours of reading

      Through candid correspondence with notable figures like Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs, this collection of letters chronicles Jack Kerouac's life from 1957 until his death in 1969. The letters illuminate his evolution as a writer, capturing his travels, love affairs, and complex family dynamics. They also reflect his resilience against criticism and his relentless pursuit of literary excellence. This volume provides a profound glimpse into the thoughts and experiences of a pivotal figure in American literature.

      Kerouac: Selected Letters
      4.2
    • Maggie Cassidy (Original Manuscript)

      • 284 pages
      • 10 hours of reading

      Set in 1950s Lowell, Massachusetts, this novel offers a poignant reflection on Jack Kerouac's high school years. It initially faced controversy due to its candid language, leading to its censorship and subsequent revisions. The original manuscript, containing Kerouac’s unfiltered expressions, was long suppressed until Devault-Graves uncovered it. This edition restores the text to its complete, uncensored form, allowing readers to experience the authentic voice Kerouac intended, capturing the essence of youth and rebellion in a changing literary landscape.

      Maggie Cassidy (Original Manuscript)
      4.0
    • Self-Portrait

      • 560 pages
      • 20 hours of reading

      Exploring the depths of Jack Kerouac's psyche, this collection features previously unpublished writings from his extensive archive, showcasing a more introspective side of the author beyond his iconic persona. Spanning his adult life, the pieces include journal entries from his youth and reflective writings from later years, revealing his spiritual struggles and complex relationships with family, fame, and addiction. This compilation offers a unique glimpse into Kerouac's creative process and personal evolution, making it a significant addition to his literary legacy.

      Self-Portrait
      4.1
    • The life and craft of Jack Kerouac are traced through some of his most personal and mesmerizing letters. Written between 1940, when he was a freshman in college, and 1956, immediately before his leap into celebrity with the publication of On the Road, these letters offer valuable insights into Kerouac's family life, friendships with Neal Cassady, Allen Ginsberg, and William S. Burroughs, and others.

      Kerouac: Selected Letters: Volume 1: 1940-1956
      4.2
    • "All three [novels] were seen by Kerouac as forming part of The Duluoz Legend, a multivolume autobiographical saga recording the major events of the author's life"--Page 761.

      Visions of Cody, Visions of Gerard, Big Sur
      4.1
    • Visions of Gerard

      • 112 pages
      • 4 hours of reading

      'The piteousness of his little soft shroud of hair falling down his brow and swept aside by the hand over blue serious eyes' Described by Kerouac as 'my most serious sad and true book', Visions of Gerard forms the first volume of his memoir cycle the 'Duluoz Legend'. Based on Jack Kerouac's memories of the beloved older brother who died when he was a boy, it is unique among his novels for its dreamlike evocation of the sensations of childhood - its wisdom, anguish, intensity, innocence, joy and pain. It is a haunting exploration of the precariousness of existence. 'Called a "pain-tale" by Kerouac, it's the story of an almost divine, Buddha-like child wracked with sickness and suffering' Guardian

      Visions of Gerard
      4.2