On the Road: The Original Scroll (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) Book Cover

On the Road: The Original Scroll (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

Book Overview: On the Road: The Original Scroll (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

The legendary 1951 scroll draft of On the Road, published as Kerouac originally composed it

IN THREE WEEKS in April of 1951, Jack Kerouac wrote his first full draft of On the Road–typed as a single-spaced paragraph on eight long sheets of tracing paper, which he later taped together to form a 120-foot scroll. A major literary event when it was published in Viking hardcover in 2007, this is the uncut version of an American classic–rougher, wilder, and more provocative than the official work that appeared, heavily edited, in 1957. This version, capturing a moment in creative history, represents the first full expression of Kerouac’s revolutionary aesthetic.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Read More
ISBN-13
ISBN-10
Publisher
Publication Date
Edition
Language
Pages
Dimensionsin x in x in
Weight lbs

“A dazzling piece of writing for all of its rough edges, stripped of affectations that in the novel can sometimes verge on bathos . . . It seems much more immediate and contemporary.” — Luc Sante, New York Times Book Review

Jack Kerouac

Jack Kerouac, a groundbreaking American novelist and poet, carved a lasting impression on the mid-20th century literature scene. Born Jean-Louis Kerouac in 1922 in Massachusetts to French-Canadian parents, he was a key figure in the post-war Beat Generation, a literary movement marked by experimentation and a bohemian lifestyle. Struggling through a childhood mired by depression, poverty, and alcoholism, writing became his solace. Jack’s ability to capture the spirit of his time grew out of his own experiences and endeared him forever to a generation in search of authenticity and freedom.

Kerouac’s writing style was unique and innovative, characterized by spontaneous prose and a zest for the romance of the road. His most famous work, “On the Road,” was a semi-autobiographical depiction of his cross-country journeys with his friends. Published in 1957, it became a defining work that captured the zeitgeist of the Beat Generation. Other notable works include “The Dharma Bums,” “Big Sur,” and “Desolation Angels,” each of which reflected his contemplations on spirituality, self-realization, and the struggle of marginalized people.

Despite international recognition, Kerouac grappled with substance abuse, mental health issues, and persistent loneliness throughout his life. These personal battles undermined his professional achievements and led to his untimely death due to liver cirrhosis in 1969. Kerouac’s influence extends beyond literature, as he’s celebrated as a counterculture icon whose passionate exploration of life’s possibilities still resonates with readers worldwide. His work has served as a lighthouse for aspiring writers, offering encouragement to challenge familial, societal, and literary norms, and to seek truth in life’s disorder and beauty.

You May Also Like

A curated selection of books we think you'll love, matey 🏴‍☠️
Macbeth book cover
Macbeth
Starting at $6.99
Formats: Mass Market Paperback, Paperback
Condition: New
All Quiet on the Western Front book cover
All Quiet on the Western Front
Starting at $8.99
Formats: Hardcover, Mass Market Paperback, Paperback
Condition: New
The Sun Also Rises (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) book cover
The Sun Also Rises (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
Starting at $18.00
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
The Sun Also Rises (Vintage Classics) book cover
The Sun Also Rises (Vintage Classics)
Starting at $12.00
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
Life of Pi book cover
Life of Pi
Starting at $17.99
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
The Round House book cover
The Round House
Starting at $18.99
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback
Condition: New
The Treason of Isengard book cover
The Treason of Isengard
Starting at $18.99
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
The Return of the Shadow book cover
The Return of the Shadow
Starting at $16.99
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
The Book Of Lost Tales: Part One book cover
The Book Of Lost Tales: Part One
Starting at $9.99
Formats: Mass Market Paperback, Paperback
Condition: New
The Sun Also Rises book cover
The Sun Also Rises
Starting at $14.99
Format: Hardcover
Condition: New
A Wanted Man book cover
A Wanted Man
Starting at $9.99
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Condition: New
The Book Of Lost Tales: Part Two book cover
The Book Of Lost Tales: Part Two
Starting at $9.99
Formats: Mass Market Paperback, Paperback
Condition: New
The Complete History of Middle-Earth Box Set book cover
The Complete History of Middle-Earth Box Set
Starting at $250.00
Format: Hardcover
Condition: New
Sauron Defeated book cover
Sauron Defeated
Starting at $30.00
Format: Hardcover
Condition: New
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil book cover
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
Starting at $18.99
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
The Sorrow of War: A Novel of North Vietnam book cover
The Sorrow of War: A Novel of North Vietnam
Starting at $18.00
Format: Paperback
Condition: New
Murder on the Orient Express book cover
Murder on the Orient Express
Starting at $8.99
Formats: Mass Market Paperback, Paperback, Paperback Graphic Novel
Condition: New

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “On the Road: The Original Scroll (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)”

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *