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.

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Editorial Reviews

“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

About the Author

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.