On the Road

While I can understand why people feel inspired by the basic premise of this book (i.e. 2 normal guys hitchhiking across the US and simply doing whatever they wanted to do), I think everything else about this book is terrible. Firstly, the story has no plot. The main characters wander around America aimlessly doing pretty much nothing; they are not attempting to accomplish any sort of goal or feat. Essentially the main characters hit the road, drink, party, enjoy some good times with friends, and hook up with women. Each trip that the characters make follows this basic pattern. As such, I was quickly bored because the characters simply repeat the exact same things on each trip. Perhaps one might say that because this book is more or less an autobiography, it therefore needs no plot. This leads to my next point that none of the characters develop in any interesting way. Who they are at the beginning is who they are at the end. And who they are is not worthy of emulating in the slightest.

After reading this book, I finally understand who the beats were and why they were so appealing. This book covers several trips Jack Kerouac made, always travelling with or meeting his friend Dean (actual name Neal Cassady). Dean is crazy and probably a psychopath as well, but he's full of energy, thrilled by life, and in general loads of fun to be around. They and their friends hit the road whenever they can with little or no money, and travel the country and take whatever comes to them. They aren't good people (stealing gas and food when they can), but they have a great time experiencing everything they can.

Long and winding tale of a few young men looking for happiness in all the wrong places. A description of their lives, unhindered by any form of plot or character development. Superb writing, but going nowhere slow.