16 Quotes About Jack Kerouac

The quote above is etched on the tombstone of Jack Kerouac. He died back in 1969, leaving behind his unfinished novel, "The Dharma Bums." After his death, his friend Allen Ginsberg read the manuscript and finished it. It was published in 1973. The book is about two wandering bums who embody the spirit of the Beat generation Read more

Kerouac's writing style is very descriptive and creative, and "The Dharma Bums" is no exception. If you liked his books "On The Road" or "The Subterraneans," then you will love this one too!

1
It’s a sort of furtiveness … Like we were a generation of furtive. You know, with an inner knowledge there’s no use flaunting on that level, the level of the ‘public’, a kind of beatness — I mean, being right down to it, to ourselves, because we all really know where we are — and a weariness with all the forms, all the conventions of the world … It’s something like that. So I guess you might say we’re a beat generation. Jack Kerouac
2
A scene should be selected by the writer for haunted-ness-of-mind interest. If you're not haunted by something, as by a dream, a vision, or a memory, which are involuntary, you're not interested or even involved. Jack Kerouac
3
Hateful bitch of a world, it wouldn't ever last. Jack Kerouac
4
The trouble with fashions is you want to fuck the women in their fashions but when the time comes they always take them off so they don't get wrinkled. Face it, the really great fucks in a man's life was when there was no time to take yr clothes off, you were too hot and she was too hot - none of yr Bohemian leisure, this was middleclass explosions against snowbanks, against walls of shithouses in attics, on sudden couches in the lobby - Talk about yr hot peace. Jack Kerouac
5
Shared emotions experienced by two souls, empathy on unequivocal level which Davey believed would change entire species of mankind if only secret of empathy could be telepathically shared with humanity, one soul after another, until every soul understood true meaning of love. Christina Westover
6
..home INSIDE is home shining brightly above all homes in physical world. Christina Westover
7
Energy manipulation took place completely in mind, same way believing in telepathy caused telepathic abilities to grow STRONGER. Christina Westover
8
Defining moment in new telepathist's life, moment when intuitive individual learns most of society isn't telepathic, doesn't see auras, doesn't know what life on ethereal astral plane is like. Christina Westover
9
A poet is a blind optimist. The world is against him formany reasons. But thepoet persists. He believesthat he is on the right track, no matter what any of his fellow men say. In hiseternal search for truth, thepoet is alone. He tries to be timeless in a society built on time. Jack Kerouac
10
I place my fingers upon these keys typing 2, 000 dreams per minute and naked of spirit dance forth my cosmic vortex upon this crucifix called language. Aberjhani
11
I was amazed by the fact that I was not the only writer living, not the only young man "with a locomotive in his chest, and that's a fact, " not the only youth with a million hungers and not one of them appeasable, not the only one who is lonely among multitudes, and does not know why. Jack Kerouac
12
A man cannot impart the true feeling of things to others unless he himself has experienced what he is trying to tell of. Jack Kerouac
13
I clearly saw the skeleton underneathall this show of personalitywhat is left of a manand all his pride but bones? Jack Kerouac
14
The Grim Reaper isn't grim at all; he's a life-saver. He isn't grim because he isn't anything.. .. he is nothing. And nothing is a hell of a lot better than anything. So long, boys. Jack Kerouac
15
I am young now and can look upon my body and soul with pride. But it will be mangled soon, and later it will begin to disintegrate, and then I shall die, and die conclusively. How can we face such a fact, and not live in fear? Jack Kerouac