Beatific Soul: Jack Kerouac on the Road

Jack Kerouac's 1957 novel On the Road was a centerpiece of the Beat movement in literature and became a touchstone for a generation. Illustrated with photographic reproductions of manuscript pages and notebook entries, this book accompanied a major exhibition at the New York Public Library that celebrated the novel's 50th anniversary. It traces Kerouac's achievement as both a literary and cultural figure, including his innovations in narrative techniques and in character development. The book also explores his relationships with Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, and other Beats, as well as the Beat movement in general.