The Subterraneans,
by Jack Kerouac
Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) wrote
The Subterraneans over three days
& nights without sleep, and the novel's stylistic tone -run on sentences the
length of a paragraph, wild & dizzy shifts in conversational prose, much like
improvising in jazz music- does indicate the author's frame of mind at that
time. However new readers shouldn't be intimidated by Kerouac's style, as the
writing perfectly matches the protagonist's (Kerouac in disguise here as 'Leo
Percepied') confusion, happiness, apprehension & finally heartbroken despair as
he pursues a bittersweet, interracial love affair. Here is a true example of
the "spontaneous prose" Kerouac often aimed for. You can almost hear jazz
musicians play in the background while reading this. (Kerouac preferred Charlie
'Bird' Parker but you could play Miles Davis & John Coltrane in the background
while reading this if you like.)
-Ed
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