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Στοιχειωμένη Ζωή: Η Χαμένη Νουβέλα
Στα τέλη του 1944, κάτω από μυστηριώδεις συνθήκες, ο φιλόδοξος συγγραφέας και δευτεροετής στο Πανεπιστήμιο Κολόμπια Τζακ Κέρουακ έχασε ένα χειρόγραφο με έκταση νουβέλας, με τίτλο "Η στοιχειωμένη ζωή". Εβδομήντα χρόνια μετά τη συγγραφή του, το χειρόγραφο αυτό εκδίδεται για πρώτη φορά (και στα ελληνικά).
Με σκηνικό την ήρεμη κωμόπολη του Γκάλογουεϊ στη Νέα Αγγλία, μυθιστορηματική εκδοχή της πατρίδας του Κέρουακ, του Λόουελ της Μασαχουσέτης, η Στοιχειωμένη ζωή είναι η ιστορία ενηλικίωσης του Πίτερ Μάρτιν, ενός αστεριού του στίβου στο κολέγιο που είναι αποφασισμένος να περάσει ένα τελευταίο ανέμελο καλοκαίρι. Αντί γι' αυτό, διαρκώς βασανίζεται από αυτά που τον περιμένουν: μια κοινωνία που ακόμη υφίσταται τις συνέπειες της Μεγάλης Ύφεσης, και η επικείμενη είσοδος των ΗΠΑ στον Δεύτερο Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο. Όταν οι δύο καλύτεροι φίλοι του -χαρακτήρες βασισμένοι σε δύο παιδικούς φίλους του Κέρουακ, τον Σεμπάστιαν Σάμπας και τον Μπίλι Τσάντλερ, που και οι δύο είχαν πρόσφατα σκοτωθεί στον πόλεμο- αρχίζουν να σχεδιάζουν την απόδρασή τους από το Γκάλογουεϊ, ο Πίτερ συνειδητοποιεί ότι θα πρέπει σύντομα να κάνει τις επιλογές του για το μέλλον. Καθώς εξετάζει τις αντικρουόμενες επιρροές της νεότητάς του, από τον εργαζόμενο, λαϊκιστή πατέρα του ως τους ανήσυχους ιδεαλιστές φίλους του, ο Πίτερ προσπαθεί να καθορίσει τι μπορεί να τον οδηγήσει σε μια διανοητικά αυθεντική ζωή.
Με σκηνικό την ήρεμη κωμόπολη του Γκάλογουεϊ στη Νέα Αγγλία, μυθιστορηματική εκδοχή της πατρίδας του Κέρουακ, του Λόουελ της Μασαχουσέτης, η Στοιχειωμένη ζωή είναι η ιστορία ενηλικίωσης του Πίτερ Μάρτιν, ενός αστεριού του στίβου στο κολέγιο που είναι αποφασισμένος να περάσει ένα τελευταίο ανέμελο καλοκαίρι. Αντί γι' αυτό, διαρκώς βασανίζεται από αυτά που τον περιμένουν: μια κοινωνία που ακόμη υφίσταται τις συνέπειες της Μεγάλης Ύφεσης, και η επικείμενη είσοδος των ΗΠΑ στον Δεύτερο Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο. Όταν οι δύο καλύτεροι φίλοι του -χαρακτήρες βασισμένοι σε δύο παιδικούς φίλους του Κέρουακ, τον Σεμπάστιαν Σάμπας και τον Μπίλι Τσάντλερ, που και οι δύο είχαν πρόσφατα σκοτωθεί στον πόλεμο- αρχίζουν να σχεδιάζουν την απόδρασή τους από το Γκάλογουεϊ, ο Πίτερ συνειδητοποιεί ότι θα πρέπει σύντομα να κάνει τις επιλογές του για το μέλλον. Καθώς εξετάζει τις αντικρουόμενες επιρροές της νεότητάς του, από τον εργαζόμενο, λαϊκιστή πατέρα του ως τους ανήσυχους ιδεαλιστές φίλους του, ο Πίτερ προσπαθεί να καθορίσει τι μπορεί να τον οδηγήσει σε μια διανοητικά αυθεντική ζωή.
207 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 2014
31 people are currently reading
845 people want to read
About the author
Jack Kerouac
362 books11.6k followersJean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac, known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation.
Of French-Canadian ancestry, Kerouac was raised in a French-speaking home in Lowell, Massachusetts. He "learned English at age six and spoke with a marked accent into his late teens." During World War II, he served in the United States Merchant Marine; he completed his first novel at the time, which was published more than 40 years after his death. His first published book was The Town and the City (1950), and he achieved widespread fame and notoriety with his second, On the Road, in 1957. It made him a beat icon, and he went on to publish 12 more novels and numerous poetry volumes.
Kerouac is recognized for his style of stream of consciousness spontaneous prose. Thematically, his work covers topics such as his Catholic spirituality, jazz, travel, promiscuity, life in New York City, Buddhism, drugs, and poverty. He became an underground celebrity and, with other Beats, a progenitor of the hippie movement, although he remained antagonistic toward some of its politically radical elements. He has a lasting legacy, greatly influencing many of the cultural icons of the 1960s, including Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Jerry Garcia and The Doors.
In 1969, at the age of 47, Kerouac died from an abdominal hemorrhage caused by a lifetime of heavy drinking. Since then, his literary prestige has grown, and several previously unseen works have been published.
Of French-Canadian ancestry, Kerouac was raised in a French-speaking home in Lowell, Massachusetts. He "learned English at age six and spoke with a marked accent into his late teens." During World War II, he served in the United States Merchant Marine; he completed his first novel at the time, which was published more than 40 years after his death. His first published book was The Town and the City (1950), and he achieved widespread fame and notoriety with his second, On the Road, in 1957. It made him a beat icon, and he went on to publish 12 more novels and numerous poetry volumes.
Kerouac is recognized for his style of stream of consciousness spontaneous prose. Thematically, his work covers topics such as his Catholic spirituality, jazz, travel, promiscuity, life in New York City, Buddhism, drugs, and poverty. He became an underground celebrity and, with other Beats, a progenitor of the hippie movement, although he remained antagonistic toward some of its politically radical elements. He has a lasting legacy, greatly influencing many of the cultural icons of the 1960s, including Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Jerry Garcia and The Doors.
In 1969, at the age of 47, Kerouac died from an abdominal hemorrhage caused by a lifetime of heavy drinking. Since then, his literary prestige has grown, and several previously unseen works have been published.
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May 1, 2019
Γεννήματα μιας άγονης επαρχίας, ονειρευόμασταν ανέκαθεν τις ζωές των άλλων, οι οποίες μέσα από τα τραγούδια και τις ταινίες μας ήταν ήδη οικείες. Τραγουδούσαμε, χαράζαμε καρδιές, βέλη και τ’ αρχικά μας σε κάθε πιθανή επιφάνεια ύλης, και σκαρώναμε στιχάκια που μιλούσαν για τον έρωτα και τον πόνο (του έρωτα). Ζούσαμε το ασήμαντο και καμωνόμασταν τους σημαντικούς. Θλιβερά αποτυπώματα μιας γενιάς που δεν φαινόταν να σηματοδοτεί οτιδήποτε, επικοινωνούσαμε μέσα από τηλεφωνικές γραμμές και στα λιγοστά καφέ της πλατείας. Λέγαμε και πιστεύαμε ότι αυτός ο κόσμος, με τα αγροτόσπιτα τα περιχαρακωμένα στις μάντρες τους και τις πλατείες με τα περίπτερα, τα καφενεία και τα φουρνάρικα δεν είναι ό,τι μας έπρεπε. Κι έτσι, σαν έτοιμοι από καιρό, πηδήξαμε πάνω από όλες τις ολοσκότεινες μάντρες κι ακολουθήσαμε τις ανακλάσεις των αστεριών. Το ταξίδι όφειλε να είναι απρόβλεπτο, χωρίς οδηγό ή πυξίδα. Χωρίς βιάση και προορισμό. Ακολουθούσες την καρδιά, μέχρι αυτή να σε διαψεύσει. Πράγμα που τελικά συνέβαινε όλο και πιο συχνά. Και τότε επιστρέφαμε. Σαν να γυρίζαμε τον χρόνο αντίστροφα, ξανακρυβόμασταν στην αγκαλιά της μάνας κι ανακτούσαμε δυνάμεις. Ποτέ δεν σταματήσαμε να ονειρευόμαστε και ποτέ δεν συνθηκολογήσαμε. Στους δρόμους ήταν το πεπρωμένο μας. Ένα ταξίδι η ζωή μας.
(Στοιχειωμένη ζωή "Η χαμένη νουβέλα" τιτλοφορείται το ανολοκλήρωτο μυθιστόρημα που ο Τζακ Κέρουακ έγραψε το 1944, και για πενήντα οκτώ χρόνια θεωρούνταν χαμένο. Επειδή ακριβώς το μεγαλύτερο μέρος της ιστορίας παραμένει άγνωστο, θεώρησα πιο σωστό, αντί σχολίου όσον αφορά την υπόθεση ή τους χαρακτήρες του μυθιστορήματος, να παραθέσω δυο-τρεις δικές μου σκέψεις, που θέλω να πιστεύω ότι ούτε μακριά από το συγγραφικό ύφος του Κέρουακ είναι, ούτε απολύτως άσχετες με την ιστορία ενηλικίωσης του Πίτερ Μάρτιν που περιγράφεται στο πρώτο μέρος αυτής της ‘χαμένης’ νουβέλας).
(Στοιχειωμένη ζωή "Η χαμένη νουβέλα" τιτλοφορείται το ανολοκλήρωτο μυθιστόρημα που ο Τζακ Κέρουακ έγραψε το 1944, και για πενήντα οκτώ χρόνια θεωρούνταν χαμένο. Επειδή ακριβώς το μεγαλύτερο μέρος της ιστορίας παραμένει άγνωστο, θεώρησα πιο σωστό, αντί σχολίου όσον αφορά την υπόθεση ή τους χαρακτήρες του μυθιστορήματος, να παραθέσω δυο-τρεις δικές μου σκέψεις, που θέλω να πιστεύω ότι ούτε μακριά από το συγγραφικό ύφος του Κέρουακ είναι, ούτε απολύτως άσχετες με την ιστορία ενηλικίωσης του Πίτερ Μάρτιν που περιγράφεται στο πρώτο μέρος αυτής της ‘χαμένης’ νουβέλας).
April 17, 2014
There are some great lost manuscripts in American literature and some are truly lost. Ernest Hemingway famously lost the only draft of the first short stories he ever wrote on a French train. Most writers have ‘lost’ manuscripts, conspicuously placed in quotes because those stories for whatever reason the writer has are socked away until after their deaths (interestingly Hemingway also falls into this category). Kerouac’s “The Haunted Life” falls into the category of the truly lost. He didn’t know where it had gotten off to, he thought he might have left it in the backseat of a NY taxi-cab, or maybe that was just a nod to Hemingway’s lost manuscript and Kerouac’s own self-mythologization. What happened was the manuscript of “The Haunted Life” was left in a Columbia College closet, perhaps Allen Ginsberg’s. Luckily, whomever found it held onto it, and has now made it’s way to publication.
“The Haunted Life” as Kerouac had it planned was going to be a three part novel chronicling the effects of war on society. The individual sections were to be called ‘Home,’ ‘War,’ and ‘Changes.’ It is the ‘Home’ fragment that has survived. It is a “day in the life” of college student Peter Martin home for the summer, he visits friends, walks around the town, meets a girl he’s interested in, and meets his father at a bar. There is not much overt action, but a lot going on in Kerouac’s portrayal of the characters. Just as the last chapter of the first section is hitting a crescendo, and you’re ready to read what comes after that…it ends. Kerouac does display some virtuoso skill for a neophyte work. One section that stands out is the dramatization of the passage of time through life illustrated in the span of morning until noon. It is subtle and effective, and would make any mature writer proud to have written it.
As editor Todd Tietchen notes in his introduction, Kerouac probably considered the ’Home’ section finished because there were no emendations, additions, revisions, or notes on the text. It can be reasoned the other two sections would juxtapose the idealistic reverie Peter Martin experiences in the ’Home’ section. It doesn’t seem Kerouac had the time to write the other two parts, but readers of Kerouac know that Peter Martin is the protagonist in Kerouac’s first published novel “The Town and the City.” After the fragment of “The Haunted Life,” Tietchen has included Kerouac’s notes on the story and readers can see “The Haunted Life” material subtly shift (if not exactly morph) into material for “The Town and the City.”
Kerouac was surely the ultimate expression of Fitzgerald’s egotist. Kerouac’s impetus right from the start is to mythologize his life. Even at this early juncture is already developing the archetypes such as ‘the mad poet’ in “The Haunted Life” based on Sebastian Sampas and given the name Garabed Tourain a characterization Kerouac later work into Carlo Marx based on Allen Ginsberg. Also, the man of action in “Haunted“ is the character of Dick Sheffield based on real life friend Bill Chandler, which would find its final iteration in Dean Morarity based on Neal Cassady in “On The Road.”
“The Haunted Life” was probably written as a requiem for childhood friends that had been killed in the war, especially Sebastian Sampas. Kerouac wrote the ‘Home‘ section days after learning of Sampas‘s death. Even though “The Haunted Life” may be a memoriam for those lost friends, Tietchen hypothesizes “The Haunted Life” and Kerouac’s later work may stand as a memorial for all those lost in the war, and whose loss substantially changed the world, but also the individual.
Something must be said about the idealistic tone of “The Haunted Life” as well. Even though in the work notes that accompany “The Haunted Life” Kerouac says it will be a sad book, but Peter’s outlook and the tone of the piece are very idealistic and the characters share idealism in their world view. Peter and Garabed share a romantic world view that a revolution is coming for the better, while Peter and Dick want to explore the world knowing full well a war is coming, but see it as an adventure and not with the understanding of the consequences wars bring. This a fallacy in the thinking of young men from time immemorial. This idealism stands in counterpoint to Kerouac’s later tone in his mature works where a foggy gloom always seems to hang over everything even a book like “Dr. Sax,” which captures the carefree innocence and imagination of youth as it explores the world around it.
The volume of “The Haunted Life” also includes writing notes Kerouac made for the his novel “The Town and The City” as well as some correspondence between Kerouac and his father Leo that is fairly revealing in Kerouac as a person and aspiring novelist. Leo Kerouac’s summation of the aftereffects of the war are quite amazing and perceptive in their analysis of the social changes coming after the war. How much of this Kerouac incorporated into his world view, it is certain his father’s bigotry later manifested itself in Kerouac in his later years, but how it affected the revolutionary artist in Kerouac is anybody’s guess.
“The Haunted Life” is an insightful look at Kerouac as a developing artist that Kerouac fans and academicians can appreciate. Now, maybe someday someone will come forward with Hemingway’s lost short stories.
“The Haunted Life” as Kerouac had it planned was going to be a three part novel chronicling the effects of war on society. The individual sections were to be called ‘Home,’ ‘War,’ and ‘Changes.’ It is the ‘Home’ fragment that has survived. It is a “day in the life” of college student Peter Martin home for the summer, he visits friends, walks around the town, meets a girl he’s interested in, and meets his father at a bar. There is not much overt action, but a lot going on in Kerouac’s portrayal of the characters. Just as the last chapter of the first section is hitting a crescendo, and you’re ready to read what comes after that…it ends. Kerouac does display some virtuoso skill for a neophyte work. One section that stands out is the dramatization of the passage of time through life illustrated in the span of morning until noon. It is subtle and effective, and would make any mature writer proud to have written it.
As editor Todd Tietchen notes in his introduction, Kerouac probably considered the ’Home’ section finished because there were no emendations, additions, revisions, or notes on the text. It can be reasoned the other two sections would juxtapose the idealistic reverie Peter Martin experiences in the ’Home’ section. It doesn’t seem Kerouac had the time to write the other two parts, but readers of Kerouac know that Peter Martin is the protagonist in Kerouac’s first published novel “The Town and the City.” After the fragment of “The Haunted Life,” Tietchen has included Kerouac’s notes on the story and readers can see “The Haunted Life” material subtly shift (if not exactly morph) into material for “The Town and the City.”
Kerouac was surely the ultimate expression of Fitzgerald’s egotist. Kerouac’s impetus right from the start is to mythologize his life. Even at this early juncture is already developing the archetypes such as ‘the mad poet’ in “The Haunted Life” based on Sebastian Sampas and given the name Garabed Tourain a characterization Kerouac later work into Carlo Marx based on Allen Ginsberg. Also, the man of action in “Haunted“ is the character of Dick Sheffield based on real life friend Bill Chandler, which would find its final iteration in Dean Morarity based on Neal Cassady in “On The Road.”
“The Haunted Life” was probably written as a requiem for childhood friends that had been killed in the war, especially Sebastian Sampas. Kerouac wrote the ‘Home‘ section days after learning of Sampas‘s death. Even though “The Haunted Life” may be a memoriam for those lost friends, Tietchen hypothesizes “The Haunted Life” and Kerouac’s later work may stand as a memorial for all those lost in the war, and whose loss substantially changed the world, but also the individual.
Something must be said about the idealistic tone of “The Haunted Life” as well. Even though in the work notes that accompany “The Haunted Life” Kerouac says it will be a sad book, but Peter’s outlook and the tone of the piece are very idealistic and the characters share idealism in their world view. Peter and Garabed share a romantic world view that a revolution is coming for the better, while Peter and Dick want to explore the world knowing full well a war is coming, but see it as an adventure and not with the understanding of the consequences wars bring. This a fallacy in the thinking of young men from time immemorial. This idealism stands in counterpoint to Kerouac’s later tone in his mature works where a foggy gloom always seems to hang over everything even a book like “Dr. Sax,” which captures the carefree innocence and imagination of youth as it explores the world around it.
The volume of “The Haunted Life” also includes writing notes Kerouac made for the his novel “The Town and The City” as well as some correspondence between Kerouac and his father Leo that is fairly revealing in Kerouac as a person and aspiring novelist. Leo Kerouac’s summation of the aftereffects of the war are quite amazing and perceptive in their analysis of the social changes coming after the war. How much of this Kerouac incorporated into his world view, it is certain his father’s bigotry later manifested itself in Kerouac in his later years, but how it affected the revolutionary artist in Kerouac is anybody’s guess.
“The Haunted Life” is an insightful look at Kerouac as a developing artist that Kerouac fans and academicians can appreciate. Now, maybe someday someone will come forward with Hemingway’s lost short stories.
March 17, 2017
Recently finished The Haunted Life and enjoyed it quite a bit.
A section from The Haunted Life Part 1 ...the cool swishing song of the trees: a music sweeter than anything else in the world, a music that can be seen-profusely green, leaf on leaf, atremble-and a music that can be smelled, clover fresh, somehow sharp, and supremely rich.
I found this book very interesting because it provides Kerouac fans with the missing novella that preceded Town and City and I really enjoyed the letters from Jack's father. Highly recommend this book to Kerouac fans.
A section from The Haunted Life Part 1 ...the cool swishing song of the trees: a music sweeter than anything else in the world, a music that can be seen-profusely green, leaf on leaf, atremble-and a music that can be smelled, clover fresh, somehow sharp, and supremely rich.
I found this book very interesting because it provides Kerouac fans with the missing novella that preceded Town and City and I really enjoyed the letters from Jack's father. Highly recommend this book to Kerouac fans.
December 6, 2015
Oh Jack - how I miss thee.
First of all, the story behind how this manuscript disappeared is fascinating. It seems like it was left in a dormitory closet, probably Allen Ginsberg's old room but I prefer the more 'romantic' story of how it was left and lost in a downtown taxi by Kerouac, doing laps of the city in the back seat of a cab. This is one of the earliest books Kerouac wrote. In the past 20 years, there have been a string of new publications by JK, including Some of the Dharma, Orpheus Emerged, the play-script of Doctor Sax and The Sea is My Brother, along with the letters collections between Kerouac and Ginsberg and Kerouac and Ed White which have recently seen the light of day. Well, this is another one to add to the Kerouac shelf.
The Haunted Life read like an early version of The Town and The City and for all means and purposes, that's what it is. It follows the life of Peter Martin, which must be based on Kerouac himself, who is going through the young stirrings of any typical college youth. He has a football scholarship, is interested in the great books and writers, meets friends and stays up to dawn and basically has a good time while at the same time feeling restless about the future, the impending war and more importantly what to do with his life.
The manuscript itself is only about 70 pages long so the rest of this book is full of 'filler' material, and I know that that word FILLER generally has negative overtones. However, the 'filler' material in this book is great. First, the reader is treated to a number of essays written by the young, sometimes brooding, Kerouac who is desperately in search for a method to implement his vision. As he said, he has a vision. It's the method he is looking for. Remember that this was all written before he discovered his spontaneous bop prosody style which would not come until he read Neal Cassady's famous Joan Anderson letter, which has been just recently found (only last year) in full, after being lost for many many years.
My favourite part of the book was the letters from his father, Leo, and his sketch of his father working for his small printing company The Lowell Spotlight. It is well known that Kerouac was working on a book about his father when he died which was going to be called Spotlight. These sketches and diary entries from a heart-broken Kerouac witnessing the slow death of his father from stomach cancer show what Kerouac could have and probably would have written if he had lived a little longer.
Here's hoping that another manuscript, such as the Spotlight manuscript, will someday magically appear out of the blue, like this one did, dropping into our laps like delicious manna plucked straight out of heaven. You might be up there, safe in heaven dead Jack, but we are down here missing you a helluva lot.
First of all, the story behind how this manuscript disappeared is fascinating. It seems like it was left in a dormitory closet, probably Allen Ginsberg's old room but I prefer the more 'romantic' story of how it was left and lost in a downtown taxi by Kerouac, doing laps of the city in the back seat of a cab. This is one of the earliest books Kerouac wrote. In the past 20 years, there have been a string of new publications by JK, including Some of the Dharma, Orpheus Emerged, the play-script of Doctor Sax and The Sea is My Brother, along with the letters collections between Kerouac and Ginsberg and Kerouac and Ed White which have recently seen the light of day. Well, this is another one to add to the Kerouac shelf.
The Haunted Life read like an early version of The Town and The City and for all means and purposes, that's what it is. It follows the life of Peter Martin, which must be based on Kerouac himself, who is going through the young stirrings of any typical college youth. He has a football scholarship, is interested in the great books and writers, meets friends and stays up to dawn and basically has a good time while at the same time feeling restless about the future, the impending war and more importantly what to do with his life.
The manuscript itself is only about 70 pages long so the rest of this book is full of 'filler' material, and I know that that word FILLER generally has negative overtones. However, the 'filler' material in this book is great. First, the reader is treated to a number of essays written by the young, sometimes brooding, Kerouac who is desperately in search for a method to implement his vision. As he said, he has a vision. It's the method he is looking for. Remember that this was all written before he discovered his spontaneous bop prosody style which would not come until he read Neal Cassady's famous Joan Anderson letter, which has been just recently found (only last year) in full, after being lost for many many years.
My favourite part of the book was the letters from his father, Leo, and his sketch of his father working for his small printing company The Lowell Spotlight. It is well known that Kerouac was working on a book about his father when he died which was going to be called Spotlight. These sketches and diary entries from a heart-broken Kerouac witnessing the slow death of his father from stomach cancer show what Kerouac could have and probably would have written if he had lived a little longer.
Here's hoping that another manuscript, such as the Spotlight manuscript, will someday magically appear out of the blue, like this one did, dropping into our laps like delicious manna plucked straight out of heaven. You might be up there, safe in heaven dead Jack, but we are down here missing you a helluva lot.
November 17, 2022
Just couldn't get into this. Really might be for hardcore Kerouac completists. There were however strong parallels to the "fictional" Mr. Martin's anti immigrant racism and the world of today in the USA.
I guess in some ways we are still in the 1940s and post-war period.
I guess in some ways we are still in the 1940s and post-war period.
December 18, 2014
Che portento Jack Kerouac. Ogni anno salta fuori qualche manoscritto ritrovato, che sposta sempre più indietro l'asticella dell'avvio della sua attività letteraria. In questo caso, come spiega già chiaramente la sinossi del libro, La vita stregata doveva costituire la prima parte del successivo romanzo La città e la metropoli, primo a tutti gli effetti romanzo pubblicato da Kerouac.
La vicenda del suo ritrovamento aggiunge colore a questo libro, ma spogliandolo del valore editoriale, eliminando le sezioni aggiuntive scelte dal curatore, rimane un manoscritto incompleto e poco più. Per lo più la vicenda e i personaggi narrati aderiscono perfettamente al successivo sviluppo in La città e la metropoli. Più interessante è scoprire come in origine il libro fosse stato inteso in modo diverso, molto più lungo, con molte più parti dedicate al dramma della seconda guerra mondiale (che invece progressivamente sparisce in Città).
Quanto alle altre due sezioni aggiunte, sono un buon accompagnamento per inquadrare il manoscritto nel vissuto di Kerouac: da saggi e appunti personali alle lettere del padre, da cui Kerouac pare aver attinto largamente nel tratteggiare il suo alter-ego nel romanzo.
Nell'insieme si presenta come un libro che attira i completisti, incuriosisce gli appassionati di filologia e ricostruzione editoriale, ma passa inosservato anche al più attento lettore della beat generation. Alla luce di ciò mi risulta eccessiva l'esaltazione di questo manoscritto compiuta dal curatore originale dell'edizione, come se fosse il ritrovato Sacro Graal della letteratura statunitense contemporanea, e non - com'è invece - il manoscritto abbozzato di un giovanile e acerbo esordio letterario.
La vicenda del suo ritrovamento aggiunge colore a questo libro, ma spogliandolo del valore editoriale, eliminando le sezioni aggiuntive scelte dal curatore, rimane un manoscritto incompleto e poco più. Per lo più la vicenda e i personaggi narrati aderiscono perfettamente al successivo sviluppo in La città e la metropoli. Più interessante è scoprire come in origine il libro fosse stato inteso in modo diverso, molto più lungo, con molte più parti dedicate al dramma della seconda guerra mondiale (che invece progressivamente sparisce in Città).
Quanto alle altre due sezioni aggiunte, sono un buon accompagnamento per inquadrare il manoscritto nel vissuto di Kerouac: da saggi e appunti personali alle lettere del padre, da cui Kerouac pare aver attinto largamente nel tratteggiare il suo alter-ego nel romanzo.
Nell'insieme si presenta come un libro che attira i completisti, incuriosisce gli appassionati di filologia e ricostruzione editoriale, ma passa inosservato anche al più attento lettore della beat generation. Alla luce di ciò mi risulta eccessiva l'esaltazione di questo manoscritto compiuta dal curatore originale dell'edizione, come se fosse il ritrovato Sacro Graal della letteratura statunitense contemporanea, e non - com'è invece - il manoscritto abbozzato di un giovanile e acerbo esordio letterario.
May 18, 2014
When it comes to new releases from the Kerouac estate, I'm sorry to say I believe we've reached the Bukowski Point.* Right now, as I glance at my bookshelves, I count over 50 books either by or about Kerouac and I have a hard time believing anything new or interesting has yet to come to light. While Kerouac was a prolific writer, how much more can be mined from this vein? Well, as it turns out there still some more good stuff out there.
"The Haunted Life and Other Writings" is a manuscript that Kerouac famously claimed to have left in a NY cab around 1944. As it turns out, the manuscript was actually left in a closet in a dorm room at Columbia University. At some point it was discovered and remained in a private collection until it was sold in 2002 at Sotheby's for $95K. The lost manuscript was Kerouac's most complete attempt at the time at writing what was to become "The Town and the City," his first novel.
But what I found more interesting than "The Haunted Life" bit was the "Other Writings" bit, which include a handful of letters written to Jack by his father, Leo. In Kerouac's books, Leo is always portrayed as who he was in real life: a hardworking, blue collar guy full passion and bombast. But these letters show that Jack got at least some of his literary flair from his old man, who, as it turns out, was quite the letter writer himself. And that new tidbit of information alone makes "The Haunted Life and Other Writings" a worthwhile read for any Kerouac devotee.
* The Bukowski Point: when a popular writer's work has been mined so ruthlessly that literally ANYTHING (good or bad) with his/her name on it will be published. Why? Dolla-dolla bill, ya'll.
"The Haunted Life and Other Writings" is a manuscript that Kerouac famously claimed to have left in a NY cab around 1944. As it turns out, the manuscript was actually left in a closet in a dorm room at Columbia University. At some point it was discovered and remained in a private collection until it was sold in 2002 at Sotheby's for $95K. The lost manuscript was Kerouac's most complete attempt at the time at writing what was to become "The Town and the City," his first novel.
But what I found more interesting than "The Haunted Life" bit was the "Other Writings" bit, which include a handful of letters written to Jack by his father, Leo. In Kerouac's books, Leo is always portrayed as who he was in real life: a hardworking, blue collar guy full passion and bombast. But these letters show that Jack got at least some of his literary flair from his old man, who, as it turns out, was quite the letter writer himself. And that new tidbit of information alone makes "The Haunted Life and Other Writings" a worthwhile read for any Kerouac devotee.
* The Bukowski Point: when a popular writer's work has been mined so ruthlessly that literally ANYTHING (good or bad) with his/her name on it will be published. Why? Dolla-dolla bill, ya'll.
January 1, 2019
An interesting book. Mostly centered around The Haunted Life and Peter Martin’s coming of age in the town of Galloway. The book also includes letters from his father Leo to him and other excerpts. The themes in the book would later be reflected in Kerouac’s books. This lost manuscript is well worth a read to see how the authors work evolved over time.
December 11, 2019
An odd collection of writings.
And a really terrible choice to make an audio book.
The main snippet of a story is more fascinating as an artifact than as a section of an unfinished book. It feels very much like a 2nd draft of a developing author.
The essay at the beginning is insufferable and boring. I have no idea why essays that speak about the book are in the introduction, they belong as epilogues.
And the rest is just random. Some notes, some discussions of "The Town and The City." And even some letters from Jack Kerouac's father Leo, some of the better stuff in the book.
This one is only for Kerouac completists. For everyone else start with Dharma Bums and On the Road and go.from there. Those are the only two Jack Kerouac books I really love.
This was a slog. Much better to skim as a physical book then listen to as an audio book.
And a really terrible choice to make an audio book.
The main snippet of a story is more fascinating as an artifact than as a section of an unfinished book. It feels very much like a 2nd draft of a developing author.
The essay at the beginning is insufferable and boring. I have no idea why essays that speak about the book are in the introduction, they belong as epilogues.
And the rest is just random. Some notes, some discussions of "The Town and The City." And even some letters from Jack Kerouac's father Leo, some of the better stuff in the book.
This one is only for Kerouac completists. For everyone else start with Dharma Bums and On the Road and go.from there. Those are the only two Jack Kerouac books I really love.
This was a slog. Much better to skim as a physical book then listen to as an audio book.
June 16, 2021
Il mio primo approccio a Kerouac: non potrei essere più felice di essere partita proprio da questo lungo racconto di formazione.
December 16, 2014
This lost-and-now-found novella by Jack Kerouac performs a small miracle: somehow, in a space of a few day's time, basking with the characters, you get a vivid, fixed in space-and-time sense of a "middle-of-the-pendulum-swing" position.
Through backstories relayed through offhand conversation, daily rituals making you feel at home amongst the clutter, and a high literary pedigree for the high-falutin' college-age protagonists, Kerouac provides a literary feast — deftly handled in a just-over-70-pages length, so it dissipates like a fever dream, afterwards.
Not enough? Well, try adding Kerouac's ear for the Father Couglin-listenin' elder figure, who presages a whole generation of John Birch (and Rush Limbaugh) fans, eager to blame "foreigners" — or, alternately, to succumb to fears & suspicions that they're easily blameable for the Country's ills — for a shudder-inducing slice of reality not-so-easily-consignable to the "decades past" Lit. scene.
Highly recommended! Both for Kerouac newbies and completists. (MEA CULPA: I haven't read the supplementary materials. Probably good, though ... right? Right!)
Through backstories relayed through offhand conversation, daily rituals making you feel at home amongst the clutter, and a high literary pedigree for the high-falutin' college-age protagonists, Kerouac provides a literary feast — deftly handled in a just-over-70-pages length, so it dissipates like a fever dream, afterwards.
Not enough? Well, try adding Kerouac's ear for the Father Couglin-listenin' elder figure, who presages a whole generation of John Birch (and Rush Limbaugh) fans, eager to blame "foreigners" — or, alternately, to succumb to fears & suspicions that they're easily blameable for the Country's ills — for a shudder-inducing slice of reality not-so-easily-consignable to the "decades past" Lit. scene.
Highly recommended! Both for Kerouac newbies and completists. (MEA CULPA: I haven't read the supplementary materials. Probably good, though ... right? Right!)
June 21, 2014
Any new Kerouac is cause for celebration. Reading this unfinished novella from 1944, one meets again the young Jack, trying to determine the kind of writer he will be. In a diary entry from 09/03/45, indicating that someone had asked him what he was looking for in his writing, he records his reply as being "...a new method...the vision I do have, it's the method I want...the vision cannot be expressed without the method."
There are some beautiful, lyrical passages in this book, foreshadowings of what would come later, once "the method" had been discovered, when Jack "hit upon a new way to go" and the visions would be exressed. "A Haunted Life" is a valuable addition to the Kerouac canon, giving us a glimpse of the young (of course Jack was never destined to be old), eager, searching Kerouac, a hint of the developing power, beauty, and insight that would emerge in his mature work. Young Jack, I enjoyed spending time with you again, down the long years since your youth and the forty years since I first encountered your work in my own youth.
There are some beautiful, lyrical passages in this book, foreshadowings of what would come later, once "the method" had been discovered, when Jack "hit upon a new way to go" and the visions would be exressed. "A Haunted Life" is a valuable addition to the Kerouac canon, giving us a glimpse of the young (of course Jack was never destined to be old), eager, searching Kerouac, a hint of the developing power, beauty, and insight that would emerge in his mature work. Young Jack, I enjoyed spending time with you again, down the long years since your youth and the forty years since I first encountered your work in my own youth.
May 14, 2014
I have mixed feelings. The prose is fantastic and I loved the main character but I wish Kerouac wasn't so dismissive of the female characters in the novel. I realize it was the early 1940s so what can you expect, but it still bothered me. In some of the non-fiction writings at the end of the book he expressed some philosophies that I am opposed to, including some borderline racist sympathizing. It's almost like I wish I hadn't read it. Now I plan to go back and read some of my Kerouac favorites to see if those themes are present there as well, and decide if I need to retire them as favorites.
April 22, 2014
Mostly notes and unfinished ideas. A great way to peer into the early thoughts, styles and writings of Kerouac. His relationship with his father is the focal point, even though it isn't central in the Martin Family story presented.
August 24, 2018
It was a good introspective on Jack's beginning as a writer, and I was glad to learn more about Leo Kerouac, Jack's Father. Like the title suggests, the stories in this book have a darkness to them, but I enjoyed it, as any Kerouac fan will.
April 29, 2021
Descritto in Vanità di Duluoz come un racconto lungo scritto a matita, La vita stregata, fu smarrito in circostanze misteriose, forse su un taxi, alla fine del 1944.
Ispirato all'amico Sampas, narra della sua iniziazione giovanile a Lowell.
Ricompare nel 2002 ad un'asta, ma fu ritrovato anni prima in un armadietto della Columbia University.
I personaggi sono gli stessi de La città e la metropoli, si inizia con una sorta di scontro generazionale padre-figlio, una lunga conversazione, uno sfogo di Mr. Martin che letteralmente vomita sul figlio tutti i suoi pensieri retrogradi e razzisti.
In realtà è un abbozzo del tutto incompiuto, un paio di giornate estive di Peter Martin che medita se accettare o no l'invito dell'amico e correrre ad arruolarsi.
La sezione Schizzi e Riflessioni contiene poi alcuni "documenti" preparatori per ipotetici romanzi che porteranno alla stesura della sua prima opera.
Un'ultima parte contiene alcune lettere scritte dal Leo Kerouac al figlio e alla figlia, stupisce la fluidità narrativa con cui si approccia ai figli, quasi come uno scrittore mancato.
Ispirato all'amico Sampas, narra della sua iniziazione giovanile a Lowell.
Ricompare nel 2002 ad un'asta, ma fu ritrovato anni prima in un armadietto della Columbia University.
I personaggi sono gli stessi de La città e la metropoli, si inizia con una sorta di scontro generazionale padre-figlio, una lunga conversazione, uno sfogo di Mr. Martin che letteralmente vomita sul figlio tutti i suoi pensieri retrogradi e razzisti.
In realtà è un abbozzo del tutto incompiuto, un paio di giornate estive di Peter Martin che medita se accettare o no l'invito dell'amico e correrre ad arruolarsi.
La sezione Schizzi e Riflessioni contiene poi alcuni "documenti" preparatori per ipotetici romanzi che porteranno alla stesura della sua prima opera.
Un'ultima parte contiene alcune lettere scritte dal Leo Kerouac al figlio e alla figlia, stupisce la fluidità narrativa con cui si approccia ai figli, quasi come uno scrittore mancato.
September 5, 2017
For what this was - the unfinished first part of an unfinished novel, I believe - it was very good. Too good, actually ... in the sense that I could not help but feel disappointed when it came to an end just as it seemed to be starting. It's such a shame, reading through Kerouac's included notes, that his Galloway or Haunted Life - (an intended American classic) - never saw the light of day. The tranquil suburban setting of Lowell was wonderful. The complexity of the characters, even in the first few chapters, is so apparent. At the end of the day, this book should really be reserved for die-hard fans who want to lap up everything this man wrote. Were it to be an entire novel, it would have been wonderful. Unfortunately it is just the result of the accumulated efforts of the editor et al, to put together every piece of material relevant to this intended book. Kudos to them of course. It's just that it leaves you wanting more. I suppose that could very well be the purpose, adding to the Kerocacian enigma.
December 27, 2017
First time reading any Kerouac but it certainly won't be my last. As the same age as the protagonist there was no better time to read this coming of age story. Parallels can certainly be made between the political situation then and now; with FDR certainly appearing to have split opinion as Trump does now.
Kerouac's novel The Town and the City is continually referenced throughout and I will be checking this out very soon!
The edition I read contained some of Kerouac's diary entry's including letters from his father, Leo. I found his philosophical musings of deep interest. Other authors mentioned and who no doubt had an influence: Louis Ferdinand Celine and William S Burroughs were already on my to read list but now they have been moved to a more prominent position.
Kerouac's novel The Town and the City is continually referenced throughout and I will be checking this out very soon!
The edition I read contained some of Kerouac's diary entry's including letters from his father, Leo. I found his philosophical musings of deep interest. Other authors mentioned and who no doubt had an influence: Louis Ferdinand Celine and William S Burroughs were already on my to read list but now they have been moved to a more prominent position.
March 1, 2021
Just feels great to be reading something "new" from Kerouac. He has always been one of my literary heroes. His personal life leaves much to be desired. How does one die at 47 from alcohol. Charles Bukowski is who most think of as model for being a drunk, but he died at 73 from leukemia. I digress, because of his short life his literary material should be rather small but his canon is large (taking his age into account) this is likely a result of his use of amphetamines. This is a long winded way of saying that I have always viewed kerouac's life as a Haunted Life.
The title is not indicative of Kerouac's view on his own life, rather it is response to the death of his childhood friend, Billy Chandler. I loved the novel and the other writings included because it demonstrates Kerouac working on his craft and they give insight into his early life.
Not 5 stars because the story was not completed, not really his fault as he would've finished and had it published if he wished it to be seen. Lucky for us John Sampras thought differently.
The title is not indicative of Kerouac's view on his own life, rather it is response to the death of his childhood friend, Billy Chandler. I loved the novel and the other writings included because it demonstrates Kerouac working on his craft and they give insight into his early life.
Not 5 stars because the story was not completed, not really his fault as he would've finished and had it published if he wished it to be seen. Lucky for us John Sampras thought differently.
March 14, 2022
Genius and beautiful
March 20, 2017
The reason I liked this book is not so much because of the novella-length manuscript itself, but for what it conveys about young Kerouac. And in addition to that, the Sketches (in Part II) are planning documents that elaborates on the themes and structure of the novel of which this manuscript was to be only the first part. And finally, the last section focuses on his father Leo and Jack's relationship with him, and includes several letters written by Leo. Contrary to what is often believed, Jack sincerely admired his father - and in Leo's letters it can even be possible to trace an early influence on Jack's literary style. In Kerouac's "Reflection on Leo" (1963), he writes: "..God, in giving me birth in this mess of messes called life, did at least let me issue from the loins of my father Leo Alcide Kerouac who was the only honest man I ever knew and the only completely honest expresser of what he thought about the world and the people in it."
The novel The Haunted Life was intended to be in three parts; the first, "Home", is what is included here. The other two, to be titled "War" and "Change" were never written. The original manuscript, which Kerouac thought to be lost, probably in a New York taxicab in 1944, resurfaced in 2002 – supposedly it had been found in the closet of a Columbia University dorm room. This book has been edited by Todd F. Tiechen, Assistant Professor of English at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and he has also written an insightful introduction. In addition to obvious influences such as Thomas Wolfe, Tiechen mentions another early influence: Dostoevsky – a point Kerouac stresses in his planning documents for The Town and the City. In The Haunted Life, Peter Martin, clearly based on Jack himself, describes the "elite group" in his bookshelf: "Thoreau, Homer, the Bible, Melville's Moby Dick, Ulysses, Thomas Wolfe, Shakespeare, Whitman, Faust, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy."
It is no coincidence that his first published book was titled The Town and the City - in a note, "Some Town and City Conclusions" (1948), also included among the Sketches in this book, he writes: "A form of masochism, (or love of helplessness,) and something that resembles impetuosity of a sort seems to make the most conclusive evidence connected with what I have been calling "intellectual decadence." This, which occurs in modern City-Centers in America, along with the crowded, harried, unhealthy, brutal life of the City-Center in general (...) The masochism occurs in various forms but springs up from the same patterned depths, the same psychology, the same "character structure," or if not that Reichian term, at least, the same character dissolution. It concerns a real fall from manliness. I mean this in the most direct sense. And concurrently, in women, it concerns a real fall from womanliness, again in the most direct sense. It renders the man helpless in the real situations of real life, that is, a kind of primary life which is arbitrarily sluffed over by convenient City-forms that can’t and never will last. (...) Since the American idea is a will-idea above all things, the mere fact that helplessness and will-lessness enters into our City-Centers is a dangerous fact indicating a decline of character and just guts in a generation." – It is also no wonder that he kept returning to Lowell, Massachusetts in his writings.
If you are going to read The Town and the City, this book is the obvious place to start. And if not, I recommend it anyway.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
The novel The Haunted Life was intended to be in three parts; the first, "Home", is what is included here. The other two, to be titled "War" and "Change" were never written. The original manuscript, which Kerouac thought to be lost, probably in a New York taxicab in 1944, resurfaced in 2002 – supposedly it had been found in the closet of a Columbia University dorm room. This book has been edited by Todd F. Tiechen, Assistant Professor of English at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and he has also written an insightful introduction. In addition to obvious influences such as Thomas Wolfe, Tiechen mentions another early influence: Dostoevsky – a point Kerouac stresses in his planning documents for The Town and the City. In The Haunted Life, Peter Martin, clearly based on Jack himself, describes the "elite group" in his bookshelf: "Thoreau, Homer, the Bible, Melville's Moby Dick, Ulysses, Thomas Wolfe, Shakespeare, Whitman, Faust, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy."
It is no coincidence that his first published book was titled The Town and the City - in a note, "Some Town and City Conclusions" (1948), also included among the Sketches in this book, he writes: "A form of masochism, (or love of helplessness,) and something that resembles impetuosity of a sort seems to make the most conclusive evidence connected with what I have been calling "intellectual decadence." This, which occurs in modern City-Centers in America, along with the crowded, harried, unhealthy, brutal life of the City-Center in general (...) The masochism occurs in various forms but springs up from the same patterned depths, the same psychology, the same "character structure," or if not that Reichian term, at least, the same character dissolution. It concerns a real fall from manliness. I mean this in the most direct sense. And concurrently, in women, it concerns a real fall from womanliness, again in the most direct sense. It renders the man helpless in the real situations of real life, that is, a kind of primary life which is arbitrarily sluffed over by convenient City-forms that can’t and never will last. (...) Since the American idea is a will-idea above all things, the mere fact that helplessness and will-lessness enters into our City-Centers is a dangerous fact indicating a decline of character and just guts in a generation." – It is also no wonder that he kept returning to Lowell, Massachusetts in his writings.
If you are going to read The Town and the City, this book is the obvious place to start. And if not, I recommend it anyway.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
June 6, 2014
I was super excited when I found this in the library--it's not every day you come across "new" work by Kerouac. The book is a collection of sketches, novellas, journal entries and letters. The first part of the book is what I would classify a novella--it is a literally "lost" work --meaning Kerouac thought he left it in a cab and it was missing for many years. It was eventually found in what was Ginsberg's dorm room at Columbia by an incoming student. This piece is early Kerouac--more linear, more sentimental than his later work. I loved it. The letters and journal entries are fascinating --they really show Kerouac's changing attitude towards pretty much everything--the world, his own life, his writing style. I really enjoyed the letters from his father as well--Leo Kerouac is a tough person to understand--his racism and xenophobia are hard traits to ignore --but his love of his children and his beautiful writing style (at one point in a letter to Jack he is talking about Jack in his youth and he refers to him as "quizzling" and I laughed out loud-it's so something Jack himself would say)make him very hard not to feel something warm and fuzzy about. His writing style is quite obviously a big influence on Jack as are many of his views. The piece he wrote about his son Gerard near the end of the book is incredibly moving. It's not hard to see why Jack loved him despite the way they butted heads. He says his father was the only truly honest man he ever knew and I can well believe that. The writings here really reflect Kerouac's views on his male friendships--he can make that look more beautiful than any writer I have ever seen. His love for his dear friend lost to World War II is really on display here--Sebastian Sampas haunts these pages as surely as any ghost. Overall, I adored it--even in his earliest work Kerouac's love of language and ability to express that love was clearly on display---it's his most enduring quality for me and the reason why he is one of my favorite writers. Highly recommend.
June 5, 2015
This short novella was just the second book Kerouac wrote, but was lost for many years and only recently published. Although the prose is a bit generic in style, and features little of the dissonant prose that made Kerouac famous, the story itself is actually fantastic. It suffers from some elementary undertones, especially in the ways that Kerouac tries to demonstrate his own learned and cultured perspectives through his characters, as though he were using them to brag about himself, but even these moments were a bit charming, and some very thoughtful insights were developed in a very short space. The characters were likable and natural. Overall, despite its flaws, I enjoyed this novella very much.
August 4, 2016
Given this is his first attempt at a novel, Kerouac's prose is unsurprisingly immature and uninspiring. He clearly has a lot of great ideas, but tends to tell us them all through over-written monologues rather than showing them to us via the actions of his characters - as he would so aptly come to master in his later novels. The writing does pick up in the final third, particularly with the introduction of Dick who is pleasantly reminiscent of Dean Moriarty, and it is around this point that Kerouac starts dwelling on more substantial themes like the transition from adolescence to adulthood and the uncertainties that accompany one's staring down the barrel of the gun (both metaphorically and literally, in this instance).
March 12, 2014
full review here at www.kafkascage.com
April 30, 2024
If you're reading this with the intention of reading a novella with only a passing interest in Kerouac, you're probably going to hate it. The novella itself is 'raw' in the sense that it never went through traditional editing processes, is from the very early stages of a writer's career, & is also largely unfinished. Not much happens, & it can also be clunky to read.
But if you're reading this as a die-hard Kerouac fanatic who saw this in the second-hand bookstore, didn't buy it, lay awake at night sweating at the thought of somebody else buying it, went back to buy it & realised it was a sacred time-capsule relic of obscure, long-lost Kerouacian Lore? Then it's fucking priceless.
The novella itself is interesting in giving us a glimpse into Kerouac's pre-Columbia, pre-On the Road adolescence, but the REAL value lies in the 'Other Writings' (a range of diary entries, letters, 'sketches' &, of particular value to me, a writer whose entire career has been defined by this motherfucker, the entire vision & purpose of the multi-part saga he was conceiving at the time).
Another thing that I found fascinating is truly understanding why Kerouac ended up the way he did (drinking himself to death in his mother's house). You start to see, when contrasting the hope of his pre-war adolescence with the scale of loss, of both a personal & socio-historical nature, in the war & post-war era ~ book-ended by the deaths of his brother & father respectively, which the editor notes may be a reason for his obsession with male, familial figures in his writing. He really was just a boy who said....... damn. Fuck this actually. & nearly a century later, I get it.
There's also a deeply intimate feeling in the latter part of this book that stems from pulling back the enigmatic curtain & actually seeing inside the mind of this long-dead man that's had such a profound impact of my life. This wasn't him writing for an audience, it was him writing for himself, & it feels so real & unadorned because of that.
Truly an artefact of literary history....... & a tragically innocent experience of the man.
But if you're reading this as a die-hard Kerouac fanatic who saw this in the second-hand bookstore, didn't buy it, lay awake at night sweating at the thought of somebody else buying it, went back to buy it & realised it was a sacred time-capsule relic of obscure, long-lost Kerouacian Lore? Then it's fucking priceless.
The novella itself is interesting in giving us a glimpse into Kerouac's pre-Columbia, pre-On the Road adolescence, but the REAL value lies in the 'Other Writings' (a range of diary entries, letters, 'sketches' &, of particular value to me, a writer whose entire career has been defined by this motherfucker, the entire vision & purpose of the multi-part saga he was conceiving at the time).
Another thing that I found fascinating is truly understanding why Kerouac ended up the way he did (drinking himself to death in his mother's house). You start to see, when contrasting the hope of his pre-war adolescence with the scale of loss, of both a personal & socio-historical nature, in the war & post-war era ~ book-ended by the deaths of his brother & father respectively, which the editor notes may be a reason for his obsession with male, familial figures in his writing. He really was just a boy who said....... damn. Fuck this actually. & nearly a century later, I get it.
There's also a deeply intimate feeling in the latter part of this book that stems from pulling back the enigmatic curtain & actually seeing inside the mind of this long-dead man that's had such a profound impact of my life. This wasn't him writing for an audience, it was him writing for himself, & it feels so real & unadorned because of that.
Truly an artefact of literary history....... & a tragically innocent experience of the man.
July 13, 2018
Kerouac has always been my #1 dude. He's the guy that inspired me to be a writer, and he proves to be that rare gem of a writer that's able to connect to me with virtually anything that he throws down onto the page.
As a college sophomore, soon-to-be junior and frequent worrier of what the fuck I'm going to do with my life, that can seem both dismal and boundless at the same time, I could not only MASSIVELY relate to the protagonist, Peter, in "The Haunted Life", but it almost seemed as if this book was meant for me to read at this stage of my life at this exact moment.
The writing in Part One of this book (which is the unfinished novel itself) diverges from Kerouac's classic "spontaneous prose", and it was refreshing to read him in a different style, and it was very easy to follow the story. If it weren't for my ADD, I could've read it all in a couple hours.
"The Other Writings" is also SUPER interesting! Seeing how Kerouac pieces together certain stories as he's writing them and his creative process in general is just super neat, and the letters/diary entries are fascinating af, especially if you're a Beat-freak like me.
Perhaps, most significantly, in a day in age where I've lost a lot of my own national pride and patriotism and sense of "being", both as a person (who I am) and as an American, this really brought me back to why I love reading, why I'm so excited about life, and why I don't want to settle. It reminded me of the fact that I have a future. (There's also lots of bittersweet/bleak things in here, but what I love about Kerouac is that there's always a sense of optimism that's able to shed through such a broken, disjointed perspective, because it's also important to note that this book has lots of materials pertaining to Kerouac himself... which is so awesome!). "The Haunted Life" is likely to relate to anyone at some point in their life, as are Kerouac's minute detailing of his ideas behind his writing, and life.
As a college sophomore, soon-to-be junior and frequent worrier of what the fuck I'm going to do with my life, that can seem both dismal and boundless at the same time, I could not only MASSIVELY relate to the protagonist, Peter, in "The Haunted Life", but it almost seemed as if this book was meant for me to read at this stage of my life at this exact moment.
The writing in Part One of this book (which is the unfinished novel itself) diverges from Kerouac's classic "spontaneous prose", and it was refreshing to read him in a different style, and it was very easy to follow the story. If it weren't for my ADD, I could've read it all in a couple hours.
"The Other Writings" is also SUPER interesting! Seeing how Kerouac pieces together certain stories as he's writing them and his creative process in general is just super neat, and the letters/diary entries are fascinating af, especially if you're a Beat-freak like me.
Perhaps, most significantly, in a day in age where I've lost a lot of my own national pride and patriotism and sense of "being", both as a person (who I am) and as an American, this really brought me back to why I love reading, why I'm so excited about life, and why I don't want to settle. It reminded me of the fact that I have a future. (There's also lots of bittersweet/bleak things in here, but what I love about Kerouac is that there's always a sense of optimism that's able to shed through such a broken, disjointed perspective, because it's also important to note that this book has lots of materials pertaining to Kerouac himself... which is so awesome!). "The Haunted Life" is likely to relate to anyone at some point in their life, as are Kerouac's minute detailing of his ideas behind his writing, and life.
March 3, 2017
I'm not finished. I only read through page 99, where The Haunted Life ends. But I wanted to get some thoughts out while they were still fresh in my mind.
The Haunted Life (pgs. 1-99)
What is it about Jack Kerouac that makes me feel so untamed? So primitive? Whenever I pick up a book of his, I want to free myself from everything and just go somewhere with no real plan and no real intention of doing anything except living. It doesn't even matter if the story is really about that concept; Kerouac has a way of writing that lights this fire inside of you to want to forget about most of your responsibilities and enjoy life for what it's worth.
I understand he has a lot of critics. People hold it over his head that he wrote a lot of his better sellers for money. The guy was an alcoholic and, generally, ideas that one would not necessarily follow through with sound much more attractive after a few pints and a couple of shots. But his lackadaisical, half-hearted following of Buddhism, the parts about seeing things as they are, and enjoying the present, all come through in his writing. It doesn't have to be The Dharma Bums or On The Road to find the freeing beauty in the way he writes. And because of that, who cares if he wrote some stuff for money? Given the opportunity, who wouldn't?
The Haunted Life wasn't necessarily about travel, although, as always, Kerouac's characters were chomping at the bit to do things off the cusp. The way that they just do, without intention, without plan, is such an attractive idea to me and I fall in love with his books almost every time. Maybe I'm living vicariously through them. Or maybe they jog memories of my childhood and how I picture the past in my head, all summer nights and baseball games on the radio and running around in the woods with my friends. Kerouac has a knack to rejuvenate those kinds of feelings in someone, and it's such a rush of freedom, a gust of wind that takes me away from the stupid problems of being an adult and brings me back to my own younger years.
None of this probably makes any sense. This review isn't even about The Haunted Life at all, more so than it is about it's author. And, really, what am I talking about, being 33 years old and "adult problems" as if my life is inherently tougher than it was when I was growing up; It's all relative. If I really wanted to respect Kerouac's works and messages, his parallels with Buddhism, I wouldn't even need to find solace away from the present once and a while. I should be mindful of what life is giving me currently. And, to an extent, I am. But, there is nothing wrong with enjoying memories of the past. He writes the last sentence:
"With the darkness, and with the smell and feel of it, would come the old sounds of the suburban American summer's night- the tinkle of soft drinks, the squeaking of hammocks, the screened-in voices on dark porches, the radio's staccato enthusiasm, a dog barking, a boy's special nighttime cry, and the cool swishing song of the trees: a music sweeter than anything else in the world, a music that can be seen- profusely green, leaf on leaf atremble- and a music that can be smelled, clover fresh, somehow sharp, and supremely rich."
The Haunted Life revolves around family life and also the lonesomeness that all of us have a little bit of inside. It regards the pull and tug of personal choices, the devil and the angel sitting on their respective shoulders. It involves current affairs, it is a subjectively minor political statement, and it invokes a simplicity to our lives, regardless of how crazy things might be going on around us. Kerouac slows the world down when we need it slowed down the most. His simple style of writing and his characters are all people we wish we knew or know through someone in our own lives. It's simple. Refreshing. Nostalgic.
The Haunted Life (pgs. 1-99)
What is it about Jack Kerouac that makes me feel so untamed? So primitive? Whenever I pick up a book of his, I want to free myself from everything and just go somewhere with no real plan and no real intention of doing anything except living. It doesn't even matter if the story is really about that concept; Kerouac has a way of writing that lights this fire inside of you to want to forget about most of your responsibilities and enjoy life for what it's worth.
I understand he has a lot of critics. People hold it over his head that he wrote a lot of his better sellers for money. The guy was an alcoholic and, generally, ideas that one would not necessarily follow through with sound much more attractive after a few pints and a couple of shots. But his lackadaisical, half-hearted following of Buddhism, the parts about seeing things as they are, and enjoying the present, all come through in his writing. It doesn't have to be The Dharma Bums or On The Road to find the freeing beauty in the way he writes. And because of that, who cares if he wrote some stuff for money? Given the opportunity, who wouldn't?
The Haunted Life wasn't necessarily about travel, although, as always, Kerouac's characters were chomping at the bit to do things off the cusp. The way that they just do, without intention, without plan, is such an attractive idea to me and I fall in love with his books almost every time. Maybe I'm living vicariously through them. Or maybe they jog memories of my childhood and how I picture the past in my head, all summer nights and baseball games on the radio and running around in the woods with my friends. Kerouac has a knack to rejuvenate those kinds of feelings in someone, and it's such a rush of freedom, a gust of wind that takes me away from the stupid problems of being an adult and brings me back to my own younger years.
None of this probably makes any sense. This review isn't even about The Haunted Life at all, more so than it is about it's author. And, really, what am I talking about, being 33 years old and "adult problems" as if my life is inherently tougher than it was when I was growing up; It's all relative. If I really wanted to respect Kerouac's works and messages, his parallels with Buddhism, I wouldn't even need to find solace away from the present once and a while. I should be mindful of what life is giving me currently. And, to an extent, I am. But, there is nothing wrong with enjoying memories of the past. He writes the last sentence:
"With the darkness, and with the smell and feel of it, would come the old sounds of the suburban American summer's night- the tinkle of soft drinks, the squeaking of hammocks, the screened-in voices on dark porches, the radio's staccato enthusiasm, a dog barking, a boy's special nighttime cry, and the cool swishing song of the trees: a music sweeter than anything else in the world, a music that can be seen- profusely green, leaf on leaf atremble- and a music that can be smelled, clover fresh, somehow sharp, and supremely rich."
The Haunted Life revolves around family life and also the lonesomeness that all of us have a little bit of inside. It regards the pull and tug of personal choices, the devil and the angel sitting on their respective shoulders. It involves current affairs, it is a subjectively minor political statement, and it invokes a simplicity to our lives, regardless of how crazy things might be going on around us. Kerouac slows the world down when we need it slowed down the most. His simple style of writing and his characters are all people we wish we knew or know through someone in our own lives. It's simple. Refreshing. Nostalgic.
March 21, 2019
Disclaimer: "The Haunted Life" - is the first work by Jack Kerouac that I've ever read - much less reviewed.
Commentary:
Galloway is Lowell, Ma.
A simple, yet rich and complex story about "growing up (and out)" from Lowell, Ma - right before WWII.
The characters each represent different life and political philosophies. The father represents the very Conservative voices of the times represented by Father Charles Coughlin. In the Father's introductory speech - many of the ideas mentioned would resonate today with those who are politically Conservative - and are represented through Conservative Media Outlets.
Other characters represent Wanderlust - getting out of Lowell, Ma. and "...seeing the world as a romantic artist..." and adventures with the U.S. Army.
The title comes from the idea that two of Kerouac's friends were killed in WW II - and that their loss - has haunted Kerouac.
A theme is also how WW II has transformed nearly everyone and everything - and this transformation was just becoming visible.
Written in 1944 - lost for 70 Years - Published in 2014 - it is an early Kerouac work - that seems to indicate that his concerns expressed during the "beat era" - had their beginnings during the Great Depression and WW II timeframe.
Great writing - dealing with the "tensions of the day" - a harbinger of greater writing yet to come.
Carl Gallozzi
Commentary:
Galloway is Lowell, Ma.
A simple, yet rich and complex story about "growing up (and out)" from Lowell, Ma - right before WWII.
The characters each represent different life and political philosophies. The father represents the very Conservative voices of the times represented by Father Charles Coughlin. In the Father's introductory speech - many of the ideas mentioned would resonate today with those who are politically Conservative - and are represented through Conservative Media Outlets.
Other characters represent Wanderlust - getting out of Lowell, Ma. and "...seeing the world as a romantic artist..." and adventures with the U.S. Army.
The title comes from the idea that two of Kerouac's friends were killed in WW II - and that their loss - has haunted Kerouac.
A theme is also how WW II has transformed nearly everyone and everything - and this transformation was just becoming visible.
Written in 1944 - lost for 70 Years - Published in 2014 - it is an early Kerouac work - that seems to indicate that his concerns expressed during the "beat era" - had their beginnings during the Great Depression and WW II timeframe.
Great writing - dealing with the "tensions of the day" - a harbinger of greater writing yet to come.
Carl Gallozzi
October 15, 2019
Fascinating story behind the story. What jack wanted out of this was something that he could grow with and write with as he changed but he planned it so far ahead of its time...beck it was supposed to be a 4 or 5 book series and here we have just a handful I dunno if this book even PASSES as short stories...but so is the way of ever allusive mr Jack Kerouac. What a lovely man, he will forever be a man that I admire for his charm and for his ambition and for his fearlessness at least on the pages I guarantee at least 4 if not 5 or more choice passages from each of Kerouac work that lends itself to be read time and time again and never rlly lose its impact-fulness. I plan to own all of his novels in print one day. He inspires me to once again live fearlessly and spontaneously and to go against the grain and make my own path. SO MANY LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM EACH OTHER. We are so lost and unwise without the guidance of each other and there is a special place in my heart and memory for Jack Kerouac what an inspiration of mine.
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