Ok somebody needs to be held accountable for not telling me I must read

[YankeyMCC]

"The Dharma Bums" before now.

Ok I have to confess I have not read any Jack Kerouac until now. Yesterday I picked up "The Dharma Bums" and I...I frankly don't know how to put it...I've just finished the part where Ray and Japhy and Morley have finished their climb of the Matterhorn. I am also a hiker (though the more modestly sized New Hampshire White Mountains are my usual tramping grounds, but what does it matter comparisons are Odious! :) ) and the descriptions of the land and the feelings of the hikers and in particular what Japhy says about the goodness of hiking...all are things I feel and find hard to express.

What a wonderful book I have to blame someone for not forcing it into my hands sooner...but I'm sure that someone is really me.

[SpiralHawk]

1. Dharma Bums is good. Read it years ago.

Recently came across this essay http://www.chiron-communications.com/communique11-2.html which put me again in mind of Kerouac and Snyder and all of that...

[panader0]

2. The mountain is in California

I love Kerouac. I believe I have evrything he wrote. An underrated, great American writer. Japhy is Gary Snyder, a great writer (poetry) himself. Even Neil Cassady, featured in many Kerouac's books is a writer too (The First Third).

[DemoTex]

3. Neal Cassady was the immortal "Dean Moriarty" in "On the Road."

And Neal was "Cody Pomeroy" in Dharma Bums. I agree that Kerouac is a great American writer. But, alas, the good die too young: Kerouac of booze and Cassady of pills. Ginsberg and Snyder fared much better, with respect to longevity.

In 1956 Kerouac spent 63 days manning a fire lookout tower on Desolation Peak in California. That experience made its way into Kerouac's Dharma Bums and Desolation Angels. Here are two photos of Kerouac's fire lookout tower on Desolation Peak from Pete Hoffman's collection. More info and photos at the link to Pete Hoffman's website (geocities.com/phoffman3/desolation).

[DemoTex]

7. My bad. Desolation Peak is in Washington near the border with Canada.

I just noticed I had put it in California. What was I thinking? Desolation Peak is nearby Hozomeen.

"Hozomeen, Hozomeen, most beautiful mountain I ever seen."
Jack Kerouac - Dharma Bums

"Sad understanding is what compassion is .. I resign from the attempt to be happy."
Jack Kerouac - Desolation Angels

[pitohui]

5. i really like gary snyder who is still productive

a friend was supposed to arrange for me to meet him but i think she forgot...

[YankeyMCC]

6. I'm reading "The Back Country" and

"The Practice of the Wild" right now. Really great stuff

[LisaM]

4. Sorry! Sorry! I could have told you, but didn't.

Too bad Kerouac wrecked his body; he was a good athlete (went to college on a football scholarship).