On the Road is younger than John McCain.
I wonder what John McCain, who was around 21 when On The Road was published and who was already indoctrinated or on his way to being indoctrinated into the very structured military way-of-life, thought about this classic work… one that was filled with sex, fueled by drugs, and so much about journeying for the sake of journeying (I think there’s a line in there somewhere about there being “no place to go but everywhere”) and experiencing humanity for the sake of experiencing humanity.
I wonder if he’s ever read it. I wonder if he can relate to people who swear by it.
Not that anyone asked, but here’s my favorite passage from the book (and it’s probably also my favorite from any book):
“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes ‘Awww!’”.
And finally, I also love the forward that he wrote for this classic.
Is there a link to the forward you mention?
Comment by Martin R. — July 6, 2008 @ 6:59 pm
i haven’t seen the forward reproduced online anywhere. used copies of the book are pretty plentiful on ebay though…
Comment by admin — July 6, 2008 @ 7:38 pm
That is one of my favorite quotes too! Absolutely brilliant!
Comment by Kitty — July 6, 2008 @ 10:43 pm
I don’t believe that’s your favorite line… it’s the most quoted one from the book. If you really took it to heart, the least you could do is have an original preference.
In fact, I think you just googled it and pasted the quote you thought was coolest from the links you found.
Comment by spool32 — July 9, 2008 @ 6:57 pm
maybe it’s the most quoted because it’s the one that really connects the most to a vast majority of people….
and, speaking for myself, while i did google the line (because i don’t have it committed to memory word-for-word, it has nothing to do with a need to be ‘cool’ or impress anyone.
Comment by admin — July 9, 2008 @ 7:11 pm
You don’t have your favorite quote from any book, evar, memorized? I guess you’re not one of those “swear by it” people McCain might not be able to relate to eh? Most people who swear by a book tend to have their favorite passages bookmarked at least.
Or maybe you read it once a while back, and since you know it’s got street cred it made its way here to your list, so you get illuminated by a bit of reflective glory. Burnish the edgy image a bit, you know? Only the mad ones for you!
The most amusing part of this entry, for me, is that Kerouac has a lot more in common with, and a lot more to say to the religious conservative about faith, belief, deep spirituality, and the rich life of the soul, then he ever has for the barren leftwing antireligious progressives who lionize him as a hero of the counterculture.
Comment by spool32 — July 10, 2008 @ 3:11 pm
J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye” (1951)
George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four” (1949)
Comment by Rob — July 14, 2008 @ 1:03 pm