http://writatlarge.blogspot.com/2008/... ( )

Presented for the first time, this legendary book chronicles the misadventures of the early founders of the Beat Generation nearly a decade before any of them acquired fame and notoriety. Here is Kerouac and Burroughs at their most raw and cockiest, characteristics that subsequently transmogrified to more gentle natures due to alcoholism, divorce, drug abuse, poverty, wanderlust, love, loss, failure, and success in the years to follow. There are many passages that illustrate this in the book, but here are a few that stand out:

Our eggs had now arrived, but Phillip’s eggs were absolutely raw. He called the waitress over and said, “These eggs are raw.” He illustrated the point by dipping his spoon into the eggs and pulling it out with a long streamer of raw white.
The waitress said, “You said soft-boiled eggs, didn’t you?” We can’t be taking things back for you.”
Phillip [Lucien Carr] pushed the eggs across the counter. “Two four-minute eggs,” he said. “Maybe that will simplify matters.” Then he turned to me and started talking about the New Vision.
(p.16)

We had cigarettes but no matches. Phil called out to the waitress, “I say, have you a match, miss?”
The waitress said, “No.”
Phillip said, “The get some,” in his clear, calm tone.
(p. 18)

She [Edie Parker] said, “What are you going to do out at sea?” and I [Jack Kerouac] said, “Don’t worry about the future.”
(p.20) ( )

"It was prescient on the part of Burroughs that this novel remained hidden away. It could have easily gotten either Kerouac or Burroughs (or both) labeled as hacks very early in their careers, which would have been a major blow to modern literary history.

I only wish James Grauerholz and company had honored the wishes of Burroughs and left this one to molder in some damp attic, never to be discovered."

Read it all at http://troysworktable.blogspot.com/20... ( )

Where this book lacks in literary merit it makes up for it in pure fun. The pace is fast and entertaining. This is not a major work by either of these authors by any means but it is a collabortation that works. You can feel ther confusion, their emotions are on their sleeves as they come to grips with the sudden tragic event that they are right in the midst of. You won't regret reading this. ( )

Good for a flash of early Burroughs/Kerouac and depiction of lowlife Manhattan, circa 1944. ( )