On the Road Again

Jack Kerouac's most famous novel is on my list of must-read books. Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the book's debut, and what I find most interesting about it is how it was written: on what Kerouac called "the roll" - typed single-spaced without margins or paragraph breaks on one long scroll made of large sheets of tracing paper that were cut and taped together. The scroll still exists and was purchased in 2001 by Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts, for $2.4 million. He has made it available for public viewing and its current resting spot, if you're in the Boston area, is Lowell, Massachusetts, the birthplace of Kerouac. The city has been celebrating Kerouac's legacy with a series of events that kicked off in June and continue into October. Check out the official site for a list of the festivities, which include public readings of On the Road and jazzy musical tributes to the beat generation's style.

I just love this picture of Kerouac and his kitty cat: