Books

First edition first impression 1958 published by The Viking Press. Dust jacket not clipped, but the price has been crossed through and another price written in pen. Jacket has some wear and rubbing to the black colours, plus some marks to the bottom of the spine. Jacket is in an acid free protective wrapper. Black covers with green and silver titles to front and spine, the silver authors name to spine is rubbed, with a couple of white marks below this. Square secure binding, bottom of spine bumped, otherwise sharp corners, bottom edge a little worn, fore edge of page block with a couple of very faint marks, green top edge, clean bright pages, no inscriptions. Very good book, good jacket.

The Dharma Bums is a 1958 novel by Beat Generation author Jack Kerouac. The semi-autobiographical story is based on the author's experiences during the mid-1950s while living in California, after he'd become interested in Buddhism's spiritual mode of understanding. One of the main characters, Japhy Ryder, is based on the real poet Gary Snyder, who was a close friend and whose interest in Buddhism influenced Kerouac.