Books

RARE! True first edition, first state. Hard bound in first edition original dust jacket. Unclipped dust jacket shows no statement of edition and $3.95 price. Jacket shows some wear including edge wear and chips to head and tail of spine, creases and closed tears to front panel, and one open tear to bottom edge of back panel; otherwise very good. Boards show only minor bumping to corners and minor wear to head and tail of spine, otherwise very good. Interior shows previous owner's name and date inscribed on front free end page, "from the library of" stamp to title page, and only minor age toning to pages; otherwise clean.

Jack Kerouac's 1957 novel "On the Road" is an emblematic portrait of the Beat Generation, capturing the yearning for freedom and authenticity against postwar American conformity. This semi-autobiographical work, based on the adventures of Kerouac and his friends across America, is often seen as a defining work of the countercultural movements of the 1950s and 60s. It chronicles the cross-country voyages of Sal Paradise, Kerouac’s alter ego, and Dean Moriarty, a free-spirited, charismatic rebel. "On the Road" is structured around several trips made by Sal and Dean, describing their escapades as they travel back and forth across the country. These journeys are less about the destinations and more about the experiences they gather, the people they meet, and the quest for meaning in a society perceived as rigid and materialistic. The narrative style of the book, known for its spontaneous, stream-of-consciousness prose, mirrors the tumultuous, impulsive lives of its characters. The novel not only explores physical journeys but also personal and spiritual ones. Dean's frenetic energy and Sal’s introspective nature contrast sharply, yet both characters are united in their disdain for conventional values. They indulge in jazz, poetry, and drug use—exploring alternative forms of consciousness and relationships.