Books

HARDBACK - A near fine or better book, bound in the publisher's maroon cloth boards with gilt lettering to the spine. The boards are very clean indeed, with just a small push to the bottom corner of the front panel. Internally the pages are clean with no signs of foxing to page blocks or to the inner text., but with a little offsetting to the front end paper. Free of any previous owner names or inscriptions. The dust wrapper is also in near fine or better condition with light rubbing to the base of the rear panel, also with very light toning to the spine, but much less than what is normally encountered. No loss or tears and overall a very nice dust wrapper with the publisher's printed price of 15s.net present to the front flap. By far the best copy of this title we have encountered in over twenty years of full time book selling. A super copy.

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.