Books

First edition, first printing, of the defining Beat novel and Kerouac's masterpiece. The dust jacket was printed in black on a light paper stock and is consequently liable to unsightly creasing that shows the white background. Examples as bright as this are uncommon. Octavo. Original black cloth, spine and front cover lettered in white, top edge red. With dust jacket. Spine cocked, spine ends and upper outer corner of front cover just bumped, fore edge faintly marked; jacket a little nicked and creased, slight cockling to spine panel, chip at foot of front panel, two closed tears at head of faintly marked rear panel, not price-clipped: a near-fine copy in very good jacket. Charters A2.

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.