Kerouac, Jack

The Dharma Bums

New York, NY: The Viking Press, 1958. First Edition. Hardcover. "Here is the new Jack Kerouac novel- appearing just a year after the author's explosive On the Road put the Beat Generation on the literary map and Kerouac on the best-seller lists. The same expansiveness, humor, and contagious zest for life that sparked the earlier novel sparks this one...The principals are two ebullient young men engaged in a passionate search for Dharma, or Truth- a search that involves them, together and separately, in a series of free-wheeling explorations, both sacred and profane. Their major adventure is the pursuit of the Zen way, which takes them climbing into the high Sierras to seek the lesson of solitude- a lesson that has a hard time surviving their forays into the pagan groves of San Francisco's Bohemia..." (from front flap) The now-classic novel that appeared in the wake/ on the wave of the (unsought, ultimately destructive) sudden notoriety of its author, Beat Generation Founding Father Jack Kerouac, after the publication of On the Road during the previous year. This is actually Kerouac's fourth published novel, preceded by The Town and the City (1950), On the Road (1957) & The Subterraneans (earlier 1958). As with all his works, The Dharma Bums is mostly a memoir based on his & fellow Beats' experiences- here, "Ray Smith" stands in for Kerouac, & the great (still with us & active as of this writing!) poet Gary Snyder is depicted by the character "Japhy Ryder." Smith/Kerouac & Ryder/Snyder are the "...Two ebullient young men..." principals described in the breathless, dated (but quite accurate as to the broad themes in this & most of Kerouac's novels) original jacket copy quoted above. We are proud to offer here the 1958 first edition, first printing hardcover in first issue, unclipped dust jacket, with all points noted by Charters ( A 4 (a.), pg. 24). A cornerstone Kerouac collectible. Book in very fine condition with only very slight rubbing & moderate spotting without discoloration to black cloth front, back covers & spine; very light, hardly discernable wear at edges & corners of same; slightest amount of rubbing at edges of text block. Interior very fine with only tiny bumps at lower corners of a few page leaves. Dust jacket in near-fine condition with mostly moderate rubbing, scratching & light, faint creasing to front, back covers & spine (esp. a series of vertical discolorations mostly across black background of front cover); mild-to-moderate wear & a few tiny bumps, closed tears at edges & corners of same. Very Fine / Near Fine. [Item #3332]

Price: $800.00