Kerouac, Jack

The Unknown Kerouac: Rare, Unpublished & Newly Translated Writings

ISBN: 9781598534986
New York, NY: The Library of America, 2016. First Edition. Hardcover. "With On the Road and other iconic works, Jack Kerouac established himself as a quintessentially American writer whose revolutionary style captured the spirit of a generation. The fourth volume in the Library of America's definitive edition of his works reveals for the first time the remarkable literary journey that led to his success, a journey with deep roots in the language and culture of Kerouac's French Canadian childhood. This groundbreaking collection of never-before-published writings includes two lost novels written in his native French and translated here for the first time; two fascinating and moving journals describing crucial turning points in his writing life; a brilliant and evocative memoir; and rare essays from the late 1940s celebrating Frank Sinatra and Bebop. Here is an indispensable addition to the Kerouac canon, full of pleasures and surprises." (back cover) A groundbreaking contribution to the oeuvre of Jack Kerouac, Founding Father of the Beat Generation. Edited by Todd Tietchen, & with two short novels translated from French patois into English by Jean-Christophe Cloutier. We find it interesting that the title of the latter novel, "Old Bull in the Bowery," contains most of the name "Old Bull Lee" under which Kerouac depicted William S. Burroughs in On the Road, & that it was written in Mexico City during 1952- when Kerouac would have been in the company of WSB very shortly after a certain fatal incident... but apparently the title character here is related to the milieu of Neal Cassady rather than WSB. Hardcover in unclipped dust jacket, first edition, first printing as stated on copyright page. Published as No. 283 in the Library of America's beautiful, luxurious, canonical series that is a much-admired favorite of this writer, who proudly owns & has enshrined every LoA first printing. An instantly essential Kerouac collectible. Book in very fine condition with only one small, faint crease at upper corner of front endpaper; otherwise virtually mint inside & out. Dust jacket very fine with only very slight rubbing to front, back covers & spine; a few tiny bumps at edges & corners of same. Very Fine / Very Fine. [Item #4196]

Price: $45.00