Desolation Angels
2 journalers for this copy...
To be released.
Journal Entry 2 by CatharinaL from Pirkkala, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The ultimate bhikkhu & his angels were found liberated in my bathroom bookshelf this morning :-o
What was the pack doing there?
Immersing in deep meditation?
Waiting to be used for sanitary purposes?
(Ack. Would never dream of doing that to Master Kerouac, would I?)
On a serious note, thanks a zillion for this book. I'm itching to start reading already!
What was the pack doing there?
Immersing in deep meditation?
Waiting to be used for sanitary purposes?
(Ack. Would never dream of doing that to Master Kerouac, would I?)
On a serious note, thanks a zillion for this book. I'm itching to start reading already!
Journal Entry 3 by CatharinaL from Pirkkala, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Monday, October 22, 2007
I finished reading Desolation Angels today - been enjoying it long and slow every night :-)
Desolation Angels explains perhaps even better than the other Kerouac novels what the place of religion may have been in the Beat mystique. (Nelson Algren)
Written around the time On the Road was in the process of publication and before Kerouac became the avatar of cool, Desolation Angels makes up part of Kerouac's Duluoz Legend. One of his most autobiographical novels, the book is divided into two sections, 'Desolation Angels' and 'Passing Through'. These two sections are then further subdivided into shorter parts. The first section mostly deals with the narrator's musings during and after the period of serving as a fire lookout on Desolation Peak in the North Cascades National Park (WA) in 1956. The latter part focuses on specific locations on Kerouac's travels: Mexico, New York, Tangiers, France, London.
This is brilliant writing, with an air of solitary quietude with which the narrator sets himself apart from all the Beat fuzz. Much of the novel reflects Kerouac's increasing disenchantment with the Buddhist influence with which he had previously been so fascinated. In striking contrast, it conveys a vivid image of the Beat angels' lifestyle, incorporating their philosophy of life and freely mingling with jazz improvisations. A brilliant, sad tragedy and triumph.
The introduction mentions that Kerouac was hoping to have 'Passing Through' published as a standalone novel. The concept does get tired towards the end of the volume, as does the narrator's view of the world. The sweetness turns into a rather senseless confused depression.
Kerouac (1922 – 1969) excelled in syntactic elaboration; and what's even more admirable is his way with the snapshotty moments captured with mastery and lyrical evocation. He wrote novels in "the visual American form": a movie in words, recorded in detached observation. Kerouac himself described his method as "composing wild, undisciplined, pure, coming in from under, crazier the better [--] in praise of Character in the Bleak Inhuman Loneliness."
Desolation Peak also inspired Dharma Bums, a solitary philosophy and IMHO one of Kerouac's best writings. The strenuous site of the writer's mountainous sojourn has been a popular hiking resort for Kerouac enthusiasts since. Incidentally, one of *my* long-standing dreams has been to live on a mountain top :-)
Pass through as does the vanishing lightning, and dont worry--
Desolation Angels explains perhaps even better than the other Kerouac novels what the place of religion may have been in the Beat mystique. (Nelson Algren)
Written around the time On the Road was in the process of publication and before Kerouac became the avatar of cool, Desolation Angels makes up part of Kerouac's Duluoz Legend. One of his most autobiographical novels, the book is divided into two sections, 'Desolation Angels' and 'Passing Through'. These two sections are then further subdivided into shorter parts. The first section mostly deals with the narrator's musings during and after the period of serving as a fire lookout on Desolation Peak in the North Cascades National Park (WA) in 1956. The latter part focuses on specific locations on Kerouac's travels: Mexico, New York, Tangiers, France, London.
This is brilliant writing, with an air of solitary quietude with which the narrator sets himself apart from all the Beat fuzz. Much of the novel reflects Kerouac's increasing disenchantment with the Buddhist influence with which he had previously been so fascinated. In striking contrast, it conveys a vivid image of the Beat angels' lifestyle, incorporating their philosophy of life and freely mingling with jazz improvisations. A brilliant, sad tragedy and triumph.
The introduction mentions that Kerouac was hoping to have 'Passing Through' published as a standalone novel. The concept does get tired towards the end of the volume, as does the narrator's view of the world. The sweetness turns into a rather senseless confused depression.
Kerouac (1922 – 1969) excelled in syntactic elaboration; and what's even more admirable is his way with the snapshotty moments captured with mastery and lyrical evocation. He wrote novels in "the visual American form": a movie in words, recorded in detached observation. Kerouac himself described his method as "composing wild, undisciplined, pure, coming in from under, crazier the better [--] in praise of Character in the Bleak Inhuman Loneliness."
Desolation Peak also inspired Dharma Bums, a solitary philosophy and IMHO one of Kerouac's best writings. The strenuous site of the writer's mountainous sojourn has been a popular hiking resort for Kerouac enthusiasts since. Incidentally, one of *my* long-standing dreams has been to live on a mountain top :-)
Pass through as does the vanishing lightning, and dont worry--
> Waiting to be used for sanitary purposes?
Book is back and no pages missing.
Book is back and no pages missing.
