Re: Kerouac
Tim O'Connor (tim@roughdraft.org)
Sat, 21 Mar 1998 11:39:24 -0500
> I hate for one of my few posts to be non-Salingerian, but I have a simple
> question. I'm doing my English research paper on Jack Kerouac, and I'm
>simply
> wondering if anyone knows of any good sources. I found a book on amazon.com
> that has criticism of his works...and then a comparison of his works to the
> works of Salinger. Of course, it's one of those "hard to find" works, so
> they're currently searching for me. Any help would be greatly
>appreciated :o)
Don't apologize (we're pretty eclectic here, with a few Kerouac maniacs
present). I hate to sound so old-fashioned, but your very best bet is to
visit your local library. At best, they will have catalog entries under
"Kerouac, Jack -- Criticism and Interpretation," and at worst they won't
have anything, but can get it for you by Interlibrary Loan.
There are plenty of library catalogs on the Internet if you can telnet from
AOL; one I know by heart is bobcat.nyu.edu (login as "bobcat," no quotation
marks or comma), and there are zillions more. Most will let you do subject
searches on the subject Kerouac. Most reflect the holdings of the specific
library, so if you live in California and you search a catalog in Maine (or
vice versa), it will be useful for gathering authors and titles, but above
all else it's a good exercise.
I've had plenty of negative things to say about libraries in my life, but
at heart I am a total lover of them. Use 'em often and wisely; you'll be
better off for it! Overlook the unpleasant experiences, and savor the
peace and plenty and good sessions.
--tim