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On the Road

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On the Road

By: Jack Kerouac
Narrated by: Matt Dillon
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About this listen

Sal Paradise, a young innocent, joins his hero Dean Moriarty, a traveller and mystic, the living epitome of beat, on a breathless, exuberant ride back and forth across the United States. Their hedonistic search for release or fulfilment through drink, sex, drugs and jazz becomes an exploration of personal freedom, a test of the limits of the American dream.

A brilliant blend of fiction and autobiography, Jack Kerouac's exhilarating novel swings to the rhythms of 1950s underground America, racing towards the sunset with unforgettable exuberance, poignancy and autobiographical passion. One of the most influential and important novels of the 20th century, On the Road is the book that launched the beat generation and remains the bible of that literary movement.

©1957 Jack Keourac (P)2015 Audible, Inc Classics Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

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All stars
Most relevant  
This is the third time I've read to On The Road. I was cautious coming back to this in later life, as I feared it would have horribly dated. Yes, the hipster slang and sexual politics have dated, but the shear joy of just being alive and travelling shines through. Matt Dillon's performance really brings Dean and Sal alive. He also brings the slight undercurrent of sadness out, knowing what later happened to Jack Kerouac and Neil Cassidy. But the arn't artistic mad ones always destined to burn twice as brightly but half as long? Highly highly recommend, makes you want to plan the next trip, if only Dean Moriarty was coming along for the ride...

life affirming book, makes you want to just go..

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I have read this book several times it always gives me a lift, experience the world.
Matt Dillon does an excellent job, brings the story alive

Lust for life

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The art of this book are the journeys it takes us on, so vivid are the descriptions that you can smell them and really, we are on the road throughout with Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty and all the other memorable characters Kerouac created for this outstanding novel.

My favourite road trip novel

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Matt Dillon was, I believe, nominated for an award for this performance and rightly so. The story itself however is very much of it's time, mysoginistic and self indulgent. Was interesting reading for a peek into a time period and a way of life I'm not accustomed to however it seemed to be neverending and repetitive.

Amazing performance of an overrated story

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On the road is like poetry to my ears.
Matt Dillon’s voice seems to droll on like the road the characters travel, and it suits the storyline perfectly. Personally I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the characters that made this journey such a pleasure and experience.
This book may not be everyone’s choice but for me it was exquisite.

On the road

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A many times read book is given a new lease of life by Matt Dillon for which he must be congratulated. Beyond its significance in American and World literature is the description of a , sadly, too much changed world. A book to savour and enjoy, repeatedly

A superb rendition of an epic book

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Definitely a product of its time. Whilst the characters lie, cheat and steal their way across America full of indignation that the police would stop them at any point.

The rambling 'Spontaneous Prose' of the piece is an interesting way of writing and I guess if the story is really about the journey rather the destination one way to emphasis that is to make are that Sal Paradise never gets where he's aiming to get. My biggest takeaway is the characters who's hedonistic ways see them burn through all the money they can get, have, cheat or have wired to them.

Full of awe about the road that they're on and the people they meet along the way, crossing America with only 10 sandwiches in your pocket and having a lot of questionable hobbies and sexual preferences. A lot of problematic behaviour to "fags" when they court underage girls with abandon and mistreat almost every female character in the novel (although they're not exactly kind to each other they at least feel bad about it).

definitely a product of its time

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Excellent listen, not unexpected sad ending.
Supposedly we all have to grasp the nettle and settle down and conform

Good story

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I believe On the Road is regarded as an American classic but I knew next to nothing about it. I assumed that, being voiced by a well known actor, it would be great combination. I’m not sure it worked out.

Matt Dillon’s voice is appropriately gravelly, and some of the dialogue was convincing but... my theory is that Dillon is more of a visual actor. I think Jack Kerouac can turn a decent phrase or two. He’s probably got talent, is what I’m saying.

There were some descriptive passages that, on the written page, were probably astoundingly beautiful. There were glimpses. But Dillon’s delivery is so throw-away, so poorly annunciated, so little stressed, that it was literally impossible to say if Kerouac is a genius like James Joyce or just a disorganised, mostly sloppy, sometimes breathtakingly good but basically...not that great writer. I would need to actually read the words on the page to know.

Basically, it sounded like the author was drunk and the actor was drunker!

Probably better than it sounds

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Love this book, Matt Dillon's narration is perfect, could listen to his voice all day!

Absolutely brilliant

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