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The Dharma Bums

By Jack Kerouac
Penguin Classics
Series: Penguin Modern Classics
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac, readers follow Ray Smith, a representation of Kerouac himself, as he embarks on a journey across America. The story explores themes of spirituality and adventure, featuring his experiences with poetry, mountain climbing, and the quest for enlightenment alongside like-minded companions. This book encapsulates the spirit of the Beat Generation, blending elements of Zen Buddhism with the wanderlust of 1950s America.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're drawn to tales of exploration and spiritual journeys combined with countercultural adventures in mid-20th-century America. It's perfect for those interested in the Beat Generation's pursuit of meaning beyond the confines of ordinary society and the search for enlightenment amidst nature's beauty.

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Follows two young men engaged in a passionate search for dharma or truth. Their major adventure is the pursuit of the Zen way, which takes them climbing into the high sierras to seek the lesson of solitude.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Another addition to Penguin Modern Classics' key Kerouac holdings.

The Dharma Bums appeared just one year after the author's explosive On the Road had put the Beat Generation on the literary map and Kerouac on the best-seller list. The same expansiveness, humour, and contagious zest for life that sparked the earlier novels sparks this one too, but through a more cohesive story.

The books follow two young men engaged in a passionate search for dharma or truth. Their major adventure is the pursuit of the Zen way, which takes them climbing into the high sierras to seek the lesson of solitude.

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac is often celebrated for its vivid portrayal of the Beat Generation, capturing the essence of spiritual exploration and the quest for enlightenment. Reviews highlight the novel's energetic prose and vibrant depiction of a journey through America infused with Buddhist philosophy and countercultural elements. Kerouac's narrative is praised for its authenticity and the interplay between personal introspection and the larger quest for meaning.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141184883

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 August 2000

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Ann Douglas

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 181g

Pages: 240

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Best Sellers at Book Hero Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Jack Kerouac Literary Fiction New Release Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: General Fiction Series: Penguin Modern Classics

About the Author

Jack Kerouac wrote a number of hugely influential and popular novels. He is remembered as one of the key figures of the legendary Beat generation. As much as anything, he came to represent a philosophy, a way of life. Ann Douglas is Professor of Comparative Literature at Columbia University. She has published numerous essays, articles and book reviews on American culture in papers and periodicals such as The New York Times, The Nation and Slate, and introductions for Little Women, Uncle Tom's Cabin and The Subterraneans among others. Prof. Douglas teaches twentieth-century American literature, film, music, and politics, with an emphasis on the Cold War era, African-American culture, and post-colonial approaches. She is currently at work on a book, Noir Nation- Cold War U.S. Culture 1945-1960.

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