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On the Road
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

On the Road Paperback - 1976

by Jack Kerouac


About this book

Perhaps the most famous and influential of the Beat novels, Jack Kerouac's On the Road represents much of what made the Beat and Counterculture movements so unique and important. The plot concerning the road trips and adventures experienced by Kerouac and his friends is well-known, as are the rumors and tall tales of the books' production.

Kerouac often claimed that the wrote On the Road in a mere three weeks on a single 120-foot scroll of paper. Although that scroll does indeed exist and is featured in museums, Kerouac kept detailed journals of his travels that would later become passages and chapters in the finished product. The book was first published by Viking in 1957. 


Viking Press would go on to publish an edited version of On the Road in 2007 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first printing. They substituted the fictional names for the real Beat protagonists, and they even included some of the more sexually explicit passages that were edited out of the 1957 edition.


Due to the cultural significance of the book, true first editions/first printings of On the Road are quite valuable. But be warned: it is easy to mistake reprints or book club editions for the real thing, so always check with an expert before making a significant purchase.

Summary

On the Road chronicles Jack Kerouac's years traveling the North American continent with his friend Neal Cassady, "a sideburned hero of the snowy West." As "Sal Paradise" and "Dean Moriarty," the two roam the country in a quest for self-knowledge and experience. Kerouac's love of America, his compassion for humanity, and his sense of language as jazz combine to make On the Road an inspirational work of lasting importance.

Kerouac’s classic novel of freedom and longing defined what it meant to be “Beat” and has inspired every generation since its initial publication more than fifty years ago.

From the publisher

The classic novel of freedom and the search for authenticity that defined a generation

September 5th, 2017 marks the 60th anniversary of the publication of On the Road Inspired by Jack Kerouac's adventures with Neal Cassady, On the Road tells the story of two friends whose cross-country road trips are a quest for meaning and true experience. Written with a mixture of sad-eyed naivet and wild ambition and imbued with Kerouac's love of America, his compassion for humanity, and his sense of language as jazz, On the Road is the quintessential American vision of freedom and hope, a book that changed American literature and changed anyone who has ever picked it up.

First Edition Identification

On The Road was first published by Viking in 1957. True first printings of the book include the $3.95 pricing information on the top right hand corner of the front inside dust jacket flap. Later printings and subsequent book club editions do not feature the price in that location. Additionally, a photo of Kerouac is featured on the back inside cover flap along with a brief description of the author.

Details

  • Title On the Road
  • Author Jack Kerouac
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition Later Printing
  • Pages 320
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Penguin Books, New York
  • Date 1976-12-28
  • ISBN 9780140042597 / 0140042598
  • Weight 0.5 lbs (0.23 kg)
  • Dimensions 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.7 in (19.56 x 12.95 x 1.78 cm)
  • Ages 18 to UP years
  • Grade levels 13 - UP
  • Reading level 940
  • Themes
    • Topical: Coming of Age
  • Library of Congress subjects Autobiographical fiction, Beat generation
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 57009425
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

Media reviews

Citations

  • Entertainment Weekly, 01/08/2016, Page 105
  • Newsweek, 03/30/2009, Page 14
  • Outside, 09/01/2007, Page 40
  • People Weekly, 08/18/2008, Page 50

About the author

Jack Kerouac(1922-1969), the central figure of the Beat Generation, was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1922 and died in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1969. Among his many novels are On the Road, The Dharma Bums, Big Sur, and Visions of Cody.
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On the Road

On the Road

by Jack Kerouac

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780140042597 / 0140042598
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1
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Cambridge, New York, United States
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Description:
Penguin Books. Paperback. Good. 1976. Trade paperback. Cover surface is in great shape, showing very little visible rubbing. Edges and corners show some minor denting or small creases. Book is clean and free of stickers, residue or marks. Binding is a bit loose, but pages are secure. Pages are clean and appear to be free of marks or tears. Used
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$2.49
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On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)

by Kerouac, Jack

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UsedGood
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780140042597 / 0140042598
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On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)

On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)

by Kerouac, Jack

  • Used
  • Acceptable
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Acceptable
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780140042597 / 0140042598
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Description:
Penguin Books, 1976. Paperback. Acceptable. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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$5.99
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On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)

On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)

by Kerouac, Jack

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780140042597 / 0140042598
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Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
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Description:
Penguin Books, 1976. Paperback. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
$5.99
FREE shipping to USA
On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)

On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)

by Kerouac, Jack

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780140042597 / 0140042598
Quantity Available
4
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
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Description:
Penguin Books, 1976. Paperback. Good. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
$5.99
FREE shipping to USA
On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)

On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)

by Kerouac, Jack

  • Used
  • Acceptable
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Acceptable
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780140042597 / 0140042598
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
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Description:
Penguin Books, 1976. Paperback. Acceptable. Missing dust jacket; Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
$5.99
FREE shipping to USA
On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)

On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)

by Kerouac, Jack

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780140042597 / 0140042598
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$5.99
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Penguin Books, 1976. Paperback. Good. Missing dust jacket; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
$5.99
FREE shipping to USA
On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

On the Road (Penguin Orange Collection)

by Kerouac, Jack

  • Used
Condition
UsedAcceptable
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780140042597 / 0140042598
Quantity Available
2
Seller
Interlochen, Michigan, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
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Description:
UsedAcceptable. The item is very worn but continues to work perfectly. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Page edges may have foxing (age related spots and browning). May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
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On the Road
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

On the Road

by Jack Kerouac

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780140042597 / 0140042598
Quantity Available
1
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Penguin (Non-Classics), 1976-12-28. Paperback. Good.
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On the Road
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

On the Road

by Kerouac, Jack

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780140042597 / 0140042598
Quantity Available
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Penguin Publishing Group. Used - Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
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