Awesome, awesome book... First read it when i was 15, turned me on to a lot of history's famous beats (Allen Ginsburg, Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady), freaks, bikers, hippies, acid tests, the Grateful Dead... tons of great stuff. It's a good platform for branching off into other classic 50's and 60's people/scenes. The thing i really liked about the book is that Tom Wolfe is a great author and not only does he tell the story of the Merry Pranksters famous bus ride and acid tests, but he infuses the story with the idealism and general vibe that was being felt during his time with the pranksters. You get the feeling after reading it that you were a part of it all, and that you've got a little secret that others might not know. Even if you're not into that kind of scene, it's a hisotrically important book, introducing a lot of people that you're likely to hear in many conversations. Another one of my first books that blew me away, was Aldous Huxley's Doors of Perception. It was weird cause i had written an english essay and the teacher thought i had copied the ideas from that book... i had no idea what book she was talking about, but when i read it... i could definately see the resemblence. Love when that happens.
The story of a journey, in a bus, from California, to New York City, to see The Beatles play in Shea Stadium in 1965. With Neal Cassidy behind the wheel. With a side-trip to visit Dr. Timothy Leary in New York's Hudson Valley village of ****** I belive that LSD was legal at this time. The stories of the bus being pulled over, and the fast-talking explanations by N. Cassidy are funny. The bus, named "Further" has worked its way into mainstream culture. The story of its diferent paint jobs is intersting The book reads like a time capsule to a time when hippies were an unknown minority, almost a cult. When only this minority realised that Vietnam was wrong, The War wasn't in the news. People made thier own clothing. The stories of early goverment LSD experiments and all the eagar volunteers are funny. Its a windoew to a simpler time. The "pilgrimage" to Shea Stadium is espically relavent, it is at The FairGrounds, the site of the 1964 Worlds Fair when President Kennedy promised us a trip to the moon an all kinds of rockets and space-age things were on display. This influenced the movie "2001 A Space Oddesey". Its when Shea Stadium was built. A time of great idealism. It is also the site of the 1939 Worlds Fair the year when our planet faced the great choice of peace or war. This choice is illustrated in Pink Floyd's "Blue Sky" on The Wall Album. The choice was a modern utopia or destruction. Some relics of both World Fairs remain in a big park in Flushing NY. Its also the first meeting place of The UN before thier headquarters was built. Its also the town of my birth.
I think everybody in this forum has read that book. Good book, nothing revalatory or exceptionally amazing, but a good book
It depends on which part of the book. I love that part where Kesey crashes that Anti-Vietnam rally in Berkeley and totally blows the steam out of their march to Oakland. Part of what I like about that book is that it actually blows all of the stereotypical hippy bullshit out of the water. These were true free thinkers, the real deal. They did whatever tf they wanted to do and did it with lsd tinged zeal! The Grateful Dead partially retained this philosophy in their music after the acid tests when they became a concert-based performance band. Have you noticed how the Dead almost never performed songs about politics, pacifism, etc.? I think this book shows alot of the early hippy movement's association with an evolving non-bourgeoise/pretensious beat movement in SF, SEPERATE but loosely affiliated with Free Speech and Civil Rights accross the bay. In anycase, I think Tom Wolfe does a great job!
This is one of the best books I have ever read, it kept me turning the pages over and over again and completely changed the way i look at life, it also made me want to live in puerto valerta haha Peace and Love, Dan
I'm reading it now! this book is so so so awesome so far. <3 I avoided reading comments in this thread to avoid spoilers.
I got it for Christmas, but I've been so busy with my readings for my English classes that I haven't had the time to read it. But I intend to as soon as I graduate in May! haha
I liked it, but I enjoyed Dharma Bums and On the Road more. Are any of the Pranksters still around? I know Kesey and Cassady are dead.
Tom Wolfe, although talented, is definately no Jack Kerouac... 2 different men, 2 entirely different styles and lifestyles... the incidents surrounding kerouacs writing of On the Road makes it a book comparable to few others.
EKAT is onthe spot reporting. Kerouac was fiction. cruise through Hell's Angels by HST and compare that one party... all depends on the reporter!
