Re: Salinger and the Beats
Malcolm Lawrence (malcolm@wolfenet.com)
Tue, 12 May 1998 20:51:17 -0700
Jaramillojp@kktv.com wrote:
> I think I had a Salinger connection again today with the beats. The
> professor in class today said that Kerouac had a brother that died at an
> early age. I might be wrong because it was late in the class and my
> attention span is about as broad as a nat but I believe that is what he
> said. He also said that Kerouac always felt like he never lived up to
> the brother who for the time he was alive was much brighter and more
> intelligent than Jack. Maybe I got this all wrong but it is so much like
> Holden.
No, you heard right. Kerouac had a little brother who apparently was a saint
who died when he was only seven years old whom he immortalized in Visions of
Gerard. It hasn't got one stitch of his "road" style of writing in it
whatsoever and is one of the most touching books I've ever read. If you've
read Hapworth it's worth reading for the perspective of a "real" saintly
young 'un as opposed to a "fictional" one.
> I just can't stop myself from making connections to Salinger.
> Suerte
That's okay. I just can't stop talking about love. To borrow an old Led
Zeppelin line. lol.
Malcs