Music Babble

as it's much rougher and contains the original names. It's more clearly a precursor to the "personal essay" style that's become dominant today.

I don't really care about Kerouac - just read Henry Miller - but On the Road is more compelling if you see it within the wider story of Kerouac's depression, isolation, alcoholism, etc. It's much sadder and more ironic.

You don't like Rexroth, or do you not consider him a Beat poet?