dead beat scrollbezeldesignSeptember 27 2006, 21:01:13 UTC
I've read the book, of course, but I didn't know it started out as a scroll. Awesome. They don't make maniacs like they used to. (But then, I'm old so what do I know...)
I didn't know you were taking Lit of Beat Movement, and I happen to be a big fan of the Beats. Especially the poetry. I ran a Beat poetry reading in college--it was very cool fun...
I have not read on the Road. I probably should. I think its interesting that people seem to gloss over the fact that he was hopped on amphetamines while he wrote it possibly explaining the rocket like pace at which completed it. It points out a certain hypocracy in our nation over how we define the traditional american work ethic. I don't think anyone is really willing to admit that the modern success of America is built on uppers even if those uppers are legally occuring caffeine in coffee for most people.
My other question is.. if you get handed a scroll how does one assign reading? "Read the first 20 feet and be prepared to discuss" ?? :-D
According to my teacher, it's a myth that he was taking benzedrine during the time that he was writing on the road. The evidence supposedly comes from letters he wrote to his friends, detailing how coffee, not benzedrine, was what Kerouac considered the perfect drug to be on while writing. However, he definitely did take benzedrine quite often at other points in his life, as did Ginsberg, and Borroughs. It was easy to get in those days, as it could be found in the strips inside inhalers. People would just take the strips out and swallow them down with a cup of coffee. I'm reading Borrough's Junky now, there's a pretty good account of this very process.
Interesting to know. I guess some myths can make it far. There was a program on the History channel that mentioned that one. and also I need to read more things that aren't technical manuals lol
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people seem to gloss over the fact that he was hopped on amphetamines
while he wrote it possibly explaining the rocket like pace at which completed
it. It points out a certain hypocracy in our nation over how we define the
traditional american work ethic. I don't think anyone is really willing to
admit that the modern success of America is built on uppers even if those
uppers are legally occuring caffeine in coffee for most people.
My other question is.. if you get handed a scroll how does one assign
reading? "Read the first 20 feet and be prepared to discuss" ?? :-D
Reply
However, he definitely did take benzedrine quite often at other points in his life, as did Ginsberg, and Borroughs. It was easy to get in those days, as it could be found in the strips inside inhalers. People would just take the strips out and swallow them down with a cup of coffee. I'm reading Borrough's Junky now, there's a pretty good account of this very process.
Reply
program on the History channel that mentioned that one. and also I need to
read more things that aren't technical manuals lol
Reply
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