Scrolling Through: Jack Kerouac, Malcolm Cowley, and the difficult birth of On the Road.

The article focuses on the complex and lengthy journey of Jack Kerouac's novel *On the Road* from conception to publication. It details how Kerouac began drafting the novel in 1951, using a continuous scroll of paper, and highlights the myth surrounding its spontaneous creation, which overlooks the...

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Publicado en:American Scholar Vol. 94; no. 4; pp. 92 - 104
Autor principal: HOWARD, GERALD
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Phi Beta Kappa Society Autumn2025
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        atl: Scrolling Through: Jack Kerouac, Malcolm Cowley, and the difficult birth of On the Road.
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        Young adults
        Migrant agricultural workers
        Beat generation
        Radio audiences
        Literary movements
        Bashfulness
        Jazz
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          Young adults
          Migrant agricultural workers
          Beat generation
          Radio audiences
          Literary movements
          Bashfulness
          Jazz
      ab: The article focuses on the complex and lengthy journey of Jack Kerouac's novel *On the Road* from conception to publication. It details how Kerouac began drafting the novel in 1951, using a continuous scroll of paper, and highlights the myth surrounding its spontaneous creation, which overlooks the years of preparation and revision that preceded it. The narrative also explores the role of Malcolm Cowley, a literary critic and editor, who championed the book despite initial rejections from various publishers due to its controversial content and potential legal issues. Ultimately, *On the Road* was published in 1957, receiving mixed reviews but becoming a significant cultural touchstone that resonated with the Beat Generation and beyond.
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