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On the Road

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On the Road

By: Jack Kerouac
Narrated by: Matt Dillon
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About this listen

Sal Paradise, a young innocent, joins his hero Dean Moriarty, a traveller and mystic, the living epitome of beat, on a breathless, exuberant ride back and forth across the United States. Their hedonistic search for release or fulfilment through drink, sex, drugs and jazz becomes an exploration of personal freedom, a test of the limits of the American dream.

A brilliant blend of fiction and autobiography, Jack Kerouac's exhilarating novel swings to the rhythms of 1950s underground America, racing towards the sunset with unforgettable exuberance, poignancy and autobiographical passion. One of the most influential and important novels of the 20th century, On the Road is the book that launched the beat generation and remains the bible of that literary movement.

©1957 Jack Keourac (P)2015 Audible, Inc
Classics Coming of Age Fiction Literary Fiction
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What listeners say about On the Road

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

life affirming book, makes you want to just go..

This is the third time I've read to On The Road. I was cautious coming back to this in later life, as I feared it would have horribly dated. Yes, the hipster slang and sexual politics have dated, but the shear joy of just being alive and travelling shines through. Matt Dillon's performance really brings Dean and Sal alive. He also brings the slight undercurrent of sadness out, knowing what later happened to Jack Kerouac and Neil Cassidy. But the arn't artistic mad ones always destined to burn twice as brightly but half as long? Highly highly recommend, makes you want to plan the next trip, if only Dean Moriarty was coming along for the ride...

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Lust for life

I have read this book several times it always gives me a lift, experience the world.
Matt Dillon does an excellent job, brings the story alive

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

My favourite road trip novel

The art of this book are the journeys it takes us on, so vivid are the descriptions that you can smell them and really, we are on the road throughout with Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty and all the other memorable characters Kerouac created for this outstanding novel.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Amazing performance of an overrated story

Matt Dillon was, I believe, nominated for an award for this performance and rightly so. The story itself however is very much of it's time, mysoginistic and self indulgent. Was interesting reading for a peek into a time period and a way of life I'm not accustomed to however it seemed to be neverending and repetitive.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

On the road

On the road is like poetry to my ears.
Matt Dillon’s voice seems to droll on like the road the characters travel, and it suits the storyline perfectly. Personally I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the characters that made this journey such a pleasure and experience.
This book may not be everyone’s choice but for me it was exquisite.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Loves this book so much, very gripping and dripping with atmosphere. Also a beautiful accent to listen to, a true story teller. 10/10

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

matt dillon shines bright whilst narrating this American classic.

here at the end of the first quarter of the 21st century a glance back to post (second) world war u.s. is perhaps a very rewarding exercise.
Kerouac begat Guthrie and Guthrie begat Dylan and Dylan began Springsteen; all of a sudden the u.s. had a culture as deep and worth embellishing than any of the forsaken dominions of the past and gave the western world otherwise bankrupt by genocide and poverty a new hope.
teenagers were invented with their new found disposable income.
nowadays in the 2020s .of course, its only the most expensive of doctors hand out prescriptions for amphetamines and there are fewer students tempted by America on 5 dollars a day.
perhaps this classic will act as a substitute (if there could be one) viva kerouac....viva America....

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not a successful audio book for me.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I had to give up on listening to this book, as I found the delivery very annoying, which means I cannot really judge the book itself. The narrator has a habit of tailing off the last few words in a sentence. It sounds very lazy and disinterested to me, so I couldn't get into the story. It may be a matter of taste, others may find it fine, I suggest trying a sample. I think the style of writing may work better for me in print, which I will try.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Wtf

Fast paced story which rambles on going nowhere and via the most complicated and confusing route. After the 3rd or 4th time I fell asleep while listening to it I admitted defeat and gave up trying

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Rambling Classic

It wasn’t until the last hour that it all came together for me. If you delight in an easy going low key preamble of a group of friends travelling across the USA then pour yourself a drink Dim the lights and immerse yourself in the ramblings of ordinary guys searching for themselves in the late 50s 60s.
The Narrator made this workable however don’t be expecting excitement and intrigue as this is void of such things. I don’t think that I could have lasted through the paperback version but it was certainly different.

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