On the Road (50th Anniversary Edition)

By: Jack Kerouac

Narrated by: Will Patton

A 50th anniversary hardcover edition of Kerouac’s classic novel that defined a generation

Few novels have had as profound an impact on American culture as On the Road. Pulsating with the rhythms of 1950s underground America, jazz, sex, illicit drugs, and the mystery and promise of the open road, Kerouac’s classic novel of freedom and longing defined what it meant to be “beat” and has inspired generations of writers, musicians, artists, poets, and seekers who cite their discovery of the book as the event that “set them free.” Based on Kerouac’s adventures with Neal Cassady, On the Road tells the story of two friends whose four cross-country road trips are a quest for meaning and true experience. Written with a mixture of sad-eyed naïveté and wild abandon, and imbued with Kerouac’s love of America, his compassion for humanity, and his sense of language as jazz, On the Road is the quintessential American vision of freedom and hope, a book that changed American literature and changed anyone who has ever picked it up. This hardcover edition commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the first publication of the novel in 1957 and will be a must-have for any literature lover.

©1955, 1957 John Sampas, Literary Representative, the Estate of Stella Sampas Kerouac; John Lash, Executor of the Estate of Jan Kerouac; Nancy Bump; and Anthony M. Sampas; (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

A True Classic

Very thought-provoking. I found myself thinking about this book often while NOT listening to it and also mentioning it to friends. (always a sign of a good book!)

A wonderful picture of the age . . .

The narrator . . . simply incredible. A friend mentioned that they "couldn't get through it" and I think had they listened rather than read it, it would have made a difference. a really worthwhile use of a credit!

An Essential American Portrait

Kerouac peers into the soul of America and captures a true snapshot of a mood and a movement that endured for the better part of a century. It is compelling, though not a pretty picture. It is unifying in its treatment of the American landscape and culture. Complex and tragic are the characters, which are brilliantly animated by the narration. The result is a powerfully endearing image despite its deeply flawed protagonists. I don’t know why I waited so long to pick up this title.

Will Patton is the greatest narrator!

What did you love best about On the Road?

Of course this is a classic, a "must read" -- but narrated by Will Patton, this version is a "Do Not Miss"!

What other book might you compare On the Road to and why?

No comparison to the book or the narrator...

What does Will Patton bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I guess this is a two-part question. At this point, I wouldn't have been able to "just read the book"; which is why I use Audible and other sources for recorded books.
So, with that said, Will Patton provides an amazing voice range and inflection, and an ability to convey many distinct characters and personalities in a believable way -- truly difficult to fully describe, but the best narrator I have heard in years of listening to recorded books.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No -- better to enjoy it in segments

Any additional comments?

After listening to this book, I would listen to Will Patton read just about anything.

Great narration!

This story is classic! Love the characters. Will Patton gives them life! He added a whole new dimension to the story.

Makes you think how life has changed

I haven’t read many books like this, but I’m glad I did. Just the story of a few young men and women in the 1940s-50s. Living life to the fullest. Not without its transgressions and regrets, but none the less a magnificent tell of the rare American Author. Don’t get it twisted tho they some wild boys