On September 5, 1957, this book was published. I first read it 32 years ago. My two most vivid memories are 1) the shock of realizing that the events in the book took place between 1947 and 1950 and not in the late 50s/early 60s. 2) my Dad telling me (I was 16 yrs old then) that “that book had screwed up my head” – in late 1985, just before moving from Rochester to Copenhagen – I made a pilgrimage to Lowell where I stood at Kerouac’s grave and spent an evening with ‘Father Spike’ – who had been the priest when Jack was an alter boy and also gave the eulogy at his funeral. We drove around and drank in the same bars Kerouac did, while he regaled me with tales of Jack. Years later in North Beach, I listened to Carolyn Cassady talk about Jack. At that point, my journey was nearly complete.
– Pat Thomas is the author of the recently released work, Listen, Whitey! The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965-1975
