Desolation angels
by Jack Kerouac · first published 1960
6mentions
2recommended by
6HN commenters
2016–2026first – last mentioned
33% recommend50% neutral17% critical
Desolation Angels is a semi-autobiographical novel written by Beat Generation author Jack Kerouac, which makes up part of his Duluoz Legend. It was published in 1965, but was written years earlier, around the time On the Road was in the process of publication. According to the book's foreword, the opening section of the novel is taken almost directly from the journal he kept when he was a fire lookout on Desolation Peak in the North Cascade mountains of Washington state. Much of the psychological struggle which the novel's protagonist, Jack Duluoz, undergoes in the novel reflects Kerouac's own
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
…poetry makes more sense. It's been a while, but I remember enjoying a lot the very early writings that were collected posthumously in Atop an Underwood, very easy to pick up arbitrarily. Other good ones - Desolation Angels, Dharma Bums, The Town and the City, Subterraneans, Satori in Paris. Those are all formative. There was another posthumous release And the Hippos Were Boiled in Their Tanks which was just a funny and…
on “Jack Kerouac's 37 metre-long, first draft scroll of On the Road to be auctioned” ↗Or better yet, Desolation Angels, where a solid half of the book is fire watching
on “Being Bored Is Good” ↗Perhaps more famous - Jack Kerouac, Desolation Angels.
on “Diary of a Fire Lookout (2008)” ↗Zen Mind, Beginners Mind The Dharma Bums - kerouac Desolation Angels - kerouac Wake Up - Kerouac Mindfulness in plain english 10% Happier Big Sur - kerouac ... Yeah I'm on a Buddhism and Kerouac kick right now
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2016?” ↗…time it makes you cry.". My personal example would be Code Complete!) 4. Plus, this being HN, straight technical books, which I reread to refresh and improve skils The last book I reread was Kerouac's Desolation Angels, which actually for me was an interesting mix between categories 1 and 3.
on “Ask HN: Which books did you read multiple times?” ↗I read and loved "On The Road" but had to give up on Desolation Angels it just read like an incoherent stream of consciousness and felt like such hard going.
on “All of Life Is Creation: Jack Kerouac’s Art” ↗