On the road : Jack Kerouac's manuscript scroll

Neat exhibition at the British Library to showcase the original scroll version of Jack Kerouac's book "On the road". 

The scroll was displayed in a long case with annotations along the edge and passages and pictures on the walls around it. There was also a useful who's who as the names were changed for publication.  There were aLso different editions of the book and other  beat works. 

The work was written on a Scroll because Kerouac didn't want to stop the flow of creativity to reload paper so taped pieces together paper to form scroll. It was written in 3 weeks in 1951 based on years of  notes and sketches. 

The scroll is am amazing object in itself as it is one continuous script not even paragraph breaks giving a real sense of the flow of ideas!

I hate to admit I knew very little about this book other than the basics before the exhibition but as a result of it am off to the bookshop to buy a copy! 


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