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theuncultured's review against another edition
5.0
"Are we fallen angels who didn't want to believe that nothing is nothing and so were born to lose our loved ones and dear friends one by one and finally our own life, to see it proved?"
At a first glance The Dharma Bums seems to be a book about a bunch of lazy wannabe Buddhists who claim to understand the world better than the rest of us who live our lives "imprisoned in a system of work, produce, consume, work, produce, consume." However as the story rolls on, you become enmeshed with these characters who somehow go on to create a new poetry-driven counter-culture that blurs the lines between life and art, desire and talent. They lead interesting yet repulsive lives at most, the misogyny isn't lost on me, but their manner is seductive wherever it goes. You are both appalled, ashamed, and excited by news of their movement.
Kerouac gives me this intense energy almost every time I read him and I don't know what to do with it because I'm not a writer and my life is much more stable than anything in this book. He has a way of leaving you with a sense of grand joy and happiness. I am awed by everything the characters got up to, I understand their flaws and mishaps and I salute them for bringing it to us through text, especially dear Jack who, despite my natural instincts, keeps recurring as a deadbeat with the sharpest soul in the world.
What I most enjoyed about this book is that it felt like I was sitting in a room with someone familiar who was simply telling me what he had been up to.
At a first glance The Dharma Bums seems to be a book about a bunch of lazy wannabe Buddhists who claim to understand the world better than the rest of us who live our lives "imprisoned in a system of work, produce, consume, work, produce, consume." However as the story rolls on, you become enmeshed with these characters who somehow go on to create a new poetry-driven counter-culture that blurs the lines between life and art, desire and talent. They lead interesting yet repulsive lives at most, the misogyny isn't lost on me, but their manner is seductive wherever it goes. You are both appalled, ashamed, and excited by news of their movement.
Kerouac gives me this intense energy almost every time I read him and I don't know what to do with it because I'm not a writer and my life is much more stable than anything in this book. He has a way of leaving you with a sense of grand joy and happiness. I am awed by everything the characters got up to, I understand their flaws and mishaps and I salute them for bringing it to us through text, especially dear Jack who, despite my natural instincts, keeps recurring as a deadbeat with the sharpest soul in the world.
What I most enjoyed about this book is that it felt like I was sitting in a room with someone familiar who was simply telling me what he had been up to.
bbrassfield's review against another edition
4.0
I first read Jack Kerouac's work back in graduate school. My area of study was mostly the American Transcendentalist period along with Chaucer and medieval English poetry, but one of my good friends in graduate school, the Angelo to my Vincentio in our production of Measure for Measure, was doing his work on Kerouac and the Beats. Since this was the time frame where I developed an interest in buddhism, I was curious about the Dharma Bums. I read On the Road first, as it just seemed like the thing to do since this was Kerouac's most famous novel, but it was the Dharma Bums that I truly enjoyed. This is still true upon my re-read. Japhy Ryder is based on Gary Snyder, a gifted poet, essayist and buddhist teacher. Japhy is a much easier character to like than either Sal or Dean from On the Road. There is a lot of whining and irresponsible behavior on display in On the Road, in addition to some really bad examples of relationships. Japhy's journey in the Dharma Bums is very much a journey that Thoreau might have undertaken and once could argue he becomes what Sal aims to just by sitting alone atop a mountain, keeping watch for fires. It's an apt metaphor for buddhist satori in the zen school if nothing else, and yet the Dharma Bums is much more. A mature version of On the Road, with less road.
jcoryv's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book, but not as much as I thought I might. Though enough that I just bought Desolation Angels, and will be reading it next. I also learned about Gary Snyder (Japhy), and bought a couple of his books as well. So there's that.
commykaze's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
hank_vega's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
annavwhaley's review against another edition
5.0
It was a river wonderland, the emptiness of the golden eternity, orders of moss and bark and twigs and mud, all ululating mysterious visionstuff before my eyes, tranquil an everlasting nevertheless, the hillhairing trees, the dancing sunlight. (Pg225)
acsaper's review against another edition
3.0
What I learned from this book?! Well, not a whole lot. . .other than there's no need for me to feel bound by anything other than my personal happiness, and of course, trips home to mom!
Presented as Ray Smith in this autobiographical novel, Kerouac chronicles his time spent not so much [b:on the road|6288|The Road|Cormac McCarthy|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266449195s/6288.jpg|3355573] as he does off of it. The reader follows Kerouac up Matterhorn and back before finally camping out for a summer on Desolation Peak, true to its name.
A relatively simple read that flows quickly in Kerouac's familiar stream of conscious style writing. He is the only author I've found who can compress a thousand mile journey into a few pages yet still make it interesting to read.
As for the Buddhism? Well, not a whole lot of it is truly expounded. From what I picked up any references are purely Kerouac's anecdotal interpretations, but interesting nonetheless.
A fun story that begs the reader to turn off the tv, get out of the house and go see something. . .enjoy what you have, and if you don't, get rid of it, because you probably don't need it!
Presented as Ray Smith in this autobiographical novel, Kerouac chronicles his time spent not so much [b:on the road|6288|The Road|Cormac McCarthy|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266449195s/6288.jpg|3355573] as he does off of it. The reader follows Kerouac up Matterhorn and back before finally camping out for a summer on Desolation Peak, true to its name.
A relatively simple read that flows quickly in Kerouac's familiar stream of conscious style writing. He is the only author I've found who can compress a thousand mile journey into a few pages yet still make it interesting to read.
As for the Buddhism? Well, not a whole lot of it is truly expounded. From what I picked up any references are purely Kerouac's anecdotal interpretations, but interesting nonetheless.
A fun story that begs the reader to turn off the tv, get out of the house and go see something. . .enjoy what you have, and if you don't, get rid of it, because you probably don't need it!
cami19's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
lapsedmarxist's review against another edition
3.25
an exceptionally ordinary book. a short novel that cosplays as a short biographical book. it delves and deals with the exploration of admiration and friendship. he talks about the perils of putting people on pedestals. there is some cultural appropriation and this can either come off as the dharma bums appreciation of buddhism or them not knowing what they are doing. its short length is its strongest point. it is interesting if nothing else.
space_owl_'s review against another edition
5.0
I felt I could identify with the spiritual desires of the main character in The Dharma Bums which is why I liked it so much. When Japhy reaches the top of the mountain and starts whooping and roaring in victory my body was electrified and I wept. Very powerful moment in not only the book but in my life.