Jack Kerouac's Good Blonde and Others
Beat Generation Author's Collection of Essays & Articles
Good Blonde and Others (1993) is a posthumously-published collection of Jack Kerouac writings containing a wide variety of stories, essays, magazine articles, poetry and even introductions the “Beat Generation” author wrote for others’ books. It seems about the only thing they have in common (besides the author) are the fact that each of the thirty separate pieces were previously published at some point.
Between 1958 and 1970 (a year after Kerouac’s death), most of these pieces appeared in magazines as diverse as Playboy, Reader’s Digest and Glamour. In his introduction to Good Blonde and Others, poet and Kerouac contemporary Robert Creeley states: “This book collects, then, what was always the point, hanging out, looking around, musing on life, caring for one’s friends, and finally making a living for oneself and those one loves.”
Title Story "Good Blonde" Reminiscent of On The Road
The title story, "Good Blonde", appeared in Playboy in 1965 and is reminiscent of portions of Kerouac’s road novels in its earthy freedom and autobiographical authenticity. It is one of the few “fictional” works in this book, although the line between fiction and experience, for Kerouac, is often blurry.
The sheer variety of works included in Good Blonde and Others makes it an interesting read. It also shows the author himself to be much more well-versed in the literary than some of his critics would have readers believe. From his thoughts on baseball, Shakespeare, politics, and culture, to reflections the Beats, Zen, and Christmas at home, Kerouac covers much ground beyond the title story.
Kerouac "On Writing" Analyzes Notion of Genius
Of particular interest are the pieces in the central section of the book, entitled "On Writing". Here, in eight short works that were published mostly in literary reviews, Kerouac offers his unique perspective on the craft. In “Are Writers Made or Born?” he proclaims “Writers are made, for anyone who isn’t illiterate can write; but geniuses of the writing art like Melville, Whitman or Thoreau are born.”
Kerouac goes on to define genius, and point out that those born writers are always originators of their own, new and unique styles. Although he doesn’t say it, the notion certainly applies to himself, as does his wrap-up of the essay, written in Kerouacian voice: “…it ain’t whatcha write, it’s the way atcha write it.”
Good Blonde and Others Comprehensive Look at Kerouac's Short Prose
As with other Kerouac collections like Lonesome Traveler, Good Blonde and Others should not be considered a cohesive text, and while it may not be the best introduction to the writings of the Beat Generation author, it is a fairly comprehensive look at his shorter prose, literary criticism, and other non-fiction work. The book is certainly an invaluable addition to any Kerouac library.
Kerouac, Jack. Good Blonde and Others, 1993 Grey Fox Press, San Francisco, 217 pages. (ISBN: 0-912516-22-4).
Good Blonde and Others by Jack Kerouac
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