Anything devoted to JACK KEROUAC in Lowell, MA? (home, neighborhoods)

[Tiger Beer]

Anything devoted to JACK KEROUAC in Lowell, MA?

[anouk_pantoufle]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Anything devoted to JACK KEROUAC in Lowell, MA?

Google is your friend:

Lowell Celebrates Kerouac

Jack Kerouac's Lowell: A guide to the neighborhoods that shaped his life and writing

Festival just passed (wish I didn't miss this one):

Jack Kerouac Literary Festival : UMass Lowell

[brightdoglover]

There's a little pocket park that has large stone tablets with quotes from his work.
I think there's begun to be an annual observance- probably around his birthday.
For some time, he was quite the embarrassment to the local folks, with his sex/drugs/alcohol stuff. Not a favorite son.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

There's a little pocket park that has large stone tablets with quotes from his work.
I think there's begun to be an annual observance- probably around his birthday.
For some time, he was quite the embarrassment to the local folks, with his sex/drugs/alcohol stuff. Not a favorite son.

An embarrassment to the local folk! No wonder he tried to get out of there!

Nontheless, sounds like an interesting city, Lowell. I've liked the photos I've seen, and would be real interesting to observe his birthday for whatever ritual they might have there.

[brightdoglover]

Well, consider a community of largely Catholic working-class people, many who emigrated from Franco Canada and likely were concerned with the community reputation. Remember the times he grew up in- that's why his work apparently resonates so much with people who felt repressed or whatever.
I personally found his stuff absurdly sexist and never liked it, but then, I didn't come from a Catholic-y repressed background, either.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

Well, consider a community of largely Catholic working-class people, many who emigrated from Franco Canada and likely were concerned with the community reputation. Remember the times he grew up in- that's why his work apparently resonates so much with people who felt repressed or whatever.
I personally found his stuff absurdly sexist and never liked it, but then, I didn't come from a Catholic-y repressed background, either.

I think the sexism doesn't come from being catholic as much as it comes from working class towns. Although the two do seem to overlap quite a bit in these regions of the country.

Nontheless, he always appealed to me, particularly when I was a young man and felt stuck in a small working-class town, overwhelmingly Catholic location as well. It wasn't the sexism that drew me in (although I think any young man who hasn't had serious relationships, can be intrigued by that). It was more the sense of awe and passion he portrayed just in the simple act of leaving his home town.