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Content snapshot
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Violence
Barely any
Minimal violence; the suffering is psychological and physical in the breakdown register
Language
Some
Strong language consistent with Kerouac's register
Sexual Content
Some
Some adult sexual content in the Beat fiction tradition
Substance Use
A lot
Alcoholism is the novel's central subject; drinking and its consequences are depicted extensively
Emotional Intensity
A lot
A nervous breakdown and the terror of delirium tremens are depicted in extended, disturbing sequences
What this book is about
Kerouac's 1962 novel is his most harrowing — autobiographical fiction about his retreat to a friend's cabin at Big Sur after the fame of On the Road has made his life unmanageable. It depicts alcoholism, mental breakdown, and the terror of delirium tremens in unflinching detail. Less celebrated than On the Road but arguably more honest about the cost of the Beat lifestyle and of celebrity. Contains explicit descriptions of alcoholic deterioration and a frightening breakdown sequence.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Alcoholism and mental breakdown as central subject
Delirium tremens depicted in graphic detail
Reader Verification
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