Jack Kerouac House

I decided to go to the small house where Jack Kerouac wrote “The Dharma Bums”, he was living here when “On the Road” was published and became an instant classic. Kerouac was compared by some critics to Ernest Hemingway. Where Heminway was the voice of the “Lost Generation”, Keroac was the voice of the “Beat Generation”. The interior of the house has been renovated to its 1950’s state. I saw one of Keroacs manuscripts once at the History Center. The entire book was written on one large scroll so Keroac never had to interrupt his thoughts by replacing paper in the typewriter. The writing poured out of him as one long stream of consciousness. The home is now a refuge to young authors who apply for a grant to write there. The Writers in Residence Project sponsors four different writers who live in the home each year rent and utility free. While I sketched a young man came out and sat on the porch and called his dad to tell him how things were going in Orlando.

Post Script: I have recently discovered that the young man on the porch was resident artist Michael Hawley.

6 thoughts on “Jack Kerouac House

  1. Indeed, the story fascinates me so much I am trying to arrange to meet and draw each resident artist in the future. I have put out feelers and my fingers are crossed.

  2. You can start by sketching me, if you like; I was the 19th writer in residence (and the only one so far from Central Florida.) I love your sketch of the house. You captured the sweet spirit!

  3. John, No the rafters are fine. I got tired of drawing straight lines. Consider it an optical distortion, or lazy hand.

    Darlyn, I would be happy to sketch you at work writing. Contact me via e-mail, or find me at the next Kerouac gathering.

    Summer, I am very serious. I will e-mail you soon. Great to meet you at the reading by the way.

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