On the Road, by Jack Kerouac

This one should be obvious. On the Road was rumored to be written in three weeks under a benzedrine induced rush. Kerouac typed the document on a single roll of paper 120 feet long. But then he couldn't get it published. Pax Acidus is deeply inspired by the Beats. Why? People tell us our writing is just as good and we can't get published either.

On the Road is the story of the beginning of Jack's "traveling days". Jack's generation grew up in Post World War II America and literally predicted and defined the rise of the counter-culture in the second half of the 20th century. Jack worshipped Rimbaud and jazz. Jack did speed, drank and tried to get his "kicks" any way he could before the whole shit house went up in flames.

The Beats stole cars and drove around reciting poetry and short stories. William S. Burroughs, Neal Cassady, Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso, and the list goes on. If you haven't read On the Road yet, well you are in for one hell of a ride. It can help you understand the white man's struggle to be free from his own wretched culture.

Want some more curious facts about Jack? Well okay. Kerouac was a mama's boy who drank himself to death at age 47 in October 1969. No shit. Talk about inspirational, man! Now! Smoke some tea, pop some bennys, and get out there on the road!