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Jack Kerouac

Jack Kerouac Quotes

Novelist

Jack Kerouac, born on March 12, 1922, in Lowell, Massachusetts, was an influential American novelist. Known for his autobiographical novels and beat literature, his most famous work is 'On the Road'. Kerouac's writings had a profound impact on American culture in the 1960s.

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All Wisdom World Thinking Knows Dharma Bums Writing Men Night Way Life Jack Kerouac Want Beat Generation Dream Girl Mind People Ifs Realizing Stars

Famous Jack Kerouac Quotes

“...we all must admit that everything is fine and there's no need in the world to worry, and in fact we should realize what it would mean to us to UNDERSTAND that we're not REALLY worried about ANYTHING.”

World Needs Should Mean Facts Wisdom Realizing Worry Fine Worried

Book:On the Road: The Original Scroll: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

Source: On the Road: The Original Scroll: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

“There are worse things than being mad.”

Wisdom Mad Being Mad

Author:Jack Kerouac

“If you own a rug you own too much.”

Ifs Wisdom Too Much

Author:Jack Kerouac

“I was surprised, as always, be how easy the act of leaving was, and how good it felt. The world was suddenly rich with possibility.”

World Wisdom Felt Easy Rich Possibility Leaving

Author:Jack Kerouac

“Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.”

Wisdom Behinds Inspire Travel Traveled Traveller Travel Adventure Roads Traveled

Book:On the Road: The Original Scroll: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

Source: On the Road: The Original Scroll: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

“The details are the life of it, I insist, say everything on your mind, don’t hold back, don’t analyze or anything as you go along, say it out.”

Mind Wisdom Details

Book:The Subterraneans

Source: The Subterraneans

“Ah, it was a fine night, a warm night, a wine-drinking night, a moony night, and a night to hug your girl and talk and spit and be heavengoing.”

Wisdom Night Girl Fine Wine Drinking Warm Hug Spit Drinking Wine

Book:On the Road: The Original Scroll: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

Source: On the Road: The Original Scroll: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

“My eyes were glued on life and they were full of tears.”

Wisdom Eye Tears

Book:Atop an Underwood: Early Stories and Other Writings

Source: Atop an Underwood: Early Stories and Other Writings

“Pain or love or danger makes you real again.”

Real Wisdom Pain Danger Dharma Bums

Book:The Dharma Bums

Source: The Dharma Bums

“I promise I shall never give up, and that I'll die yelling and laughing, and that until then I'll rush around this world I insist is holy and pull at everyone's lapel and make them confess to me and to all.”

World Giving Wisdom Dies Laughing This World Holy Promise Giving Up Never Giving Up I Promise Yelling Stubbornness

Book:Windblown World: The Journals of Jack Kerouac, 1947-1954

Source: Windblown World: The Journals of Jack Kerouac, 1947-1954

“Better to sleep in an uncomfortable bed free, than sleep in a comfortable bed unfree.”

Wisdom Sleep Bed Comfortable Uncomfortable Dharma Bums Unfree

Book:The Dharma Bums

Source: The Dharma Bums

“The beauty of things must be that they end.”

Book:Tristessa (Annotated)

Source: Tristessa (Annotated)

“So therefore I dedicate myself, to my art, my sleep, my dreams, my labors, my suffrances, my loneliness, my unique madness, my endless absorption and hunger because I cannot dedicate myself to any fellow being.”

Art Wisdom Dream Sleep Loneliness Unique Labor Madness Fellows Hunger Endless Absorption

Author:Jack Kerouac

“I just won't sleep," I decided. There were so many other interesting things to do.”

Wisdom Sleep Interesting Decided Things To Do Interesting Things

Book:On the Road: The Original Scroll: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

Source: On the Road: The Original Scroll: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

“I realized these were all the snapshots which our children would look at someday with wonder, thinking their parents had lived smooth, well-ordered lives and got up in the morning to walk proudly on the sidewalks of life, never dreaming the raggedy madness and riot of our actual lives, our actual night, the hell of it, the senseless emptiness.”

Thinking Wells Looks Children Wisdom Dream Night Parent Walks Wonder Morning Hell Madness Our Children I Realized Emptiness Someday Smooth Riot Sidewalk Snapshots Actual Life

Book:On the Road

Source: On the Road

“"What do you want out of life?" I asked, and I used to ask that all the time of girls.”

Want Wisdom Used Girl Asks

Book:On the Road: The Original Scroll: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

Source: On the Road: The Original Scroll: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

“Because in the end, you won't remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain”

About the Author

Born: March 12, 1922
Died: October 21, 1969
Known for: Novelist
Quotes: 593

Related Topics

Wisdom World Thinking Knows Dharma Bums Writing Men Night Way Life Jack Kerouac Want Beat Generation Dream Girl Mind People Ifs Realizing Stars

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Books & Sources

The Dharma BumsRelated source material

On the RoadRelated source material

On the Road: The Original Scroll: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)Related source material

The Portable Jack KerouacRelated source material

Road Novels 1957-1960Related source material

Big Sur (Annotated)Related source material

Desolation AngelsRelated source material

Lonesome TravelerRelated source material

Selected letters, 1940-1956Related source material

Atop an Underwood: Early Stories and Other WritingsRelated source material

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