This book is what we have all been keenly waiting for. Kerouac's own words and thoughts and his own mad sad times in the prime of his life (25-32yo). One page he decribes going into NYC to see D. Gillespie at Bopcity then crosses the street to Birdland to see Miles Davis and Stan Getz all in the same night , other times he is hanging out with friends and late night breakfasts in the city (ham and eggs figures alot). Alot of writing on his favorite writers Twain , Balzac and especially his most favorite "old Dusty " (Doestevesky). The first part deals with his completion of Town and City and progresses to his beginning On The Road with anecdotes galore. Kerouac writes like an angel and this is the best book on or by Kerouac since the mid 1960s when he penned his last books. Buy it and keep on a special shelf. We NEED ALL his journals soon but it will be truly remarkable if any are at this level !!!