Guest Newsletter: Five Books - USA And Kerouac

The Best Books on the United States

For all its rugged individualism, frontier violence, and capitalist churn, there’s always a search for grace in America, argues Don Watson, author of the excellent The Shortest History of the United States of America. As the country celebrates the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence, we asked him for books to read to learn more about it. Read more

The Best Jack Kerouac Books

Jack Kerouac—drifter, drinker, giant of American literature—became a Beat Generation icon after the publication of On the Road in 1957. But his experimental, improvisatory prose is often misinterpreted as artless "typing," as Howard Cunnell, Kerouac scholar and author of new memoir Sun Country, explains. Here he recommends five books that offer a better understanding of Kerouac's ambition and range as a writer. Read more