New York: The Viking Press, 1958. First Edition. Book is very nearly Fine, sharp and unread with flawless gilt, but the green top stain is a bit faded towards the spine. In a Near Fine jacket, with moderate rubbing near the spine fold and flap folds, and small tears at spine ends. An attractive example of this Beat Generation staple.

A cornerstone of Beat literature, the Dharma Bums is largely based on events in Jack Kerouac's own life. Published only two years after On the Road, the semi-fictional work follows two men through California and Washington as they engage in a Buddhist-inspired search for truth outside the mainstream -- conversing about spirituality with fellow wanderers, performing slam poetry, backpacking through the Sierra Nevada, and engaging in an emerging drug and alcohol culture. Of this dive into counterculture, a contemporary New York Times review praised Kerouac for his ability to capture the texture and experience of these existential moments: "In his often brilliant descriptions of nature one is aware of exhilarating power and originality." Fine in Near Fine dust jacket. (Item #5346)

Price: $850