The Haunted Life: and Other Writings

Those familiar with Kerouac know The Town and the City and Vanity of Duluoz, but little is known of his work The Haunted Life because Kerouac lost the manuscript during the writing process and never returned to the project. Recovered decades later and published now for the first time, Kerouac’s unfinished work offers a glimpse into the embryonic development of an icon’s creative process.

The Haunted Life: and Other Writings collects not only the incomplete text of Kerouac’s lost work, but numerous pieces related to it and other Kerouac works featuring Peter Martin and his family. With notes regarding plot, structure, themes, and overtones – from the journey intrinsic in gaining perspective to the shedding of youthful prejudices good and bad – this is a remarkable window into both the man and his work.

And there are some surprising insights to be culled from the book. His statement that “No Joyce, no Auden, no Kafka has anything to say to a True American” is bold, one that reveals something about both Kerouac and his father Leo, whose presence looms large in several of Kerouac’s works.

The Haunted Life is a rare opportunity for fans and aspiring writers alike.