Customer Reviews

The Dharma Bums

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Can't say that this really grabs me like On The Road did. I feel less like in on the action and comings and goings of the people mentioned in the novel. Admittedly this may have to do with the fact that I actually read On The Road before I purchased the audio book and I only read part of The Dharma Bums, before getting the audio book. The person who narrates the audio book seems bored and listless.

Less plot, more pot than On the Road. Where Kerouac's most famous novel was all about reckless travel, music, girls, and rebellion, Dharma Bums is more introspective. Lots of meditation, soul searching and existential ruminations about life, truth, and nature. My only regret is that I didn't choose the book format, as it was hard to keep up with all the philosophical ramblings while listening in the car.

Kerouac may be best known for On The Road, but this is by far my favorite of his books. Looking back, it has probably been the most influential book on my life. The story is just so honest and original and beautiful, it confirmed my desire to be a writer when I read it as a sophomore in high school. But not just a writer. It made me want to live my life without shackles, free like Kerouac's character Japhy (Gary Snyder), climbing mountains and writing poetry. It captures the Boho 50's era like no other, especially in the Bay Area. Finally, it inspired me to learn more about Buddhism and eventually spend a year in a Buddhist monastery. I've never met someone who has read The Dharma Bums and hasn't loved it. It's one of the best books of the 20th century.

By Jaimal Yogis, author of Saltwater Buddha