Synopses & Reviews
An account of the life of the Buddha by the author of On the Road
Though raised Catholic, in the early 1950s Jack Kerouac became fascinated with Buddhism, an interest that would have a profound impact on his ideas of spirituality and their expression in his writing from Mexico City Blues to The Dharma Bums, Published for the first time in book form, Wake Up is Kerouacas retelling of the story of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who as a young man abandoned his wealthy family and comfortable home for a lifelong search for Enlightenment. As a compendium of the teachings of the Buddha, Wake Up is a profound meditation on the nature of life, desire, wisdom, and suffering. Distilled from a wide variety of canonical scriptures, Wake Up serves as both a concise primer on the concepts of Buddhism and as an insightful and deeply personal document of Kerouacas evolving beliefs. It is the work of a devoted spiritual follower of the Buddha who also happened to be one of the twentieth centuryas most influential novelists. Wake Up: A Life of the Buddha will be essential reading for the legions of Jack Kerouac fans and for anyone who is curious about the spiritual principles of one of the worldas great religions.
Review
"[
Wake Up] contributes significantly to the fascinating picture of Kerouac's spirituality."
-Jonah Raskin, The Beat Review
Synopsis
In the early 1950s, Kerouac became fascinated with Buddhism, an interest that would have an impact on his ideas of spirituality. As a compendium of the teachings of the Buddha, "Wake Up" is a profound meditation on the nature of life, desire, and suffering.
Synopsis
Jack Kerouac?s profound meditations on the Buddha?s life and religionIn the mid-1950s, Jack Kerouac, a lifelong Catholic, became fascinated with Buddhism, an interest that had a significant impact on his ideas of spirituality and later found expression in such books as Mexico City Blues and The Dharma Bums. Originally written in 1955 and now published for the first time in paperback, Wake Up is Kerouac?s retelling of the life of Prince Siddhartha Gotama, who as a young man abandoned his wealthy family and comfortable home for a lifelong search for enlightenment. Distilled from a wide variety of canonical scriptures, Wake Up serves as both a penetrating account of the Buddha?s life and a concise primer on the principal teachings of Buddhism.
About the Author
Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) is the author of
On the Road, The Dharma Bums, Visions of Cody, and
Big Sur, among others.
Robert A. F. Thurman, chair of religious studies at Columbia University, is the author of many books, including, most recently, Why the Dalai Lama Matters: His Act of Truth as the Solution for China, Tibet, and the World. He lives in New York City.