ELEGIAC BIRTHDAYS AMERICAN: JACK KEROUAC’S CENTENARY

On The Road, cover art by Franz Kline

(Note: this piece was published originally at the estimable Arc Digital, back in March to mark the anniversary from which I take my starting point. Many thanks to my editor there, Berny Belvedere.)

Saturday marks the centenary of Jack Kerouac’s birth, March 12, 1922. I never forget it, or miss it, because it’s also my birthday. And now, because Ti-Jean is hitting his…