On the Road

Reflecting the jazzy style of its day, ON THE ROAD gave an honest vision to a post-war generation of bored youths longing for sex, drugs and adventure on the open road. Kerouac counterpoints the rhythms and structures of Sal Paradise's long, poetic sentences with Dean Moriarty's bursts of raw energy to create the music of this apotheosis of Beat. Tom Parker (aka Grover Gardner) performs with intelligence in pacing and characterization and complete awareness of meanings. Parker's strong but relaxed voice carries us through the lonely, love-starved American landscape in which the mystical (and now mythological) Moriarty fights a losing battle against oblivion. Tom Parker's performance is tremendous. He makes it seem so easy! P.W. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


The year 2007 marked the 50th anniversary of this modern classic, and an audio interpretation is a marvelous way to experience Kerouac's free-flowing prose. Will Patton, noted for his performance of books by James Lee Burke, is a fine match for this text. ON THE ROAD is a winding, meandering journey, and Patton's performance as narrator provides the map. His voice brings the vitality of Kerouac's sense of spontaneity into being. Patton creates distinct voices for the two main characters, speaking for Kerouac in the guise of the observant Sal Paradise and for his friend Neal Cassady in the guise of the pleasure-seeking Dean Moriarty. Patton is appropriately quiet or exuberant, optimistic or cautious, and an ideal guide into the experience that is ON THE ROAD. R.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine