Desolation Angels (novel)

Desolation Angels, published in 1965, yet written years earlier around the time On the Road was in the process of publication, is a semi-autobiographical novel written by Beat Generation author Jack Kerouac, which makes up part of his Duluoz Legend. According to the book's foreword, the opening section of the novel is almost directly taken from the journal he kept when he was a fire lookout on Desolation Peak in the North Cascade mountains of Washington state. Much of the psychological struggle which the novel's protagonist, Jack Duluoz, undergoes in the novel reflects Kerouac's own increasing disenchantment with the Buddhist philosophy with which he had previously been fascinated.

Character Key ^[1]

"Because of the objections of my early publishers I was not allowed to use the same personae names in each work." ^[2]

Kerouac was not particularly conscientious about masking the identities of his friends. Partway through Chapter 91, there is this line: "'Who wants to ride freight trains!' -Gregory- 'I dont dig all this crap where you ride freight trains and have to exchange butts with bums-'" Somehow both Kerouac and the editors missed that "Gregory" was not changed to "Raphael." Similarly, the locals of Tangiers call Old Bull Hubbard, "Boorows" in Chapter 52 of Book 2, which only makes sense if you know that he is based on the real life William S. Burroughs. In Chapter 43, he refers to "...the Sundays in Neal Cassady's writings..." The editors may have ignored this since Cody is not mentioned in this context. In Part 1 of Book 2 he refers to locals calling Old Bull Gaines "Senor Gahr-va" which makes little sense unless the reader knows Gaines is based on Bill Garver. And in Chapter 80, the discussion of the meanings of Urso and Pomeray's names leads to a less than clear comparison to the name Corso.

Style

The book is broken up into two sections called Desolation Angels and Passing Through, which are then subdivided into many shorter parts. Each part focuses on a specific location where Kerouac is at that time. The first section covers Kerouac's time on the mountain and immediately after he leaves the fire lookout. The foreword of the book mentions that Kerouac was hoping to get the second section, Passing Through, published as a standalone novel.

References in popular culture

• Bad Company's 1979 album Desolation Angels was named after this novel.
• Kathy Acker's novel Kathy Goes to Haiti references this book.
• The Austin, Texas-based country band Reckless Kelly has a song titled "Desolation Angels".
• "Desolation Row", by Bob Dylan, is said to have gotten its title from this novel.

Roger Daltrey mentions the book on his solo album Parting Must be Painless on the Steve Swindells' song Dont Wait on the Stairs

• The name of alt.folk group "Mt Desolation", featuring members of The Killers, Keane, Mumford and Sons, and Noah and the Whale, is based on this book and Desolation Peak.

References

1. ^ Sandison, David. Jack Kerouac: An Illustrated Biography. Chicago: Chicago Review Press. 1999
2. ^ Kerouac, Jack. Visions of Cody. London and New York: Penguin Books Ltd. 1993.

• 1965. Desolation Angels