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A review by dianosaure
Minor Characters: A Beat Memoir by Joyce Johnson
emotional
informative
medium-paced
4.0
I'm not used to leave reviews, but I loved this book. It's said it's about Joyce Johnson's relationship with Jack Kerouac, but actually a big part of he book is about how it is to be a teenager in the 1950's and how challenging it is to be independent when you're a girl. And then, Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac burst in and they are such magnetic figures, they take a lot of place. You see how Joyce Glassman (her last name at that time) try to find a way to conceal her love for Kerouac as well as her need of being independant and living her own life, while her best friend Elise is ready to do almost anything for Ginsberg.
It's well written, in simple but yet very touching sentences. I really like the way she's just describing her life back then and how she felt without adding any judgement she has developped later on.
And also, when you like the Beat Generation, it's really fascinating to see how difficult it was for Kerouac to deal with celebrity.
It's well written, in simple but yet very touching sentences. I really like the way she's just describing her life back then and how she felt without adding any judgement she has developped later on.
And also, when you like the Beat Generation, it's really fascinating to see how difficult it was for Kerouac to deal with celebrity.