Finished: On the Road (Kerouac). Ugh...really didn't like this book! I think it's so highly overrated and can't understand WHY it's on so many top lists to read. I have no use for shiftless, goalless, selfish losers like the character around which all the action centers, Dean Moriarty. I just don't see the point in glorifying his lifestyle, or justifying, whatsover, his actions by writing a book about it. I can't imagine why this book is such a big deal. It's the late 1940's. Part-time college boy, Sal, meets aimless wanderer and pontificator, Dean, in New York. Sal and Dean cross the country, speeding, mooching off "friends", doing drugs, having sex with whatever girls they can find, sometimes stealing, always stinking (or so I imagine), and end up in Denver or San Fransisco to continue their lifestyles of debauchery. I say "or" because they do this several times throughout the book. Same old, same old...descriptions of their travels, pages of Dean's reaction to them listening to great jazz bands, etc. Dean has three different wives who he marries, divorces, has kids with, goes back to, leaves again, etc. He always ends up leaving Sal behind somewhere. And Sal, usually having got his life somewhat together when Dean shows up again, always drops everything and follows him. For some reason Sal worships him. I think he's scum. End of story. Kerouac, check.