Neal Cassady the fast life of a beat hero - Sandison, David (Chicago Review Press, 2006)
Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002
Includes bibliographical references (pages 329-330) and index
This in-depth biography--the first to explore the ups and downs of Neal Cassady--takes a look at the man who achieved immortality as Dean Moriarty, the central character in Jack Kerouac's On the Road. A charismatic, funny, articulate, and formidably intelligent man, Cassady was also a compulsive womanizer who lived life on the edge. His naturalistic, conversational writing style inspired Kerouac, who lifted a number of passages verbatim and unaccredited from Cassady's letters for significant episodes in On the Road. Drawing on a wealth of new research and full cooperation from central figures in his life--including Carolyn Cassady and Ken Kesey--this account captures Cassady's unique blend of inspired lunacy and deep spirituality.--From publisher description