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Visions of Gerard

jack kerouac

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"His life...ended when he was nine and the nuns of St. Louis de France Parochial School were at his bedside to take down his dying words because they'd heard his astonishing revelations of heaven delivered in catechism on no more encouragement than it was his turn to speak...."

Unique among Jack Kerouac's novels, Visions of Gerard focuses on the scenes and sensations of childhood—the wisdom, anguish, intensity, innocence, evil, insight, suffering, delight, and shock—as they were revealed in the short tragic-happy life of his saintly brother, Gerard. Set in Kerouac's hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts, it is an unsettling, beautiful, and sad exploration of the meaning and precariousness of existence.

130 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,1963
Places
lowell massachusetts, 

This edition

Format
130 pages, Paperback
Published
January 1, 1991 by Penguin Publishing Group
ISBN
9780140144529
ASIN
0140144528
Language
English

More editions

About the author

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jack kerouac

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Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac, known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation.
Of French-Canadian ancestry, Kerouac was raised in a French-speaking home in Lowell, Massachusetts. He "learned English at age six and spoke with a marked accent into his late teens." During World War II, he served in the United States Merchant Marine; he completed his first novel at the time, which was published more than 40 years after his death. His first published book was The Town and the City (1950), and he achieved widespread fame and notoriety with his second, On the Road, in 1957. It made him a beat icon, and he went on to publish 12 more novels and numerous poetry volumes.
Kerouac is recognized for his style of stream of consciousness spontaneous prose. Thematically, his work covers topics such as his Catholic spirituality, jazz, travel, promiscuity, life in New York City, Buddhism, drugs, and poverty. He became an underground celebrity and, with other Beats, a progenitor of the hippie movement, although he remained antagonistic toward some of its politically radical elements. He has a lasting legacy, greatly influencing many of the cultural icons of the 1960s, including Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Jerry Garcia and The Doors.
In 1969, at the age of 47, Kerouac died from an abdominal hemorrhage caused by a lifetime of heavy drinking. Since then, his literary prestige has grown, and several previously unseen works have been published.

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Community Reviews

Rating(3.8 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
22(22%)
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34(34%)
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44(44%)
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100 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
asdf234fda_a1
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This novel was a bit of a mixed bag for me.

On one hand, I was truly impressed by the incredible skill of prose that Kerouac employs. His writing is truly wonderful, with a certain charm and fluidity that draws the reader in.

However, on the other hand, there were aspects of the story that didn't quite work for me. While I loved the scenes when the family was together, there were often long stretches of moments that seemed to go on and on with very little meaning or significance to the overall story.

Given the relatively economical nature of the story, it felt like it could have benefited from a bit more tightening and pruning. Some of those extraneous moments could have been cut or condensed to make the narrative more focused and engaging.

Overall, while there were elements of this novel that I really enjoyed, there were also areas where I felt it could have been improved.
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Binex
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Kerouac's tragically beautiful tribute to young death - to souls departed too soon from this unforgiving world - Visions of Gerard offers a profound and poignant glimpse into the sadness that lies hidden behind his words.

In this work, Kerouac's writing becomes a powerful medium through which he channels his grief and longing for those who have passed away. The book is filled with vivid descriptions and emotional expressions that tug at the heartstrings of the reader.

Kerouac's ability to capture the essence of loss and the transience of life is truly remarkable. He takes us on a journey through his own experiences and emotions, allowing us to share in his pain and, perhaps, find some solace in the knowledge that we are not alone in our grief.

Visions of Gerard is not just a book about death; it is a celebration of life and a reminder of the importance of cherishing every moment we have. It is a testament to Kerouac's talent as a writer and his ability to touch the hearts of readers with his words.
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The_Vagabond
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Like other authors in the mid-20th century, Kerouac's books often faced a delay in publication. Years would pass between the time he wrote them and when they finally hit the shelves.

Take "On the Road" for example. Published in 1957, it catapulted him to fame. After that, his older works started to gain acceptance from publishers. Jack penned "Visions of Gerard" in 1956, yet it wasn't published until 1963.

For me, reading Kerouac is like embarking on a journey through a portal to a different world. His style is incredibly intense and distinctively his own. His world is a rich tapestry of memories, struggles, and dream states. I've come to realize that all of his fiction has an autobiographical element. I've read a sufficient number of his books to recognize his unique brand of stream-of-consciousness and feel at ease with it.

Gerard was his older brother, who passed away at the tender age of nine when Jack was just four. This was a life-defining event for Jack, who idolized his brother. Looking back, he views Gerard as an almost supernatural figure. I once read "A Death in the Family" by James Agee. Astonishingly, it was published just one year after Kerouac wrote "Visions of Gerard". In both books, a man reflects on his own experience of the death and funeral of a loved one from a child's perspective.

As Jack witnessed the rituals of death among the adults, he made sense of it as best he could. His writing, therefore, may be somewhat unreliable when it comes to memories. However, I found "Visions of Gerard" to be a powerful testament to memory, love, and the loss of innocence.
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wolfuck
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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While this book is notorious for being rather unique within the Kerouac canon and standing out显著地 due to that, there are indeed those who do have an affinity for this book. As a dedicated Kerouac fan, it goes without saying that I've perused it a couple of times. However, to be completely honest, it fails to have a profound impact on me. The writing style feels, I suppose, not at all reminiscent of his later works. In fact, I have a genuine preference for quite a number of his other books.


Nonetheless, it remains an essential read for the die-hard Kerouac fan. But for casual readers? I would highly recommend avoiding it and definitely not starting with this particular volume. It's extremely challenging for me to rationalize awarding it even three stars. However, I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt simply because I have a natural bias in his favor. At least I can admit to this with complete honesty! ;)

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bakenisekuro
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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A moving Proustian novel

that evokes in a crystal beauty

Kerouac's memory of his tragically late brother.

This novel is a literary masterpiece that transports readers into a world of vivid emotions and profound reflections.

The author skillfully weaves together the themes of loss, nostalgia, and the power of memory, creating a narrative that is both captivating and deeply moving.

Through the use of rich and descriptive language, the novel brings to life the characters and settings, allowing readers to experience Kerouac's memories as if they were their own.

The crystal beauty of the prose adds an extra layer of elegance and sophistication to the story, making it a truly unforgettable reading experience.

Whether you are a fan of Proust or simply enjoy a well-written novel, this work is sure to touch your heart and leave a lasting impression.
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Daddydiggle2
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I have an unwavering love for this remarkable book.

It offers a deeply sensitive and poignant depiction of childhood and the profound bond of brotherhood.

The author, Kerouac, is truly a master of his craft.

His words have the power to transport the reader into a world filled with the innocence, joys, and sorrows of youth.

The story unfolds with a delicacy that tugs at the heartstrings, making the reader feel as if they are right there, experiencing every moment alongside the characters.

Kerouac's ability to capture the essence of these themes and bring them to life on the page is nothing short of extraordinary.

It is a book that will stay with you long after you have turned the final page, leaving you with a sense of warmth and a newfound appreciation for the beauty and complexity of human relationships.

Whether you are a lover of literature or simply looking for a touching and engaging read, this book is sure to delight and inspire.
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Usagimi
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Kerouac's perspectives and recollections on the death of his brother Gerard are truly profound and moving. Gerard passed away in 1926 when he was just nine years old, and Jack was only four.

The way Kerouac describes this tragic event is both beautiful and disconcerting. His words paint a vivid picture of the emotions and experiences that accompanied this loss.

It is clear that Gerard's death had a significant impact on Kerouac's life and writing. This work stands as one of his best, as it delves deep into the human experience of grief and loss.

Through his writing, Kerouac allows us to share in his pain and understand the profound effect that such a loss can have on a person. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of cherishing our loved ones and the memories we create with them.

Overall, Kerouac's work on Gerard's death is a masterpiece that continues to touch the hearts and minds of readers today.
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Pretenseboy
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I originally read Visions of Gerard around 2009, towards the end of an early Kerouac reading spree. Among all the novels I read that year (Desolation Angels, The Dharma Bums, Lonesome Traveller, Tristessa, and Visions of Gerard), it probably left the smallest impression on me. However, since it was a favorite book of one of my close friends, I decided to revisit it.


I'm glad I did. Since 2009, I've learned a great deal about Kerouac's life and other works, mostly due to Gerald Nicosia's fantastically exhaustive biography, Memory Babe. Now, knowing more about Kerouac's own life story, especially the early tragic years surrounding his brother Gerard's death, it was much more poignant the second time around. Also, I was better prepared for Kerouac's stream-of-consciousness style, which is beautifully rendered in this short harrowing account of the Duluozes.


Pages 74-76 of the Penguin edition contain some of the most beautiful prose I've ever read anywhere. Those pages are truly stunning - Kerouac was on another plane when he wrote that section.


In this short novella, we can see that Kerouac has built upon the Buddhist philosophical discoveries and statements he laid down a year earlier in 1955 in Mexico City Blues, but here he extrapolates on them in prose format, a format in which he excels, although Mexico City Blues does have its amazing moments and is probably his strongest collection of poems.


Visions of Gerard, written in 1956 but not published until much later, is possibly Kerouac's best Buddhist-infused text in the whole Duluoz legend and Kerouac canon.


He really captures the mystical and tragic loss of innocence and paints us a portrait of sad nostalgia, a nostalgia for a family that once was. This is also very much a novel about his father, Leo, and how his father dealt (or failed to deal) with his own son's death. Not only that, Leo himself would go on to die when Kerouac was still young and at college, and the deaths of these two dear family members obviously left indelible scars in the heart and young mind of this budding writer, who would one day become a legend and the unheralded 'leader' of the beat movement.


While the story is sad (especially the last 20 pages), it is also beautiful as Kerouac captures the saintlike aspects of his younger brother, who is portrayed as a young St. Francis offering breadcrumbs to the birds outside his window, even though he knows that death is slowly creeping up on him.


This is one of Kerouac's best novels. The only two novels that might top this are Visions of Cody (the first part and last part) and the wonderful Doctor Sax. It's definitely worth a read.
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