Alistair Campbell's story about On The Road

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!" "
This line encapsulates my enduringly number one book of all time. I read 'On The Road' when I was about 16. Totally unlike any book I'd ever read. Not a story as such, more of a time machine. More than anything I have ever read or seen on a silver screen it pulled me off my bed and onto the dusty road of '50s americana.... but that is not what is really important, what is really important is that kerouac writes completely honestly about everything. Nothing is written for show, no characters are cast, no message hidden, not a whiff of bullshit just life. Raw, sad, happy, drunken, broke, crazy, boring, dirty, tired life. Mine was never the same. I didn't go broke hitching across America but I did do it on the greyhounds. Sadly it's not the same place anymore and who knows if it ever would have been for me, after all a book is just one persons vision. I went to Japan and Thailand and Australia, some European countries too later on. I had girlfriends (everyone I still love a bit), got married, grew up had some amazing party years, especially Tokyo mentalness. I still love Tokyo and I think she might still have a crush on me. Lost both my parents to old age (too young tho). But the journey started for me with Jack. His book lit the path to living a life that is full. Pain and Joy and all of that, no fucking hiding get offyerarse and go get some. And for fuck sake get out of Cumbernauld.