life affirming book, makes you want to just go..

This is the third time I've read to On The Road. I was cautious coming back to this in later life, as I feared it would have horribly dated. Yes, the hipster slang and sexual politics have dated, but the shear joy of just being alive and travelling shines through. Matt Dillon's performance really brings Dean and Sal alive. He also brings the slight undercurrent of sadness out, knowing what later happened to Jack Kerouac and Neil Cassidy. But the arn't artistic mad ones always destined to burn twice as brightly but half as long? Highly highly recommend, makes you want to plan the next trip, if only Dean Moriarty was coming along for the ride...

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Lust for life

I have read this book several times it always gives me a lift, experience the world.
Matt Dillon does an excellent job, brings the story alive

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My favourite road trip novel

The art of this book are the journeys it takes us on, so vivid are the descriptions that you can smell them and really, we are on the road throughout with Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty and all the other memorable characters Kerouac created for this outstanding novel.

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Amazing performance of an overrated story

Matt Dillon was, I believe, nominated for an award for this performance and rightly so. The story itself however is very much of it's time, mysoginistic and self indulgent. Was interesting reading for a peek into a time period and a way of life I'm not accustomed to however it seemed to be neverending and repetitive.

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On the road

On the road is like poetry to my ears.
Matt Dillon’s voice seems to droll on like the road the characters travel, and it suits the storyline perfectly. Personally I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the characters that made this journey such a pleasure and experience.
This book may not be everyone’s choice but for me it was exquisite.

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A superb rendition of an epic book

A many times read book is given a new lease of life by Matt Dillon for which he must be congratulated. Beyond its significance in American and World literature is the description of a , sadly, too much changed world. A book to savour and enjoy, repeatedly

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definitely a product of its time

Definitely a product of its time. Whilst the characters lie, cheat and steal their way across America full of indignation that the police would stop them at any point.

The rambling 'Spontaneous Prose' of the piece is an interesting way of writing and I guess if the story is really about the journey rather the destination one way to emphasis that is to make are that Sal Paradise never gets where he's aiming to get. My biggest takeaway is the characters who's hedonistic ways see them burn through all the money they can get, have, cheat or have wired to them.

Full of awe about the road that they're on and the people they meet along the way, crossing America with only 10 sandwiches in your pocket and having a lot of questionable hobbies and sexual preferences. A lot of problematic behaviour to "fags" when they court underage girls with abandon and mistreat almost every female character in the novel (although they're not exactly kind to each other they at least feel bad about it).

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Good story

Excellent listen, not unexpected sad ending.
Supposedly we all have to grasp the nettle and settle down and conform

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Probably better than it sounds

I believe On the Road is regarded as an American classic but I knew next to nothing about it. I assumed that, being voiced by a well known actor, it would be great combination. I’m not sure it worked out.

Matt Dillon’s voice is appropriately gravelly, and some of the dialogue was convincing but... my theory is that Dillon is more of a visual actor. I think Jack Kerouac can turn a decent phrase or two. He’s probably got talent, is what I’m saying.

There were some descriptive passages that, on the written page, were probably astoundingly beautiful. There were glimpses. But Dillon’s delivery is so throw-away, so poorly annunciated, so little stressed, that it was literally impossible to say if Kerouac is a genius like James Joyce or just a disorganised, mostly sloppy, sometimes breathtakingly good but basically...not that great writer. I would need to actually read the words on the page to know.

Basically, it sounded like the author was drunk and the actor was drunker!

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Absolutely brilliant

Love this book, Matt Dillon's narration is perfect, could listen to his voice all day!

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