Never dreaming, was I, poor Jack Duluoz, that the soul is dead. That from Heaven grace descends . . . No Doctor Pisspot Poorpail to tell me; no example inside my first and only skin. That love is the heritage, and cousin to death. That the only love can only be the first love, the only death the last, the only life within, and the only word . . . choked forever.

The book was largely autobiographical and describes Kerouac's road-trip adventures across the United States and Mexico with Neal Cassady in the late-40s as well as his relationships with other Beat writers and friends. S. The school offers a BA in Writing and Literature MFAs in Writing & Poetics and Creative Writing and a summer writing program.

Jean-Louis "Jack" Kérouac (pron. : /ˈkɛruːæk/ or /ˈkɛrɵæk/; March 12 1922 – October 21 1969) was an American novelist and poet.