1. On the Road by Jack Kerouac (1957)
This semi-autobiographical novel is a timeless American classic. On the Road follows a struggling writer, Sal Paradise, based on author Jack Kerouac himself, as he leaves New York City and goes on a cross-country hitchhiking and train-hopping escapade across rural America. Along the way, he makes friends, particularly Dean Moriarty, who serves as inspiration for his travels.
Set against the backdrop of jazz and poetry, the themes of escape and desire to see the world are recurrent throughout the novel. The novel is written in a narrative diary style split into five parts that will make you feel like you're on the road with Sal.
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