Lot 326

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Jack Kerouac TLS: “I haven’t made a semi-serious study of Buddhism but a very serious one...I’ve had visions...of wild gnostic certainties handed to me”

Jack Kerouac (1922-1969). Typed Letter Signed, "Jack Kerouac", 1p, 8.5" x 8.5", Orlando, [January 29, 1958]. To Irving Rosenthal. Accompanied by the original transmittal envelope and a carbon copy of Rosenthal’s earlier letter to Kerouac. Expected mailing folds; staple holes at left margin and top left corner; else, in fine condition.

Kerouac's letter, in part: “I do have something for your summer issue of Zen, five pages of prose about Buddhistic meditation in the woods, an excerpted chapter from my novel-in-progress entitled THE DHARMA BUMS. Let me know if you want me to send you that, and please sorta promise you’ll print it (it’s highly publishable) before I type it up in the midst of 1,000 harassments and details…(5,000 word letters being exchanged with Hollywood producer, completion of novel-in-progress, etc. etc.) (albums with Norman Granz, etc. etc.)"

Responding to Rosenthal's request for suggestions for the magazine's Summer issue, Kerouac writes: "As for suggestions I have firm good ones for ya. I can send you Gary Snyder’s translation of the thousand year old poems of Han Shan the Zen Lunatic poet of Cold Mountain in the T’ien T’ai district of old China, including his translation of the Preface, a classic, untranslated by anyone else at present. / Also, I would suggest you contact that young man because he is now on a round the world freighter on his way home from Shokokuji Monastery in Kyoto Japan and can provide your issue with direct inside Zen material, the latest, poems or prose."

In answer to Rosenthal questioning what Zen means to him personally, Kerouac concludes his letter: "No, I haven’t made a semi-serious study of Buddhism but a very serious one indeed, in fact I’ve had visions and reassurances and all kinds of wild gnostic certainties handed to me. My prose will explain that.”

A superb letter written at the height of Kerouac's fame, referencing several notable projects and key figures in the growing field of American Buddhism, and mentioning his novel, The Dharma Bums, which he was working on at the time.

Irving Rosenthal (1930-2022) was a writer who studied at the University of Chicago in the late 1950s where he was an editor of the Chicago Review, publishing many Beat writers including Jack Kerouac, Edward Dahlberg, and William Burroughs. Rosenthal and most of the staff quit the Chicago Review in 1959 after the University attempted to censor one of its issues. In 1967, Rosenthal moved to San Francisco, where he founded the Kaliflower commune.

The Chicago Review is a literary magazine founded in 1946 and published quarterly in the Humanities Division at the University of Chicago. Its Summer 1958 issue contained a special section titled "On Zen" that featured contributions from Jack Kerouac and Alan Watts.Through this issue, Chicago Review played a significant role in introducing Zen to the American public.

Gary Snyder (b.1930) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet, essayist, lecturer, and environmental activist. His early poetry has been associated with the Beat Generation.

Alan Watts (1915-1973) was an English writer and speaker, known for interpreting and popularizing Japanese, Chinese and Indian traditions of Buddhist, Taoist, and Hindu philosophy for a Western audience.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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