Jack Kerouac's "Lost" First Novel Now Published

Cover of Australian Edition of Kerouac's "Lost Novel"

The Sea Is My Brother: The Lost Novel, a work by a very young Jack Kerouac, has been published by Penguin. The BBC reported in today's online editions about the book's release. Meanwhile, the book's US launch might be the quietest for a popular deceased writer that I can remember. The publicity for the novel has been -- so far -- a much bigger deal in other English-speaking countries, such as the United Kingdom and Australia.

Typically, first novels are something writers have to get through. Kerouac, whose works rely on a refreshing, insouciant spirit and uncomplicated prose, is unlikely to be an exception to the "first novel syndrome." Significantly, The Sea Is My Brother did not find a publisher during Kerouac's life. As is well known, Beat Generation writers were in the literary wilderness for years, while other "important" novelists found publishing homes. It's generally thought their finest work has already been published. Will The Sea Is My Brother: The Lost Novel be an exception, a newly found jewel in the Beats' literary crown? We'll see.