University Professor Writes Book Inspired by Jack Kerouac
Photo by Emily Weston
By Staff Writer EMILY WESTON - University of Maine at Farmington’s Special Education professor Rick Dale tries to live life answering the question, “What Would Kerouac Do?” Jack Kerouac, that is.
Dale answers this question in his new, self published book, “The Beat Handbook: 100 Days of Kerouactions.”
In a recent reading and book signing at Devaney, Doak and Garret Booksellers, Dale inspired the small but amiable audience to live as Kerouac would have and answered the question, “what exactly is a beat?”
The beats came before the hippies, in the late 1950’s, founded by writer Jack Kerouac, who is most famous for On the Road, and with the help of other writers such as William S. Burroughs, author of Naked Lunch, and Allen Ginsburg, author of Howl.
“The main thing is spontaneity and passion,” Dale says referring to being a beat.
Other qualities of being a beat that are outlined in Kerouac’s novels include Buddhism inspired beliefs, such as being fully present in the moment, being able to, “go go, go!” a phrase Kerouac uses often in On the Road, and the experimentation of drug use.
Dale’s book is a sort of “how to” book on living, inspired by Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums and On the Road. Dale’s book starts with the beginning of The Dharma Bums and goes to the end of On the Road, chronicling the characters’ beat moments, through what Dale coined Kerouactions. Complete with 100 days of living, according to Kerouac and Dale, the book provides examples on how to live “kerouactivities” and blank pages for journaling because, Dale says, “beats are writers.”
During the reading, Dale read a variety of Kerouactions including, “Day Three: On College.” Dale joked that this passage would get him fired and reminded the audience that his actions come from Kerouac’s novels. “Don’t go to college, it’s a waste of time and money.” Dale advised that Kerouac would live by going through the library and reading all the books on the shelf and then reading the new books. “But if you’re at college,” Dale says, “Be original.”
“Day 97,” Dale read, is about, “digging the ride.” Dale says that this is more of a way of being, than an actual action. “In every situation, there’s a way to accept what is.” Dale said that he practices this by entering into a, “contract with a staircase.” He says to make a commitment to take the stairs and be very mindful and in the moment when doing so.
When asked if Dale has done all of his own Kerouactions, he said, “No, but I’ve started, at least in spirit.”
Dale said he developed an interest in Kerouac late in life, just five or six years ago, and was inspired to write the book when he spotted a book about, “What Would Buddha Do?” in Barnes and Noble.
The most difficult parts of the writing process, Dale said, were the persistence, the feeling of, “wanting to give up,” and the publishing process. He gave publishing a really good shot, saying he got, “plenty of rejections” and that, “you have to have really thick skin.”
Dale has been very creative in marketing his book. He has a blog website that he updates regularly. He takes advantage of social networking sites such as Facebook and uses guerilla marketing techniques. He has bookmarks advertising his book and blog website that he said just “show up in Keoruac books.” His book is available at Mantor Library, Devaney, Doak and Garret Booksellers, and online.
 
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