From relative obscurity, even at the time of his death in 1969, Jack Kerouac has risen to iconic status with invigorated interest among both scholars and general readers. This biography cuts through both the hagiography and the critical backlash that still surrounds this figure most closely identified with the Beat movement. It draws on both new and established research to lay out the facts and distinguish the man from the myth. Using the same structure - the events of his life - that Kerouac himself utilized in writing his key novels such as On the Road, this biography provides an accessible introduction that will help readers, particularly students, understand the creative legacy left by Kerouac. Sixteen chapters piece together his troubled ties with family, friends, lovers and the literary establishment. This study carefully examines the philosophy of the writer and the psychology of the man with his many contradictions and complexities. A "Timeline of Events" helps readers understand the important occurrences in Kerouac's life, his travels, his writings, involvement in the Beat movement, and the larger context of literary and political events of his time. A complete bibliography of works by Kerouac includes important posthumous publications, and a select bibliography includes biographical and critical works, including electronic sources.