Neal Cassady The Fast Life of a Beat Hero

"A charismatic, funny, articulate, and formidably intelligent man, Neal Cassady was a compulsive womanizer who lived life on the edge. Drawing on a wealth of new research and full cooperation from such central figures as Carolyn Cassady and Ken Kesey, this new biography captures Neal's unique blend of inspired lunacy and deep spirituality." "Cassady grew up hungry and emotionally abused in Denver with his alcoholic father in a series of skid-row flophouses after his parents' marriage foundered. A joyriding car thief who was in and out of reformatories, he became desperate to live a "normal" life, and in 1948 married Carolyn Robinson and took a job with the Southern Pacific Railroad. Later, he would tacitly encourage Carolyn and Kerouac to begin the affair that the former revealed in Off the Road. His marriage survived his many infidelities, including a long sexual relationship with Allen Ginsberg and a bigamous marriage to a New York socialite, as well as imprisonment and drug abuse." "In 1963, when his marriage was annulled, Cassady began another career as the principal driver and court jester for Ken Kesey's infamous Merry Pranksters, and was a lead player in Tom Wolfe's celebrated The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. In 1968, Cassady's body was found by the side of a railroad track in Mexico. He was only 42 years old." "This is the first in-depth biography of Neal Cassady. It not only unravels the many myths and legends surrounding this larger-than-life figure, but convincingly reassesses Cassady's reputation and continuing influence."--BOOK JACKET.Sandison, David is the author of 'Neal Cassady The Fast Life of a Beat Hero', published 2006 under ISBN 9781556526152 and ISBN 1556526156.