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‘Very significant’ Jack Kerouac story discovered after mafia boss auction ‘Very significant’ Jack Kerouac story discovered after mafia boss auction
(about 1 hour later)
Exclusive: Two-page 1957 manuscript signed by author linked to his classic of beat literature, On the Road Exclusive: Two-page 1957 manuscript signed by author linked to his classic of beat literature On the Road
A “very significant” unpublished story by Jack Kerouac described as “a lost chapter of the On the Road saga” has been discovered after languishing in the files of an assassinated Mafia crime boss for at least 40 years.A “very significant” unpublished story by Jack Kerouac described as “a lost chapter of the On the Road saga” has been discovered after languishing in the files of an assassinated Mafia crime boss for at least 40 years.
The two-page typewritten manuscript signed by Kerouac in green ink is titled The Holy, Beat, and Crazy Next Thing and is dated 15 April 1957, five months before his classic of beat literature, On the Road, was published.The two-page typewritten manuscript signed by Kerouac in green ink is titled The Holy, Beat, and Crazy Next Thing and is dated 15 April 1957, five months before his classic of beat literature, On the Road, was published.
It was discovered last year during the disposal of items owned by Paul Castellano, who ran the feared Gambino crime family in New York from 1976 until he was murdered in a hail of gunfire on 16 December 1985.It was discovered last year during the disposal of items owned by Paul Castellano, who ran the feared Gambino crime family in New York from 1976 until he was murdered in a hail of gunfire on 16 December 1985.
The assassination was orchestrated by John Gotti, a Gambino boss who was dissatisfied with Castellano’s leadership and took over the organisation after the hit. He was convicted of the murder of the 70-year-old Castellano in 1992 and died in prison 10 years later.The assassination was orchestrated by John Gotti, a Gambino boss who was dissatisfied with Castellano’s leadership and took over the organisation after the hit. He was convicted of the murder of the 70-year-old Castellano in 1992 and died in prison 10 years later.
It is not known how or when Castellano acquired the Kerouac story. According to the company that bought it from his estate, Your Own Museum, it is thought to have originally been given to a San Francisco poet in the beat generation circle. The company said: “It has remained in private hands, meticulously preserved, for over six decades. It is a direct, tangible link to the moment the beat generation exploded into the American consciousness.It is not known how or when Castellano acquired the Kerouac story. According to the company that bought it from his estate, Your Own Museum, it is thought to have originally been given to a San Francisco poet in the beat generation circle. The company said: “It has remained in private hands, meticulously preserved, for over six decades. It is a direct, tangible link to the moment the beat generation exploded into the American consciousness.
“As was his known practice during this fertile time, he [Kerouac] would often produce unique, typewritten pamphlets and chapbooks – sometimes referred to as ‘brochures’ by his circle – for friends, lovers and patrons. These were not commercial publications but rather personal literary artefacts, gifts from the artist himself, typed by his own hand on his signature long-sheet roll paper and often bound simply.”“As was his known practice during this fertile time, he [Kerouac] would often produce unique, typewritten pamphlets and chapbooks – sometimes referred to as ‘brochures’ by his circle – for friends, lovers and patrons. These were not commercial publications but rather personal literary artefacts, gifts from the artist himself, typed by his own hand on his signature long-sheet roll paper and often bound simply.”
The UK-based Kerouac scholar Dave Moore, creator of the online Kerouac Companion, said the discovery was “very significant”. He also added that Kerouac was on his only visit to Britain during April 1957. The UK-based Kerouac scholar Dave Moore, creator of the online Kerouac Companion, said the discovery was “very significant”. He added that Kerouac had visited Britain during April 1957.
“Kerouac was in Tangier on 25 March 1957 when he wrote letters to his agent Sterling Lord and to Neal Cassady. He wrote to Philip Whalen on 10 April, from London, and again to Lord on 20 April, also from London. So that suggests that he was in London on 15 April.”“Kerouac was in Tangier on 25 March 1957 when he wrote letters to his agent Sterling Lord and to Neal Cassady. He wrote to Philip Whalen on 10 April, from London, and again to Lord on 20 April, also from London. So that suggests that he was in London on 15 April.”
Subtitled A Brief Tale, the story seems to be a retelling of an episode from On the Road, the first draft of which Kerouac famously wrote in three weeks on one long roll of teletype paper. The writer, born in Lowell, Massachusetts, died in 1969, aged 47.Subtitled A Brief Tale, the story seems to be a retelling of an episode from On the Road, the first draft of which Kerouac famously wrote in three weeks on one long roll of teletype paper. The writer, born in Lowell, Massachusetts, died in 1969, aged 47.
The final version of the novel as published begins: “I first met Dean not long after my wife and I split up. I had just gotten over a serious illness that I won’t bother to talk about, except that it had something to do with the miserably weary split-up and my feeling that everything was dead. With the coming of Dean Moriarty began the part of my life you could call my life on the road.”The final version of the novel as published begins: “I first met Dean not long after my wife and I split up. I had just gotten over a serious illness that I won’t bother to talk about, except that it had something to do with the miserably weary split-up and my feeling that everything was dead. With the coming of Dean Moriarty began the part of my life you could call my life on the road.”
The two-page story, described by Your Own Museum as “a quintessential ‘lost’ chapter”, opens more dynamically: “We hit Denver with the gas gauge kissing empty and the Hudson coughing dust from a thousand desert miles. It was that wild, holy, and crazy time when Dean and I were inseparable, two halves of a lost and found coin, and Marylou was with us, a sad-eyed angel in a too-tight sweater. The money was gone, spent on gas and cheap wine and a wild night in a Tucson motel that ended with a fistfight and a sprint to the car. Now we are broke, the sky was the colour of a dirty nickel, and a mean mountain wind cut down Larimer Street.”The two-page story, described by Your Own Museum as “a quintessential ‘lost’ chapter”, opens more dynamically: “We hit Denver with the gas gauge kissing empty and the Hudson coughing dust from a thousand desert miles. It was that wild, holy, and crazy time when Dean and I were inseparable, two halves of a lost and found coin, and Marylou was with us, a sad-eyed angel in a too-tight sweater. The money was gone, spent on gas and cheap wine and a wild night in a Tucson motel that ended with a fistfight and a sprint to the car. Now we are broke, the sky was the colour of a dirty nickel, and a mean mountain wind cut down Larimer Street.”
Kerouac assigned fictional names to his beat friends in his roman-à-clef novels, Dean being Dean Moriarty, his name for Neal Cassady, and Marylou the name for LuAnne Henderson, who Cassady married when she was just 15. Also referenced in the story is Carlo Marx – the poet Allen Ginsberg.Kerouac assigned fictional names to his beat friends in his roman-à-clef novels, Dean being Dean Moriarty, his name for Neal Cassady, and Marylou the name for LuAnne Henderson, who Cassady married when she was just 15. Also referenced in the story is Carlo Marx – the poet Allen Ginsberg.
The manuscript was discovered by Jerry Braunfield at Your Own Museum, a New York-based company dealing in signed and rare collectible artefacts.The manuscript was discovered by Jerry Braunfield at Your Own Museum, a New York-based company dealing in signed and rare collectible artefacts.
Braunfield said: “We acquired it at the Paul Castellano estate sale in November 2024. It was during this season that his mansion in Long Island, New York was being listed for sale.Braunfield said: “We acquired it at the Paul Castellano estate sale in November 2024. It was during this season that his mansion in Long Island, New York was being listed for sale.
“Preceding the sale of the property, the beneficiaries organised a private auction of Castellano’s collection. The amount of time Castellano owned this piece is unknown, however it has never been seen on public records.”“Preceding the sale of the property, the beneficiaries organised a private auction of Castellano’s collection. The amount of time Castellano owned this piece is unknown, however it has never been seen on public records.”
Over the past year Braunfield and his team have been verifying the provenance of the piece, with a third-party company called Proper & Verified carrying out exhaustive checks and testing.Over the past year Braunfield and his team have been verifying the provenance of the piece, with a third-party company called Proper & Verified carrying out exhaustive checks and testing.
He said: “The short story was bound in the form of a pamphlet. It is two pages long, and the last page is signed by Jack Kerouac. The signature is in green ink, and it shows clear signs of a fountain pen – damp folds in the paper.He said: “The short story was bound in the form of a pamphlet. It is two pages long, and the last page is signed by Jack Kerouac. The signature is in green ink, and it shows clear signs of a fountain pen – damp folds in the paper.
“The story itself takes place within the timeline of Kerouac’s masterpiece, On the Road. The dating of this short story shows that it was written during the writing process of On the Road, and it seems to us that it was created by Kerouac for the purpose of him further understanding the setting and characters. Evidently, it was never published, and we find no signs of this work anywhere else.“The story itself takes place within the timeline of Kerouac’s masterpiece, On the Road. The dating of this short story shows that it was written during the writing process of On the Road, and it seems to us that it was created by Kerouac for the purpose of him further understanding the setting and characters. Evidently, it was never published, and we find no signs of this work anywhere else.
“Despite it never being authenticated before, the provenance was too substantial for us not to take a risk. To our delight, after lab work and thorough investigation, it was confirmed that the item was from that time. On top of this, the signature was consistent with all confirmed examples of Kerouac.”“Despite it never being authenticated before, the provenance was too substantial for us not to take a risk. To our delight, after lab work and thorough investigation, it was confirmed that the item was from that time. On top of this, the signature was consistent with all confirmed examples of Kerouac.”
Your Own Museum is now offering the manuscript for sale at $8,500 (£6,300).Your Own Museum is now offering the manuscript for sale at $8,500 (£6,300).