Cover artist Wendy Lai Language English Pages 182 pages Publisher Viking Press Genres Letter, Beat Generation | Country United States Publication date June 1, 2002 Originally published 1 June 2002 OCLC 42771995 | |
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Media type Print (Hardback & Paperback) Similar Jack Kerouac books, Beat Generation books, Other books | ||
Door Wide Open: A Beat Love Affair In Letters, 1957-1958 is a collection of letters that were written in 1957-1958 between Joyce Johnson and Jack Kerouac.
The letters depict the rather detached and absurd romance of the two writers, and they are supplemented greatly by Johnson's own narration and related letters between Joyce and her friends and relatives. Johnson is referred to in Kerouac's novel Desolation Angels as Alyce Newman, and she has written several introductions for his works.
The relationship between the two took place during a very pivotal time period in Kerouac's life, when his fame was exploding after the release of On the Road.
Door Wide Open spans events from the couple's first meeting until after the romance had faded into friendship.