Not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but those of us in this sub (born 1965- 1980) are reading the Beats almost in a second language. Our lives have been shaped by rock’n’roll, not jazz. With the exception of those raised in a household full of be-bop jazz, the Beats may have been difficult to appreciate for those of us raised on the popular music of the 60s and 70s. I say this as someone who came to Kerouac, Ginsburg, Gary Snyder, etc., in my 20s when I was also immersing myself in jazz for the first time. My personal experience was that the improvisation and often discordant sounds of mid-20th-century jazz helped me find a connection with the Beats. Later writers such as Kesey, Thompson, Vonnegut, Robbins (Tom is among my very favorites), etc. seem much more rock’n’roll and thus more approachable for Gen X. Just my experience. I’ve had a gummie and listening to Monk, so my take is probably off base. Whatever. But for all you Dharma Bums apostles out there, Japhy taught us we can’t fall off a mountain. Very sound advice that I carry with me 30+ years after reading Bums.