new york moment no. 218: talking to an earnest young hipster while his wife dances topless in the window.
jack kerouac trivia from the toronto star ('98):
1. What television program was Kerouac watching when he suddenly began vomiting blood on the day of his death?
a.) As The World Turns
b.) The Mod Squad
c.) The Galloping Gourmet
d.) Hee Haw
2. Kerouac's close friend, novelist William Burroughs, became notorious for shooting his wife Joan through the temple. How much jail time did Burroughs serve for committing this lethal act?
a.) Two years plus one day
b.) Three months
c.) 10 days
d.) None whatsoever
3. Kerouac habitually prayed to Therese of Lisieux, a 19th-century French Catholic saint. What miraculous act could a statue of this saint perform, according to a film Kerouac saw in school?
a.) Weep
b.) Turn its head
c.) Make the sign of the cross
d.) Levitate
4. The "Doctor Sax'' in Kerouac's novel of the same name is based on a radio character known as
a.) The Green Hornet
b.) Fu Manchu
c.) Dr. Christian
d.) Lamont Cranston
5. What rank did the beatniks hold among the greatest threats to America, according to a 1961 statement by J. Edgar Hoover?
a.) Second greatest, right after communism
b.) Third greatest
c.) Fifth greatest, after communism, narcotics, family breakdown and rock 'n roll
6. Which of the three following television hosts did not invite Kerouac to be a guest?
a.) Jack Paar
b.) Steve Allen
c.) William F. Buckley
7. Which of the following snacks did Kerouac's mother prepare for the author throughout his life?
a.) Toast with banana slices and grape jelly
b.) Ritz crackers with peanut butter
c.) Melted cheese and tomato sandwiches
d.) Tomato soup and Oreo cookies
8. In 1955, Kerouac listed 27 "essentials'' for modern prose. Which statement was not included in that list?
a.) "Believe in the holy contour of life.''
b.) "The unspeakable visions of the individual.''
c.) "A great tender delicacy of language.''
d.) "You're a Genius all the time.''
9. Which American literary figure unexpectedly gave Kerouac a big hug at a cocktail party?
a.) Carl Sandburg
b.) James Michener
c.) Saul Bellow
d.) Lillian Hellman
10. True or False: Jack Kerouac was interviewed about his sexual history by Dr. Alfred Kinsey for Sexual Behavior In The Human Male.
ANSWERS:
1 (c.), 2 (c.), 3 (b.), 4 (d.), 5 (b.), 6 (a.), 7 (b.), 8 (c. - the sentence is taken from remarks by Allen Ginsberg about Kerouac's On The Road), 9 (a.), 10 True.
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