Jack Kerouac

Along with Ginsberg and Burroughs, Kerouac remains the most significant and influential of the Beat writers; meeting in New York, the lives of all three were heavily intertwined. Following Ginsberg to Californa, he became close friends with Snyder (they climbed together), fictionalised Ferlinghetti, and became acquainted with Rexroth and Duncan. Kerouac admired Corso and Pollock (whom Kerouac had to be pulled off during a drink-fuelled punch-up), had a one-night stand with Vidal, and was given his first marijuana by Young. He told Berrigan he persuaded Ginsberg not to change his name to ‘Allen Renard’