🎧 Power of Place Episode #52 | Kerouac’s Cascadia – Jim Jones

Power of Place - Stories of the Pacific Northwest

Our guest, Kerouac scholar Jim Jones, describes Kerouac’s sojourn to Seattle in the summer of 1956. There, he worked as a fire lookout at Desolation Peak atop the North Cascade Mountains. Along the way, Jones recounts personal encounters and friendships with other Beat Generation luminaries, including Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, and Gregory Corso. Adding a touch of practical insight, firefighter, EMT, and seasoned fire lookout Jim Henterly complements Jones' literary perspective. Together, they reveal Kerouac’s Cascadian adventure while exploring the feelings of anticipation, vulnerability, and disappointment that often accompany travel to unknown lands. "When people tell you about a place, you form an impression in your imagination. And when you get there, it's either going to coincide or clash with your imagination of it.” ~Jim Jones