This is supposed to be such a seminal book, I was quite looking forward to it - a book that defined a generation, and blah blah blah.

Well, controversial opinion coming - this book is nonsense. I willed myself to finish it, but there's nothing to be gained from pulling yourself through this tangential and dull travel journal. The only character who is focused on is Dean, and even then we don't really understand why he's like what he is, or get any detail. We're told very little about anything else, and even if you were reading this to understand American history, there's precious little here. An utter waste of your time, I'm afraid. Sorry, and all that.