This book isn't bad...it just isn't good either. The entire novel can be summed up by the following:

"My life was great then my crazy friend decided I needed to drive across America so I did. I did drugs and manipulated people along the way and realized the error of my ways but kept doing it."

In terms of writing style, the book is pretty decent. There are even moments where I thought "wow, that's pure poetry." I'd call the book semi-stream of conscious.

In terms of plot...there is none. I kept reading because I was waiting for something to happen; i was waiting for the book to move forward but it never did. I thought maybe something new would happen that would turn the book around. I was sorely disappointed.

I would recommend the book merely because it's "an American classic," but I didn't like the book enough to emphatically recommend it.