Jack Kerouac Book Covers

A selection of front covers of various editions of On the Road (click on thumbnail to enlarge)


"When I'm old, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to study languages reading these."
(Kerouac's comment on the foreign editions of his books, 1966.)


UK Editions:

UK 1958 UK 1958 UK 1961 UK 1963 UK 1968 UK 1970 UK 1972
Deutsch 1958 Deutsch 1958 Pan Giant 1961 Pan 1963 Deutsch 1968 Deutsch 1970 Penguin 1972
UK 1973 UK 1980 UK 1987 UK 1989 UK 1991 UK 1998 UK 1999
Deutsch 1973 Penguin 1980 Penguin 1987 Penguin 1989 Penguin 1991 Penguin 1998 Penguin 1999
UK 2000 UK 2007 UK 2007 UK 2007 UK 2008 UK 2008 Australia 2008
Penguin 2000 Penguin 2007 Allen Lane 2007 Penguin 2007 Penguin 2008 Penguin 2008 Penguin (Aus) 2008
UK 2011 UK 2011 UK 2012 UK 2012 Australia 2012 UK 2017 UK 2018
Penguin 2011 Penguin 2011 Penguin 2012 Penguin (Tele) 2012 Penguin (Aus) 2012 Penguin 2017 Penguin 2018
UK 2018 UK 2019 UK 2022
Penguin 2018 Penguin 2019 Penguin 2022

USA Editions:

USA 1957 USA 1960 USA 1962 USA 1971 USA 1974 USA 1958 USA 1965
Viking 1957 Viking 1960 Viking 1962 Viking 1971 Viking 1974 Signet 1958 Signet 1965
USA 1967 USA 1968 USA 1977 USA 1982 USA 1980 USA 1990 USA 1990
Signet 1967 Signet 1968 Signet 1977 Signet 1982 Penguin 1980 Penguin 1990 Penguin 1990
USA 1991 USA 1994 USA 1999 USA 2002 USA 2003 USA 2005 USA 1976
Penguin 1991 Penguin 1994 Penguin 1999 Penguin 2002 Penguin 2003 Penguin 2005 Amereon 1976
USA 1978 USA Viking 1979 USA Penguin 1979 USA 1993 USA 1997 USA 2007 USA 2007
Buccaneer 1978 Viking 1979 Penguin 1979 Quality 1993 Viking 1997 Penguin 2007 Viking 2007
USA 2007 USA 2007 USA 2007 USA 2008 USA 2010 USA 2011 USA 2011
Lib of America 2007 Viking 2007 (proof) Viking 2007 Penguin 2008 Folio 2010 Penguin 2011 Penguin 2011
USA 2011 USA 2012 USA 2012 USA 2012 USA 2016 USA 2019
Penguin 2011 Penguin 2012 Penguin 2012 Penguin 2012 Penguin 2016 Penguin 2019

German Editions:

Germany 1959 Proof Germany 1959 Germany 1968 East Germany 1978 Germany 1993 Germany 1996 Germany 1998
Rowohlt 1959 Rowohlt 1959 Rororo 1968 Reclam (GDR) 1978 Rororo 1993 Bertelsmann 1996 Rororo 1998
Germany 2000 Germany 2002 Germany 2004 Germany 2006 Germany 2009 Germany 2010 Germany 2011
Rororo 2000 Rororo 2002 Rororo 2004 Rororo 2006 Steidl 2009 Rororo 2010 Rororo 2011
Germany 2012 Germany 2012
Rororo 2012 (proof) Rororo 2012

Dutch Editions:

Netherlands 1961 Netherlands 1970 Netherlands 1974 Netherlands 1978 Netherlands 1988 Netherlands 1989 Netherlands 1994
De Bezige Bij 1961 De Bezige Bij 1970 De Bezige Bij 1974 De Bezige Bij 1978 De Bezige Bij 1988 De Bezige Bij 1989 De Bezige Bij 1994
Netherlands 1996 Netherlands 1999 Netherlands 2004 Netherlands 2006 Netherlands 2007 Netherlands 2012 Netherlands 2020
De Bezige Bij 1996 De Bezige Bij 1999 Areopagus 2004 De Bezige Bij 2006 De Bezige Bij 2007 De Bij 2012 De Bezige Bij 2020

French Editions:

France 1960 France 1972 France 1987 France 1990 France 1997 France 2003 France 2004
Gallimard 1960 Gallimard 1972 Gallimard 1987 Gallimard 1990 Gallimard 1997 Gallimard 2003 Gallimard 2004
France 2007 France 2010 France 2012 France 2012 France 2012 France 2022
Gallimard 2007 Gallimard 2010 Gallimard 2012 Gallimard 2012 Gallimard 2012 Gallimard 2022

Italian Editions:

Italy 1959 Italy 1967 Italy 1970 Italy 1970 Italy 1970 Italy 1974 Italy 1981
Mondadori 1959 Mondadori 1967 Mondadori 1970 Mondadori 1970 Mondadori 1970 Mondadori 1974 Mondadori 1981
Italy 1985 Italy 1989 Italy 1992 Italy 1992 Italy 1993 Italy 1995 Italy 1995
Euroclub 1985 Mondadori 1989 Leonardo 1992 Edizione Club 1992 Club Degli 1993 Mondadori 1995 Mondadori 1995
Italy 1995 Italy 1998 Italy 1999 Italy 2000 Italy 2001 Italy 2001 Italy 2002
Euroclub 1996 Mondadori 1998 Mondadori 1999 Mondadori 2000 Mondadori 2001 Mondadori 2001 Bib. di Rep. 2002
Italy 2006 Italy 2006 Italy 2007 Italy 2007 Italy 2009 Italy 2010 Italy 2010
Mondadori 2006 Mondadori 2006 Mondadori 2007 Mondadori 2007 Mondadori 2009 Mondadori 2010 Mondadori 2010
Italy 2012 Italy 2014 Italy 2015 Italy 2016
Mondadori 2012 Mondadori 2014 Mondadori 2015 Mondadori 2016

Spanish Editions:

Spain 1975 Spain 1981 Spain 1983 Spain 1988 Spain 1989 Spain 1994 Spain 1995
Star Books 1975 Bruguera 1981 Bruguera 1983 Narradores 1988 Anagrama 1989 Circulo de Lect. 1994 RBA Editores 1995
Spain 2001 Spain 2002 Spain 2006 Spain 2009 Spain 2012 Spain 2016 Spain 2016
Biblioteca 2001 Anagrama 2002 Anagrama 2006 Anagrama 2009 Anagrama 2012 CreateSpace 2016 CreateSpace 2016

Spanish (Catalan) Editions:

Spain (Cat) 1989 Spain (Cat) 1996 Spain (Cat) 1998 Spain (Cat) 2000 Spain (Cat) 2009 Spain (Cat) 2010 Spain (Cat) 2010
Editorial Pòrtic 1989 Edicions 62 1996 Edicions 62 1998 Edicions 62 2000 Edicions 62 2009 Labutxaca 2010 Anagrama 2010
Spain (Cat) 2010
Anagrama 2019

Spanish (Basque) Editions:

Basque language, 2018
Pasazaite 2018

Spanish (Galician) Editions:

Galician language, 2020
Faktoria K De Libros 2020

Others:

Albania 2013 Argentina 1959 Argentina 1969 Argentina 1975 Argentina 1977 Armenia 2020 Brazil 1984
Albania 2013 Argentina 1959 Argentina 1969 Argentina 1975 Argentina 1977 Armenia 2020 Brazil 1984
Brazil 1986 Brazil 1987 Brazil 1997 Brazil 2004 Brazil 2008 Brazil 2012 Brazil 2013
Brazil 1986 Brazil 1987 Brazil 1997 Brazil 2004 Brazil 2008 Brazil 2012 Brazil 2013
Brazil 2014 Brazil 2015 Bulgaria 1981 Bulgaria 1983 Bulgaria 1993 China 1998 China 2001
Brazil 2014 Brazil 2015 Bulgaria 1981 Bulgaria 1983 Bulgaria 1993 China 1998 China 2001
China 2006 China 2009 China 2011 China 2012 China 2012 China 2020 China 2020
China 2006 China 2009 China 2011 China 2012 China 2012 China 2020 China 2020
China 2020 Croatia 1971 Croatia 1997 Croatia 2008 Czech 1978 Czech 1980 Czech 1980
China 2020 Croatia 1971 Croatia 1997 Croatia 2008 Czech 1978 Czech 1980 Czech 1980 (jacket)
Czech Rep. 1994 Czech Rep. 1997 Czech Rep. 2005 Czech Rep. 2009 Czech Rep. 2015 Czech Rep. 2019 Denmark 1960
Czech Rep. 1994 Czech Rep. 1997 Czech Rep. 2005 Czech Rep. 2009 Czech Rep. 2015 Czech Rep. 2019 Denmark 1960
Denmark 1986 Denmark 1988 Denmark 1998 Denmark 2008 Denmark 2012 Estonia 1996 Estonia 2006
Denmark 1986 Denmark 1988 Denmark 1998 Denmark 2008 Denmark 2012 Estonia 1996 Estonia 2006
Estonia 2011 Finland 1964 Finland 1980 Finland 1988 Finland 2000 Finland 2007 Finland 2012
Estonia 2011 Finland 1964 Finland 1980 Finland 1988 Finland 2000 Finland 2007 Finland 2012
Georgia 2012 Georgia 2012 Greece 1981 Greece 1984 Greece 1988 Greece 1996 Greece 2007
Georgia 2012 Georgia 2012 Greece 1981 Greece 1984 Greece 1988 Greece 1996 Greece 2007
Greece 2015 Hungary 1966 Hungary 1983 Hungary 1994 Hungary 1999 Hungary 2004 Hungary 2011
Greece 2015 Hungary 1966 Hungary 1983 Hungary 1994 Hungary 1999 Hungary 2004 Hungary 2011
Hungary 2012 Iceland 1988 Iceland 2008 Iceland 2008 Iran 2017 Iran 2018 Iran 2019
Hungary 2012 Iceland 1988 Iceland 2008 Iceland 2008 Iran 2017 Iran 2018 Iran 2019
Israel 1988 Israel 2009 Israel 2012 Japan 1959 Japan 1970 Japan 1977 Japan 1983
Israel 1988 Israel 2009 Israel 2012 Japan 1959 Japan 1970 Japan 1977 Japan 1983
Japan 2007 Japan 2007 Japan 2010 Latvia 2003 Latvia 2007 Lebanon 2007 Lithuania 1972
Japan 2007 Japan 2007 Japan 2010 Latvia 2003 Latvia 2007 Lebanon 2007 Lithuania 1972
Lithuania 1991 Lithuania 2004 Lithuania 2007 Lithuania 2009 Lithuania 2010 Macedonia 2000 Macedonia 2010
Lithuania 1991 Lithuania 2004 Lithuania 2007 Lithuania 2009 Lithuania 2010 Macedonia 2000 Macedonia 2010
Norway 1992 Norway 1996 Norway 2004 Norway 2012 Poland 1993 Poland 2005 Poland 2011
Norway 1992 Norway 1996 Norway 2004 Norway 2012 Poland 1993 Poland 2005 Poland 2011
Poland 2012 Portugal 1960 Portugal 1978 Portugal 1998 Portugal 2003 Portugal 2011 Portugal 2012
Poland 2012 Portugal 1960 Portugal 1978 Portugal 1998 Portugal 2003 Portugal 2011 Portugal 2012
Romania 1970 Romania 1998 Romania 2003 Romania 2009 Romania 2012 Russia 1960 Russia 2000
Romania 1970 Romania 1998 Romania 2003 Romania 2009 Romania 2012 Russia 1960 Russia 2000
Russia 2002 Russia 2003 Russia 2006 Russia 2010 Russia 2012 Russia 2012 Russia 2013
Russia 2002 Russia 2003 Russia 2006 Russia 2010 Russia 2012 Russia 2012 Russia 2013
Russia 2013 Russia 2020 Russia 2021 Russia 2021 Serbia 2005 Serbia 2008 Serbia 2015
Russia 2013 Russia 2020 Russia 2021 Russia 2021 Serbia 2005 Serbia 2008 Serbia 2015
Slovakia 1991 Slovakia 2002 Slovakia 2011 Slovakia 2011 Slovenia 1967 Slovenia 1998 Slovenia 2004
Slovakia 1991 Slovakia 2002 Slovakia 2011 Slovakia 2011 Slovenia 1967 Slovenia 1998 Slovenia 2004
Slovenia 2010 South Korea 2009 Pt1 South Korea 2009 Pt2 Sweden 1958 (proof) Sweden 1958 Sweden 1965 Sweden 1976
Slovenia 2010 South Korea 2009 South Korea 2009 Sweden 1958 Sweden 1958 Sweden 1965 Sweden 1976
Sweden 1980 Sweden 1988 Sweden 2003 Sweden 2009 Sweden 2012 Sweden 2016 Taiwan 1999
Sweden 1980 Sweden 1988 Sweden 2003 Sweden 2009 Sweden 2012 Sweden 2016 Taiwan 1999
Taiwan 1999 Thailand 2015 Turkey 1993 Turkey 2008 Turkey 2009 Turkey 2017 Ukraine 1995
Taiwan 1999 Thailand 2015 Turkey 1993 Turkey 2008 Turkey 2009 Turkey 2017 Ukraine 1995
Ukraine 2001 Vietnam 2008 Vietnam 2011 Yugoslavia 1988 And finally, Jack
Kerouac's own
design for a book
cover in 1952.
It was never used -
until 2011 in
Slovakia.
Kerouac 1952
Ukraine 2001 Vietnam 2008 Vietnam 2011 Yugoslavia 1988 Kerouac 1952



  This published version of On the Road was Kerouac's third attempt at writing his road novel.
  The first was begun in November 1948 and featured hero Ray Smith. This was abandoned, and
  a second version started in March 1949 with hero Ray "Red" Moultrie.

  Further attempts were made in 1950 but proved to be false starts. It was only after Kerouac was
  inspired by the letters of Neal Cassady in late 1950 that he sought to write in a similar free-flowing
  style, the result of which was the famous scroll version of April 1951, which became the basis of the
  published version.

  Kerouac was, however, still dissatisfied with the result and, having been introduced to the concept
  of "sketching" with words in the fall of 1951, he began working on yet another version of his road book,
  completing it while staying at the Cassady home in San Francisco in the early months of 1952.

  Originally titled Visions of Neal, the book, which included a rewrite of the main events described
  in its forerunner, was only published in its complete form, as Visions of Cody, three years after
  Kerouac's death, in 1973.



 Compiled by Dave Moore

 Thanks to Rod Anstee, Jerry Cimino, Jonathan Collins, Jim Ferguson, Giorgio Gelmini, Niels Hansen, Thomas Kauertz,
 Max Nemtsov, Andrew Sclanders, Vojo Sindolic, Horst Spandler, Jeff Taylor, and Joe Tily for the use of their book cover images.



 A selection of books by William S. Burroughs can be found here:

 A selection of books by Neal Cassady can be found here:

 A selection of books by John Clellon Holmes can be found here:

 A selection of books by David Goodis can be found here:


 More Kerouac book covers can be found here:


 Visit the Kerouac Companion for definitive character keys and family trees, and more ...




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