Lost Kerouac Novel Found

Forty years after his death, the first novel by the author of On The Road was found by the writer’s brother-in-law.

The Sea Is My Brother (Penguin Classics) is based on his Kerouac’s time as a merchant seaman. According to the BBC, the book features “correspondence with his best friend Sebastian Sampas and recalls his ‘life and experiences’ at sea, says the book’s editor Dawn Ward.”

"This book is really quite important as it shows how Jack developed his writing process," she says.

"The letters that support this period, show that he and Sebastian were reading very important writers and playwrights of the time. They were paying attention to changes in literature styles and autobiographical works."

Ms Ward says the work is especially poignant as he "opens up and shows a side to him that we don't normally see in his books."

The manuscript, which was was discovered in the writer's archive by his brother-in-law, came as a surprise to Kerouac experts, Ms Ward says.

"It was referred to briefly in letters, but nothing that led anyone to believe that there was this really large volume."