by Jack Kerouac
First published 1978
Adrift in Mexico City, writer Jack Kerouac meets the captivating Tristessa, a local prostitute. Drawn to her tragic beauty, he plunges into an intense, fleeting affair, escaping the gnawing emptiness of his life. But as their passionate connection deepens, Kerouac confronts his own demons and the harsh realities of Tristessa's world. In this raw, poetic novella, Kerouac lays bare the joy and heartbreak of an unlikely romance on the margins of society.
Genres: literary-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, adult-fiction
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate
Tropes: tragic-romance, unlikely-romance
Setting: Mexico, Mexico City
96 pages · Paperback · Penguin Publishing Group