Tristessa
Sign in to saveTristessa is a 1960 novella by Beat Generation writer Jack Kerouac set in Mexico City. It is based on his relationship with a Mexican prostitute (the title character). The woman's real name was Esperanza ("hope" in Spanish); Kerouac changed her name to Tristessa (a spelling he made up from tristeza which means "sadness" in Spanish).
Book · Open Library
- Author
- Jack Kerouac
- First published
- 1960
- Editions
- 13
- Subjects
- Beat Generation, Fiction, Beats (Persons), American fiction (fictional works by one author), American literature, Prostitutes, Drug abuse
via Open Library
Key dates
- Published
- 1960
via Wikidata · CC0
Wikidata facts
- Country
- Mexico
- Author
- Jack Kerouac
- Country of origin
- United States
- Publisher
- Avon
- Followed by
- Visions of Cody
- Depicts
- Jack Kerouac
Show 2 more facts
- P407
- English language
- P7937
- novella
via Wikidata · CC0
Article
2 sectionsContents
- Summary
- References
Tristessa is a 1960 novella by Beat Generation writer Jack Kerouac set in Mexico City. It is based on his relationship with a Mexican prostitute (the title character). The woman's real name was Esperanza ("hope" in Spanish); Kerouac changed her name to Tristessa (a spelling he made up from tristeza which means "sadness" in Spanish).
The novel was translated into Spanish by Mexican writer Jorge García-Robles.