Have you read any of his other stuff? I liked the Dharma Bums a lot too.Yup. It is a life-changer. Read it in 8th grade... time to revist, 25 years later.
Also, i can not recommend "been down so long it looks like up to me" by Richard Farina enough to a fan or On the Road. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy asap, youll love it