Burroughs was a beat generation writer known for his startling, nontraditional accounts of drug culture, most famously in the book naked lunch. Feb 04, 2011 writer, philosopher, artist, and cofounder of the beat generation, william s. Mark bramhall offers a professional performance peppered with every trick of the actors trade to make it a resonating effort. His sexual explicitness he was an avowed and outspoken homosexual and the frankness with which he dealt with his experiences as a drug addict won.
Burroughs, you read nonfiction books for information. Originally published as junkie under the pen name of william lee. Junky is a very well written book about a mans experience with his addiction. William s burroughs book recommendations books off the. William seward burroughs ii, also known by his pen name william lee. Reedited by burroughs scholar barry miles and burroughs longtime editor james grauerholz, naked lunch. Rather, he matteroffactly writes about his own experience in the antisocial world of that many would rather not know. I went to john burroughs school and the taylor school, and was out west for a bit, and then went to harvard. Jack kerouac called him the greatest satirical writer since jonathan swift.
It is a candid eyewitness account of times and places that are now long gone, an unvarnished field report from the american postwar underground. He approaches the work with such energy that the story seems like a new entity, freshly relevant and timely. Burroughs reads his first novel, junky open culture. Before his 1959 breakthrough, naked lunch, an unknown william s. The final novel of the trilogy begun with cities of the red night and the place of dead roads is a book. Burroughs who died in 1997 at the age of 83 continues to be a vital cultural force today. Burroughs cutting up the century is the definitive book on burroughs overarching cutup project and its relevance to the american twentieth century. Too bad many of the colloquialisms of his day has aged like warm milk. Writer, philosopher, artist, and cofounder of the beat generation, william s. Burroughs wrote eighteen novels and novellas, six collections of short stories and. Its safe to say that the book wouldnt have seen the light of day if allen ginsberg hadnt taken burroughs under his wing and edited. Burroughs, including the naked lunch, and junky, and more on.
Burroughs classic taleis invigorated by this enthusiastic reading. Burroughss nova trilogy the soft machine, nova express, and the ticket that exploded. Ginsberg begins by reading from burroughss work, including his book nova express. In april 2006, city lights books published yage letters redux, a new edition of the book edited by oliver harris. A fascinating mix of autobiographical episodes and extraordinary egyptian theology, burroughss final novel is poignant and melancholic. Burroughs, published initially under the pseudonym william lee in 1953. All book club genres sorting by best selling this month book lists. February 5, 1914 august 2, 1997 was an american writer and visual artist. A shocking expose of the desperate subculture surrounding addiction, william s. The reader follows the narration of junkie william lee, who takes on various aliases, from the u. William burroughs audio books, best sellers, author bio audible. Burroughs discussing various sources for writing, including dreams, voices external and internal, and cutup, giving examples from his own work.
Download audiobooks written by william s burroughs to your device. Burroughs broke into the literary scene with junky sometimes also called junkie, a candid, semiautobiographical account of an unredeemed drug addict. The final novel of the trilogy containing cities of the red night and the place of dead roads. Its safe to say that the book wouldnt have seen the light of day if allen ginsberg hadnt taken burroughs under his wing and edited the manuscript.
Extended sample audio sample unavailable naked lunch by william s. Dec 16, 2019 william s burroughs book recommendations. Feb 01, 2014 on the centenary of william burroughs birth, will self on why he was the perfect incarnation of late 20th. Remember, in how to read a book, mortimer adler says there are three reasons to read a book for entertainment, for information, and to further your knowledge on a topic. Burroughs comparing his works to those of jack kerouac, discussing their writing techniques. Six years before he published his breakthrough novel, naked lunch 1959, william s. The book has been expanded with an extensive essay on its history written by harris, along with previously unpublished material by burroughs and ginsberg. The book is structured as a series of loosely connected vignettes. Norman mailer declared him the only american writer who may be conceivably. Burroughs stated that the chapters are intended to be read in any order. He is best known for his experimental novel naked lunch, a subversive and highly controversial book that underwent a court case under the u. Blending war films and pornography, and referencing kafka and mailer, the western lands confirms his status as one of americas greatest writers. The book, originally published under the pseudonym william lee, was distributed by ace books, a publishing house that targeted new york city subway riders. Jack kerouac big sur complete audio book with chapter tracks.
On the centenary of william burroughs birth, will self on why he was the perfect incarnation of late 20th. Norman mailer declared him the only american writer who may be conceivably possessed by genius. Confessions of an unredeemed drug addict originally titled junk, later released as junky is a novel by american beat generation writer william s. February 5, 1914 august 2, 1997 was an american novelist, short story writer, essayist, painter, and spoken word performer. Burroughs reads from the place of dead roads and the cat inside. See junk novel for the book of similar title by melvin burgess junkie. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Burroughs begins an adventure that will take us into the dark recesses of his imagination, a region where nothing is sacred, nothing taboo. Burroughs and the cult of rock and roll, casey rae details the shooting and its impact on burroughs future. Get 50% off this audiobook at the audiobooksnow online audio book store and download or stream it right to your computer, smartphone or tablet.
Burroughs didnt let himself off the hook for that ever, and i dont either in the book, but i do use it as an opportunity to explore what that type of psychic trauma can. It s safe to say that the book wouldnt have seen the light of day if allen ginsberg hadnt taken burroughs under his wing and edited the manuscript. Burroughs was elected to the american academy and institute of arts and letters in 1975. One reason that apes cant talk is because the structure of their inner throats is simply not designed to. Audible provides the highest quality audio and narration. Burroughs audio books from the largest online selection at. Burroughs wrote eighteen novels and novellas, six collections of short.
Burroughs does not patronize his readers by driving or advocating any particular morality. It may also be his saddest book, as from a writer s standpoint one can almost feel the depression, pain, guilt, fatigue and malaise pouring from the words within the pages within the binding of the book. Rider smith, andrew garman, mark nelson, recorded books. Burroughs was born 100 years ago on february 5 and to commemorate there is a hefty new biography, the first comprehensive effort since 1988. Burroughs painted, experimented with collage, manipulated tape recordings, collaborated on film projects, toyed with weird. Burroughs book sheds light on the literary legends influence on music relying on a wealth of research and documents, casey rae deftly maps out how one of americas most. Burroughs 19141997 was one of the foremost writers of the beat generation.
From william burroughss naked lunch to paul bowless translations of moroccan authors, here are the best. This is from the audiobook of junky read by william s. Burroughs is one of the best beatnik writers of his day. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Oct 07, 2018 click and tune in to slacker free internet radio for more wsb and other beat artists audio tracksmusic albumsspoken words burroughs connection to modern music. Burroughs and released in 2000 by penguin audiobooks. Feb 05, 2014 burroughs was born 100 years ago on february 5 and to commemorate there is a hefty new biography, the first comprehensive effort since 1988. Burroughs, narrated by andrew garman, mark nelson, t.
And for newcomers to william burroughs, you should absolutely pick it up and start with it, then read queer, the sequel to junky which i actually read before it and move on to wade through the deep water of burroughs dark and fractured. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. Blending war films and pornography, and referencing kafka and mailer, the western lands confirms burroughs status as one of americas greatest writers. His first published work, it is semiautobiographical and focuses on burroughs life as a. A provocative, controversial figure famed for his unique cutup prose aesthetic, burroughs lived. The wild boys is burroughs strangest novel and that s saying something. William burroughs the original junkie books the guardian. Burroughs was a primary figure of the beat generation and a major postmodernist author whose influence is considered to have affected a range of popular culture as well as literature. Continuing his ferocious verbal assault on hatred, hype, poverty, war, bureaucracy, and addiction in all its forms, burroughs gives us a surreal space odyssey through the wounded galaxies in a book only he.
Download and keep this book for free with a 30 day trial. In 1983, burroughs was elected to the american academy and institute of arts and letters, and in 1984. A fascinating mix of autobiographical episodes and extraordinary egyptian theology, burroughs final novel is poignant and melancholic. The restored text corrects errors present in previous editions and incorporates burroughs notes on the text, several essays he wrote about the book, an appendix of new material, and alternate drafts from the original manuscript. Burroughs 4,719 followers william seward burroughs ii, also known by his pen name william lee. William burroughs died at his home in lawrence, kansas, after suffering a heart attack in 1997. Burroughs biography literary outlaw which burroughs hated, the hardliving beat writer added teacher to the list of jobs he did not like after an unhappy semester teaching creative writing at the city college of new york. Burroughs biography literary outlaw which burroughs hated, the hardliving beat writer added teacher to the list of jobs he did not like after an unhappy semester teaching creative writing at the city college of. Burroughs 19141997 was an american author, painter, and spokenword performer who has had a wideranging influence on american culture. Burroughs, american writer of experimental novels that evoke, in deliberately erratic prose, a nightmarish, sometimes wildly humorous world. The book has been expanded with an extensive essay on its history written by harris, along with previously unpublished material by.