William S. Burroughs

I'm almost done with naked lunch now. It does'nt make sense if you think it's all one thing. I look at it like some short stories that are loosley coonected.

 

Yes. Very much so.

 

Yes - In the early novels - 'Naked Lunch', 'Soft Machine' etc, WSB was tearing up conventional ideas of plot. Hence the books are episodic in nature.

Later, esp in the trilogy 'Cities of the Red Night' to 'The Western Lands' he returned more to plot - but still not in the linear way employed by the conventional novel.
WSB's work is, IMO, typical of post-modern art in general. It is collage - it is all about the juxtaposition of images in new ways to reflect a new awareness of the world.
The story Bill Burroughs is telling us cannot be told in linear, conventional terms.

If you want a short, and very readable example of the later Burroughs, try 'Ghost of Chance'.

 

I'm reading "Queer" right now, and its blowing me away...I definitely think you should read it after Naked Lunch though, it may the same straightforward style as "Junky" but its really interesting seeing the style of Naked Lunch beginning to formulate in all of Lee's rants.

 

i thoroughly enjoyed "The Cat Inside."

 

His books honestly make me sick. It's graphic homosexual pornography, plain and simple. If it was looked at as pornography then it would be ok, but people condiser his work literature. I would consider him a great writer if his personal weaknesses didn't get in the way. He can't tell a story without some kind of sick sexual deformity. He gives in to every little desire and has no self discipline. Mabybe I just don't get it. I have tried various times to read his stuff but it always sickens me. I love Henry Miller and Kerouak and Bukowski, but Burroghs is just a sick motherfucker.

 

see, you do get it.

 

^hahah

The absolute lawless, self-indulgent nature of Burroughs is what appeals to me so greatly. He shows us our unpleasant, animal sides. Theres a part in Queer that is not only homoerotic (for those of you that find that offensive) but also shows his pedophile side...and yes it is quite amoral, but the level of self-exposure at which he writes is what makes it so significant to me.

Though I can understand why someone wouldn't find such a depiction as beautiful as I find it. It's not for everyone.

 

to naked lunch.. I think he went there, he saw, and brought something back with him;

 

I've only read Naked Lunch, but I really liked it, in a sort of deranged sort of way. It made me paranoid. Sort of like I was going through some sort of Pavlovian conditioning or something. And I made sure no one was reading over my shoulder.

 

I find Burroughs almost more enlightening to listen to than to read... That voice of his - absolutely priceless.

 

I've read a ton of classic "Beat" books by Kerouac, Tom Wolfe, poetry by Ginsberg, etc. and I just haven't gotten around to reading Burroughs yet, though I've heard a thousand great things about him.
I was just wondering if someone could tell my which Burroughs book to read first?
I've heard Junky and Naked Lunch are the best, so could someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks!
Peace&Love

 

I'd recommend starting with WSB's later work - the trilogy 'Cities of the Red Night' 'Place of Dead Roads' and 'The Western Lands' for instance.

The later work is easier to read than the early stuff, as Burroughs went back to more of a linear, narraive style of writing. The earlier works are all experimental and can be hard to get into - but if you want to begin with that go for 'Naked Lunch'.

 

I can't believe him and cobain did something together...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pfd3OtPQoA

 

^^ umm... the music is distracting me from the story
and the story sucks
and Burroughs' narrarating sounds cool, but it doesn't fit the story well

the music is cool though

 

I love the term "immaculate fix"
but I do agree its hard to concentrate on his words...
I just love the idea of him hanging out with cobain