William burroughs junky audio book

Burroughs junky is edited with an introduction by oliver harris in penguin modern classics. Burroughs virtual junky diary is a trip through the authors own selfinflicted and selfinjected personal hell. Burroughs, narrated by andrew garman, mark nelson, t. Burroughs is a bleak take on heroin addicts during the 1940s50s. William leenicknamed billis a thirtyyearold white male living in new york city who begins using morphine and develops an addiction to narcoticsor junk. The story tells how the main character, william lee, goes from a middleclass existence in the midwest to pushingusing drugs in new york city, from morphine to marijuana to cocaine to mainly heroin. Burroughs was indeed the most amoral of the altogether quite amoral beats. This book is amazing and absolutely worth the time but find the audio book as read by william burroughs as few else could do it justice. February 5, 1914 august 2, 1997 was an american novelist, short story writer, essayist, painter, and spoken word performer. Junk is not, like alcohol or a weed, a means to increased enjoyment of life. The book is less than two hundred pages, which, if the book was any longer it would have fallen short. Burroughs, you read nonfiction books for information. Burroughs reads from the place of dead roads and the cat inside. Burroughs is one of those writers you feel like youre supposed to like, then you read naked lunch and decide for yourself its all academic snob hype and nothing more.

Burroughs unique among writers is the fact that he spent a lot of his creative energy not writing, presumably as a way to accomplish his mission of rubbing out the word. From the tenements of new york to the queer bars of new orleans, junky takes the reader into a world at once longforgotten and still with us today. 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. Junky part 1 of 11 by wlliam s bourroughs 1953 youtube. William burroughs audio books, best sellers, author bio audible. Burroughs wrote junk, his first book, a candid, eyewitness account of times and places that are now long gone. Burroughs is one of the best beatnik writers of his day. Download and keep this book for free with a 30 day trial. Before his 1959 breakthrough, naked lunch, an unknown william s. Paused youre listening to a sample of the audible audio edition. Get 50% off this audiobook at the audiobooksnow online audio book store and download or stream it right to your computer, smartphone or tablet. The story tells how the main character, william lee, goes from a middleclass existence in the midwest to pushing. The book, originally published under the pseudonym william lee, was distributed by ace books, a publishing house. Rider smith, andrew garman, mark nelson, recorded books.

Burroughs, audiobook narrated by andrew garman, mark nelson, t. Burroughs published junky, an irresistible strungout ode to the joys and perversities of drug addiction. Feb 01, 2014 the original cover of junkie by william lee second, although the bulk of junky was in place before the killing, burroughs continued to revise the text at least as late as july 1952, including. Feb 04, 2011 writer, philosopher, artist, and cofounder of the beat generation, william s. The burroughslike protagonist of the novel, bill lee, seesaws between. It transports you back in time very easily to the 1950s. He wore a gray lightweight brooks brothers suit with a vest, a bluestriped shirt from gibraltar cut in the english style, and a deepblue tie with small. Edit release all versions of this release data correct. William burroughs the original junkie books the guardian. Burroughs reads his first novel, junky open culture. The original cover of junkie by william lee second, although the bulk of junky was in place before the killing, burroughs continued to. Mu and song of the andoumboulou are two ongoing sequences beaded with his.

Too bad many of the colloquialisms of his day has aged like warm milk. 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. The definitive text of junk penguin modern classics by burroughs, william s. Junkie alternative title spelled junky is a 1953 semiautobiographical novel by william s. His first published work, it is semiautobiographical and focuses on burroughs life as a drug user and dealer. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on junky by william s.

This book was titled junky after all and was being recommendedlent to me by someone who had earlier reassured me that william s. Junkie mass market paperback january 1, 1953 by william burroughs author 4. February 5, 1914 august 2, 1997 was an american writer and visual artist. Dec 16, 2019 william s burroughs book recommendations. The main characters of this fiction, classics story are william s. 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. See all 12 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. In his debut novel, junky, burroughs fictionalized his experiences using and peddling heroin and other drugs in the 1950s into a work that reads like a field report from the underworld of postwar america. Penguin audiobooks 0141801824,penguin audiobooks isbn 0141801824 format.

The burroughs like protagonist of the novel, bill lee, seesaws between. Its a very straightforward, nononsense and notearjerker experience as burroughs writes of lees addictions, faltering friendships, his fleeting meets with people while trying to attain drugs as quickly as possible, at times doing anything for it. Book club genres all book club genres sorting by best selling this month book lists. Burroughs first novel, a largely autobiographical account of the constant cycle of drug dependency, cures and relapses, remains the most unflinching, unsentimental account of. An addict for years, he crafted books like junky and naked lunch. The reader follows the narration of junkie william lee, who takes on various aliases, from the u. A century after his birth, 60 years after first publication, it is more than holding its own. The first edition of the novel was published in april 15th 1953, and was written by william s. Joan didion in 1953, at the height of american conformism and anticommunist hysteria, william s. Ginsberg begins by reading from burroughss work, including his book nova express. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. If you read william burroughs and havent read junky, dont hesitate to buy this book. Burroughs voice is hard, derisive, inventive, free, funny, serious, poetic, indelibly american.

Burroughs 19141997 was an american author, painter, and spokenword performer who has had a wideranging influence on american culture. Listen to junky the definitive text of junk by william s. Burroughs successfully tells his story using simple language making junky an easy but engaging read. Writer, philosopher, artist, and cofounder of the beat generation, william s. Burroughs became one of the founding figures of the beat movement. Burroughs begins an adventure that will take us into the dark recesses of his imagination, a region where nothing is sacred, nothing taboo. 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. Feb 11, 2014 where i would dare to argue with burroughs is in the notion that junky is not much of a book. Burroughs wrote eighteen novels and novellas, six collections of short.

Six years before he published his breakthrough novel, naked lunch 1959, william s. The definitive text of junk audiobook by william s. Finding success with his confessional first novel, junkie 1953, burroughs is perhaps best known for his third novel naked lunch 1959, a. Jack kerouac called him the greatest satirical writer since jonathan swift. A shocking expose of the desperate subculture surrounding addiction, william s. A primary figure of the beat generation and a major postmodernist author, he is considered to be one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative. In an era when poetry is increasingly compressed to fit our iphone screens, nathaniel mackey has been writing two astonishing long poemsmu and song of the andoumboulouacross multiple books for the past thirtyfive years. An addict for years, he crafted books like junky and naked lunch, which were harrowing, often grotesque looks at drug.

Confessions of an unredeemed drug addict originally titled junk, later released as junky is a novel by american beat generation writer william s. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 208 pages and is available in paperback format. Where i would dare to argue with burroughs is in the notion that junky is not much of a book. At noon the next day he was ready for the interview. William s burroughs book recommendations books off the. Burroughs, published initially under the pseudonym william lee in 1953. 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. The burroughslike protagonist of the novel, bill lee. The definitive text of junk penguin modern classics. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Aug 02, 2018 junky part 4 of 11 by wlliam s bourroughs 1953.

Burroughs stated that the chapters are intended to be read in any order. In 1953, at the height of american conformism and anticommunist hysteria, william s. 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. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Norman mailer declared him the only american writer who may be conceivably possessed by genius. In his debut novel, junky, burroughs fictionalized his experiences using and peddling heroin and other drugs in the 1950s into a work that reads like a field report from the. For this definitive edition, renowned burroughs scholar oliver harris has gone back to archival typescripts to recreated the authors original text word by word. Burroughs broke into the literary scene with junky sometimes also called junkie, a candid, semiautobiographical account of an unredeemed drug addict. Apr 05, 20 junk is not, like alcohol or a weed, a means to increased enjoyment of life. The book is structured as a series of loosely connected vignettes. Burroughs painted, experimented with collage, manipulated tape recordings, collaborated on film projects, toyed with weird. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. It was his first published novel and has come to be considered a seminal text on the lifestyle of heroin addicts in the early 1950s. Burroughs, who had watched television alone that night, was asleep in his room at the chase park plaza hotel, st.

If public schools really wanted kids to abstain from injecting needles in their arms they should drop d. Burroughs who died in 1997 at the age of 83 continues to be a vital cultural force today. 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. Im disappointed audible doesnt have the burroughs version.