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Naked Lunch

By William Burroughs

(105)

| Audio CD | 9781570423802

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Book Description

Since its original publication in Paris in 1959, Naked Lunch has become one of the most important novels of the 20th century. Exerting its influence on the work of authors like Thomas Pynchon, J. G. Ballard, and William Gibson, on the relationship of art and obscenity, and on the shape of music, filContinue

Since its original publication in Paris in 1959, Naked Lunch has become one of the most important novels of the 20th century. Exerting its influence on the work of authors like Thomas Pynchon, J. G. Ballard, and William Gibson, on the relationship of art and obscenity, and on the shape of music, film, and media generally, it is one of the books that redefined not just literature but American culture. Now, nearly forty years after the book's first U.S. appearance, Burroughs scholar Barry Miles and Burroughs's longtime editor James Grauerholz have given us an edition of the book which includes many editorial corrections to errors present in the existing text, and incorporates Burroughs's notes on the text, several essays he wrote over the years about the book, and, most excitingly, an appendix of twenty percent new material and alternate drafts from the original manuscript, which predates the edition eventually was published by Olympia Press in Paris. For the Burroughs enthusiast and the neophyte, this volume is a valuable and fresh experience of perhaps his most enduring artistic legacy.

Critics

  • Beating his demons

    When I first read Naked Lunch, as a teenager sleeping rough in a Greek olive grove, I thought it funny, baffling and vile, its hallucinatory horrors recalling paintings by Francis Bacon — ‘mouth and eyes are one organ that leaps forward to snap with ... (read full critics)

    spectator published on Fri, 17 Sep 2010

  • Beating his demons

    When I first read Naked Lunch, as a teenager sleeping rough in a Greek olive grove, I thought it funny, baffling and vile, its hallucinatory horrors recalling paintings by Francis Bacon — ‘mouth and eyes are one organ that leaps forward to snap with ... (read full critics)

    spectator published on Mon, 13 Sep 2010

5 Reviews

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  • 1 person find this helpful

    Generally, pretty traumatic!

    What I liked most about this book, and what made me get into it in the first place, were the excerpts from the 'morality' trail and controversy surrounding the book and its author. Given at the start it acts almost as a disclaimer for the events that follow. Intentionally, or not, it guides the read ... (continue)

    What I liked most about this book, and what made me get into it in the first place, were the excerpts from the 'morality' trail and controversy surrounding the book and its author. Given at the start it acts almost as a disclaimer for the events that follow. Intentionally, or not, it guides the reader.

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    Katelyn said on Jan 29, 2009 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • I couldn't help but give it up.
    Perhaps my not perfect english doesn't help,but honestly I don't think very much of a situation where I have to read a page two or three times to start figuring out what's written on it...

    The film was crazy as well but I could cope with it pretty well, maybe if I tr ... (continue)

    I couldn't help but give it up.
    Perhaps my not perfect english doesn't help,but honestly I don't think very much of a situation where I have to read a page two or three times to start figuring out what's written on it...

    The film was crazy as well but I could cope with it pretty well, maybe if I try the bokk first translated and then again in english, I could understand it better...
    Sooner or later I'll do it.

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    Gingillo said on Sep 18, 2011 about the Others edition | Add your feedback

  • Starts hard. Will see how it continues...

    09-04-2011 - I found this very difficult to read. I have tried many books about junkies and their shattered lives, but this is so gross, that I just want to forget everything I read as soon as possible.

    07-18-2011: It is as gross as I imagined it would be: all those junkies destroying themselves, d ... (continue)

    09-04-2011 - I found this very difficult to read. I have tried many books about junkies and their shattered lives, but this is so gross, that I just want to forget everything I read as soon as possible.

    07-18-2011: It is as gross as I imagined it would be: all those junkies destroying themselves, doing things one can barely imagine. I absolutely have to read this book because I owe it to myself since long time ago.

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    ariadna73 said on Jul 19, 2011 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

  • The Stuff On The End Of Your Fork...

    Surreal beauty mixed in with an equal measure of wretchedness and spit. Note that it made it onto the list of Time magazine's Top 100 Novels Of All-Time, which is not something to sniff at.

    I initially found the book a little bewildering as far as the overall plot went but specific passages an ... (continue)

    Surreal beauty mixed in with an equal measure of wretchedness and spit. Note that it made it onto the list of Time magazine's Top 100 Novels Of All-Time, which is not something to sniff at.

    I initially found the book a little bewildering as far as the overall plot went but specific passages and bits I did understand were very much worth it. The author wrote this book not entirely lucid and it shows, but what a beautiful craziness it is! For those who love heavy imagery and very creative writing one cannot do much better than this little book - it will never grow old and is an established classic. Certain images and descriptions will stay with you always.

    I also recommend that David Cronenberg's movie adaption is watched - it actually made a whole lot more sense out of the book for me, sort of like reading and loving a Shakespearean play but being overwhelmed by its true meaning once seen performed on stage. You should be able to tell by reading the first page of the story whether you will like the book or not.

    The author introduces this edition with a personal overview of drugs and society, and explains what it is about drugs that is dangerous: the hysteria surrounding them, their illegality which props up the "junk pyramid" and supports an underground of pushers - the real villains in the story.

    There is also an appendix where Burroughs gives a very thorough overview of his experiences of the effects and interactions of his drug-taking. He covers a vast array of substances and provides a rare personal insight that only a junky of many decades may deliver. This appendix, I believe, is an invaluable contribution to our knowledge store of the phenomenon of human drug-taking.

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    Ramnagel said on Jun 13, 2009 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

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