William leenicknamed billis a thirtyyearold white male living in new york city who. See junk novel for the book of similar title by melvin burgess junkie. In his debut novel, junky, burroughs fictionalized his experiences using and. Its a very straightforward, nononsense and notearjerker experience as burroughs. Burroughs junky is edited with an introduction by oliver harris in penguin modern classics. Junky by william s burroughs penguin books australia. Jack kerouac called him the greatest satirical writer since jonathan swift. Buy junky by william burroughs from waterstones today. Confessions of an unredeemed drug addict and authored pseudonymously by william lee burroughs mothers maiden. William leebillis the narrator and protagonist of the novel.
Six years before he published his breakthrough novel, naked lunch 1959, william s. Junky by william burroughs and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Junky part 11of 11 by wlliam s bourroughs 1953 duration. His first published novel was the largely autobiographical junky, which remains a classic depiction of the constant cycle of drug dependency. Mar 04, 2008 junky part 11of 11 by wlliam s bourroughs 1953 duration. Burroughs 19141997 was an american author, painter, and spokenword performer who has had a wideranging influence on american culture.
In his debut novel, junky, burroughs fictionalized his experiences using and peddling heroin and. Burroughs, published initially under the pseudonym william lee. Junky and william burroughs oblique moral vision its apparently impassive descriptions of a heroin addicts life still lay out rights and wrongs pretty plainly sam jordison. Aug 07, 2012 junkie alternately titled junky is a 1953 semiautobiographical novel by william s. Junky is burroughss first book and is written in a very straightforward, almost journalistic, style. Burroughs introduction when i lived in mexico city at the end of the 1940s, it was a city of one million people, with clear sparkling air and the sky that special shade of blue that goes so well with. The definitive text of junk penguin modern classics by burroughs, william s. In this passage, burroughs describes a junkie using a plant metaphor. It is a short, quick read and a superb glimpse behind the curtains of the fifties counterculture burroughs was friends with beat generation icon jack kerouac and junky was championed by allen ginsberg. A shocking expose of the desperate subculture surrounding heroin addiction, william s. Junk is not, like alcohol or a weed, a means to increased enjoyment of life. Burroughs first novel, a largely autobiographical account of the constant cycle of drug dependency, cures and relapses, remains the most unflinching, unsentimental account of addiction ever written. The burroughs like protagonist of the novel, bill lee, seesaws between.
In junkie, his descriptions of drug withdrawal dig deep. Listen to junky the definitive text of junk by william s. Junk is not, like alcohol or weed, a means to increased enjoyment in life. Burroughs introduction when i lived in mexico city at the end of the 1940s, it was a city of one million people, with clear sparkling air and the sky that special shade of blue that goes so well with circling vultures, blood and sandthe raw menacing pitiless mexican blue. Contributor internet archive language english originally published as junkie under the pen. The definitive text of junk penguin modern classics. Burroughs was a primary figure of the beat generation and a major postmodernist. February 5, 1914 august 2, 1997 was an american writer and visual artist. It is a way of life william burroughs, legendary drug addict, founder member of the beats and author of naked lunch, relates with unflinching realism the addicts life. Burroughs junkie november 10, 2012 june 16, 2015 freshlyworded junkie by influential beat generation writer william s. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on junky by william s. Burroughs by via the house published march 9, 2009 updated august 1, 2015 junky, first published in 1952, is one of the first examples of contemporary drug literature. Confessions of an unredeemed drug addict originally titled junk, later released as junky is a novel by american beat generation.
Burroughs, published initially under the pseudonym william lee in 1953. William burroughs the original junkie books the guardian. 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. Burroughs broke into the literary scene with junky sometimes also called junkie, a candid, semiautobiographical account of an unredeemed drug addict. Burroughs reads from the place of dead roads and the cat inside. Junk is not, like alcohol or weed, a means to increased enjoyment of life. Junkie by william burroughs, first edition abebooks. Browse william burroughss bestselling audiobooks and newest titles. 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. William burroughs audio books, best sellers, author bio audible. Through time spent kicking and time spent dealing, through junk sickness and a sanatorium, junky is a field report from the american postwar drug. Burroughs published junky, an irresistible strungout ode to the joys and perversities of drug addiction. It is a way of life william burroughs, legendary drug addict, founder member of the. Burroughs wrote this book much based on his own experience with addiction decades ago, and i think itll forever be potent.
Burroughs broke into the literary scene with junky sometimes also called junkie, a candid, semiautobiographical. Before his 1959 breakthrough, naked lunch, an unknown william s. Kenwood ddx418 manual, key competencies in brief dynamic psychotherapy clinical practice beyond the manual, kidaposs box level 3 pupilaposs book 2nd edition, know about vegetables, konica minolta dimage z3 manual. 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. They even have us dive into the pores of the junkies skin and needless to say, things get real weird, real quick. Some new material, and an introduction by allen ginsberg were added. Apr 05, 20 junk is not, like alcohol or a weed, a means to increased enjoyment of life. Burroughs reads his first novel, junky open culture. Burroughs and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. 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. A shocking expose of the desperate subculture surrounding addiction, william s.
Junky is the kind of novel that you cannot read until you abandon all pretenses. Burroughs broke into the literary scene with junky sometimes also called junkie, a candid, semiautobiographical account of an unredeemed. Jack kerouac called him the greatest satirical writer. This study guide consists of approximately 38 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of junky. In 1953, at the height of american conformism and anticommunist hysteria, william s. Burroughs wrote junk, his first book, a candid, eyewitness account of times and places that are now long gone. Burroughss first novel describes the relentless travels of william lee through the dizzying, drugaddled neighborhoods of 1940s new york, new orleans, and. 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. It is a short, quick read and a superb glimpse behind the curtains of the fifties counterculture. In 1977 the expurgations of the earlier edition were undone, and the title changed from junkie to junky. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading junky.
Confessions of an unredeemed drug addict originally titled junk, later released as junky is a novel by american beat generation writer william s. Burroughs is the second book ive read as part of a miniproject of mine to examine the place of the heroin junky in literature. 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. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. He states he was born 1914 to an established, wealthy.
The definitive text of junk kindle edition by burroughs, william s download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Burroughs, the author of naked lunch and junkie, talks about his addiction to heroin. 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 cult classic junky is now available for the first time.
If youre a fan of william burroughs work, a complete reading of junkie, by william burroughs himself, has recently appeared online, for free. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Forget for a moment that this was burroughs first book, put aside the fact that he was himself a junky, and put your personal opinions of drug use and abuse, as well as burroughs himself, on hold. Junky is burroughs s first book and is written in a very straightforward, almost journalistic, style. Feb 11, 2014 junky and william burroughs oblique moral vision its apparently impassive descriptions of a heroin addicts life still lay out rights and wrongs pretty plainly sam jordison.
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