William S. Burroughs: Difference between revisions

 

Burroughs' use of the cut-up technique, surrealist satire and harsh criticism of society made him a countercultural figure starting in [[The Seventies]], and he began to be cited as a significant influence by numerous musicians, including [[Throbbing Gristle|Genesis P-Orridge]], [[Joy Division|Ian Curtis]], [[Ministry|Al Jourgensen]], [[Tom Waits]], [[Velvet Underground|Lou Reed]], [[David Bowie]], [[Brian Eno]], [[Nirvana|Kurt Cobain]], [[Pink Floyd|Roger Waters]], Laurie Anderson, [[Patti Smith]] and others. Burroughs himself later embarked on a spoken word career, collaborating with [[Ministry]], [[Throbbing Gristle]], [[Tom Waits]], [[Nick Cave]] and [[Kurt Cobain]] among others. His last filmed performance was in the video for "Last Night on Earth" by [[U2]].

 

* ''[[And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tanks]]'': Early novel, a collaboration with [[Jack Kerouac]], recently dusted off and published forty years after being written.

* ''[[Junky]]''

* ''[[Naked Lunch]]'': Burroughs most famous work, a collection of farcical sketches that unmask the horrors lurking beneath the calm veneer of modern life.

* ''[[The Nova Trilogy]]'': A [[Space Opera]] about a group of extraterrestrial terrorists called the 'Nova Mob' who want to ignite the earth into an exploding Super Nova by creating insoluble conflicts. They can only be stopped by the Nova Police, who understand that "Nobody, on any planet, wants to see a police officer". Thought to be [[True Art Is Incomprehensible|nigh unreadable]] because of Burrough's extensive use of the 'cut-up' technique, which involves cutting up a page of text into four pieces and re-arranging them to create new text. Although contrary to the claims of bewildered skeptics, the observant reader, if patient, can see a fairly reliable pattern emerge. Usually, a chapter will start out fairly straightforward, with normal prose and everything, then after the bulk of the story is told, the reader will become aware that they're reading the same story, only "cut-up" and may become aware of new connotations and subtleties not noticed in the original. And sometimes, passages will descend into strings of seemingly random cut-up images. If taken into account that this was Burroughs' attempt to introduce the montage technique of film into literature, some of the more incoherent passages will begin to make a lot more sense.

Nova Express }}

* ''[[The Wild Boys]]'': Homoerotic fantasy in which savage teenage boys in nothing but rainbow colored jockstraps and roller blades destroy western civilization. Notable for being Burroughs' first attempt to return to a straightforward narrative since 'Queer', while managing to retain several scenes of kaleidoscopic free-association free for all, in the 'Penny Arcade Peep Show' sections. That aside, it's actually quite accessible and a great way to experiences Burroughs' savage satire if [[Naked Lunch]] is proving too difficult.

* ''[[Ah Puch Is Here]]'': Burroughs and Malcolm McNeil's early attempt to elevate the graphic novel into an art form, named after the Mayan God of Death. Although sadly it was never completed due to the costs of color copying at the time (a hindrance Burroughs earlier faced when trying to publish ''The Third Mind'', his collaboration with Brion Gysin), some unfinished panels can be viewed [http://www.burroughsmcneillart.com/ here] allowing us to all know ''exactly'' what we missed.

* ''[[The Red Night Trilogy]]'': Burrough's last great work; a psychedelic journey through six irradiated cities from the past that were struck by an asteroid from a red sky. The first chronicles a dual narrative about a psychic detective and some gay pirates, both which tangle together in the first of the six titular cities, Tamaghis. The second book follows a time-traveling old-western shootist, which somehow sets up the third's odyssey through the Egyptian Land of the Dead, culminating in a satisfying conclusion to Burroughs's mythology. Contains frequent [[Continuity Nod|references and homages]] to earlier works and some of the most delicious [[Author Tract|opinion pieces]] and [[Take That|elderly scorn]] ever written, as well as (thankfully) conservative use of the cut-up technique, these last three books can be taken as Burrough's final thesis in regards to his entire career.

The Western Lands }}

* ''[[The Cat Inside]]'': A quirky novel that showcases a lighter Burroughs and his love of cats.