- Paperback: 208 pages
- Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics); 50 Anv edition (April 1 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0142003166
- ISBN-13: 978-0142003169
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 13.2 x 1.3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 163 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #61,674 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Book Description
Before his 1959 breakthrough, Naked Lunch, an unknown William S. Burroughs wrote Junk, his first book, a candid, eyewitness account of times and places that are now long gone. This book brings them vividly to life again; it is an unvarnished field report from the American postwar underground. For this definitive 50th-anniversary edition, eminent Burroughs scholar Oliver Harris has painstakingly re-created the author's original text, word by word, from archival typescripts. Here for the first time are Burroughs's own unpublished Introduction and an entire omitted chapter, along with many "lost" passages and auxiliary texts by Allen Ginsberg and others. Harris's comprehensive Introduction reveals the composition history of Junk's text and places its contents against a lively historical background.
About the Author
William S. Burroughs (1914-1997)—guru of the Beat Generation, controversial éminence grise of the international avant-garde, dark prophet, and blackest of black humor satirists—had a range of influence rivaled by few post-World War II writers. His many books include Naked Lunch, Queer, Exterminator!, The Cat Inside, The Western Lands, and Interzone.
Oliver Harris edited The Letters of William S. Burroughs 1945-1959. He is currently a lecturer in American Literature at the University of Keele.
Inside This Book
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A junky on "Junky",
By sam "sam" (NJ) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Junky: The Definitive Text of Junk (50th Anniversary Edition) (Paperback)
Unless you abused heroin to the point where you suffered through withdrawl, you should not have any place to comment on the "realism" of this book. Those of you have not, consider yourself lucky that you can read this book as a warning and find it "shocking." Dope just isn't worth it.Everything Burroughs writes in this book rings true to my experiences as an addict, except of course for the details of the time period. Going to "croaks" for scripts, the slang, the prices, the ethnicity of the pushers...most of this has changed entirely, as it would since it has been over half a century i think since this book debuted. Everything else rings true. The descriptions of the withdrawls, the detoxes, the mindset of a junky...the warmth of that shot...its all here. If this read disturbs you, don't consider it a fantasy by a long shot and stay away because he tells what I found out right there in the first chapter: you may not get addicted right away (it took me several months) but heroin abuse only leads to a habit, a loss of funds, misery, jailtime, or death.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Contemporary Classic no matter what,
By A Customer
This review is from: Junky: The Definitive Text of Junk (50th Anniversary Edition) (Paperback)
Although this is an incredibly short read, one cannot deny that Burroughs is a fantastic writer by the way he packs so much into a story so short. This is not only one of the most hilarious stories that I've ever read, but also one of the most interesting. After seeing movies such as Requiem for a Dream and Trainspotting, it's incredibly fascinating to hear the other side of the story from a credible source (since Burroughs draws greatly upon personal experience). Also, the appendices in this text are worth reading because they not only give one a glossary of the "jive talk" (for those who aren't familiar with drugs and whatnot), but also more succinct opinions and information. This story may not be the clearest depiction of all of the horrors of the junky lifestyle, but it certainly gives a highly introspective view, as well as something to ponder further because of background facts about the character (such as his wife and children that are most likely purposely excluded for the most part).
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ignore Everyone Else...Unless They're Telling You To Read It,
By A. Lacasse (Ottawa, ON) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Modern Classics Junky (Paperback)
Im not quite finished this novel...so i guess this review is a little premature. But i couldnt help myself. This isnt the most wonderful piece of literature. If i were reviewing this book based on its literary craftmanship, it would probably get 3 stars. But the genius of this book goes beyond the writing style and Burrough's (in)ability to write a classic, timeless novel (you know, something like Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky). Its genius lies in its ability to make you squirm. To make you feel really uncomfortable. And even to make you crack a smile in between. Reading this book puts me on a crazy rollercoaster of emotions and feelings. Not into the depressing crevaces of life like many great novels do, but more like....well, you know how rollercoasters sometimes take you out of your zone of comfort. That's what theyre made to do. Make you feel unsafe, because that's where the thrill comes from. This book, JUNKY, does just that. It takes you by the throat and makes you scream for more. Sick and twisted, but genius!Of course, if youre a junky, or reformed junky, then the book might not have the same impact. Just all the talk about needles, mugging homeless people, etc etc etc...it all takes me into a world that i know exists (and existed) but have never experienced it so personally. Truly scary. Now that i think of it, i guess it all comes down to the way he talks about everything. Like everything they do in the book is so normal. It's almost like there's no emotion. Like he's reading off a grocery list. That's where the scary part and the uncomfortable feeling come in. I cant believe this stuff happened (and happens).
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