William S. Burroughs (1914–1997)
Author of Naked Lunch
About the Author
William S. Burroughs was a primary figure of the Beat Generation who wrote in the postmodern paranoid fiction genre. Jack Kerouac called Burroughs the "greatest satirical writer since Jonathan Swift," while Norman Mailer declared him "the only American writer who may be conceivably possessed by show more genius." While he is best known for the novels Naked Lunch, Queer, and Junkie, he also collaborated with artists such as Laurie Anderson, Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Gus Van Sant, David Cronen-berg, and Sonic Youth to produce films, music, and performance pieces. show less
Disambiguation Notice:
This is the beat author, not to be confused with his son of the same name, also an author.
Image credit: William S Burroughs
Series
Works by William S. Burroughs
Burroughs live : the collected interviews of William S. Burroughs, 1960-1997 (2001) — Interviewee — 80 copies
Conversations With William S. Burroughs (Literary Conversations Series) (1999) — Interviewee — 46 copies
Queer 39 copies
William S. Burroughs' "The Revised Boy Scout Manual": An Electronic Revolution (Bulletin) (2018) 38 copies
Concrete and buckshot : William S. Burroughs paintings, 1987-1996 [art exhibition catalog] (1996) — Artist — 15 copies
Qigong Meridian Self Massage - Complete Program for Improved Health, Pain Annihilation, and Swift Healing (Chi Powers… (2014) 7 copies
The inspiration of Holy Scripture, its nature and proof: eight discourses, preached before the University of Dublin (1854) 7 copies
The Spoken Word: William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin (British Library - British Library Sound Archive) (2013) 7 copies
DOCTOR BENWAY 6 copies
Ali's smile 6 copies
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE 6 copies
Total Chi Fitness - Meridian Stretching Exercises for Ultimate Fitness, Performance and Health (Chi Powers for Modern… (2014) 6 copies
The Road To The Western Lands — Contributor — 5 copies
William S. Burroughs : Time, Place, Word [exhibition catalog] — Subject — 5 copies
5-Minute Chi Boost - Five Pressure Points for Reviving Life Energy and Healing Fast (Chi Powers for Modern Age) (2012) 5 copies
Sinki's sauna 4 copies
Words Of Advice For Young People 4 copies
Novels by William S. Burroughs: Naked Lunch, Nova Express, Cities of the Red Night, Junkie, the Soft Machine, the Last… (2010) 4 copies
Thee Films 4 copies
The Black Rider [theater program] — Author — 4 copies
THE NOVA CONVENTION 4 copies
RE/SEARCH 3 copies
William S. Burroughs all out of time and into space [art exhibition catalog] (2012) — Artist — 3 copies
William S. Burroughs Galerie K 1990 3 copies
William S. Burroughs : December 19 through January 24, 1988 [art exhibition catalog] (1987) — Artist — 3 copies
7786 - Burroughs, Wm. — Contributor — 3 copies
TOWERS OPEN FIRE 3 copies
William S. Burroughs/John Giorno 3 copies
RUSKI 3 copies
RUBY EDITIONS PORTFOLIO 1 2 copies
CITY LIGHTS RARE BOOK CATALOG 2 copies
William S. Burroughs & Brion Gysin 2 copies
Le festin nu + DVD 2 copies
JUNKIE/THE YAGE LETTERS 2 copies
LOCUS SOLUS II 2 copies
DARAZT 2 copies
TALK TALK VOLUME 3 NUMBER 6 2 copies
X-RAY MAN (seriegraph) 2 copies
THE DARK EYE 2 copies
Ten episodes from Naked lunch 2 copies
Apomorphine 2 copies
Valentine’s Day Reading, 1965 2 copies
The cut up method of Brion Gysin 2 copies
Arcade (Number One) 2 copies
MRABET POSTCARD 2 copies
Banker with a heart 2 copies
The Frisco Kid he never returns 2 copies
Poems 2 copies
Fresh sounds from Middle America #5 2 copies
William Burroughs, George Condo collaborations, 1988-1996: December 6, 1997-January 17, 1998 — Artist — 2 copies
Vaudeville voices [sound recording] 2 copies
ATTICUS BOOKS CATALOGUE EIGHT 2 copies
The Lost Interview: Interzone Extra 2 copies
PRY YOURSELF LOOSE AND LISTEN 2 copies
A Geração Invisível 2 copies
Myths. Instructions 1. [sound recording] — Contributor — 2 copies
Where Naked Troubadours Shoot Snooty Baboons (Broadside -- excerpt from CITIES OF THE RED NIGHT) (1978) 2 copies
Comissioner of Sewers [VHS] 1 copy
Signed postcard WSB 1 copy
Tarzan und der Verrückte #3 1 copy
Tarzan bei den Affen #1 1 copy
Just Plain Folk Panel, 05 1 copy
Chi Healing Powers Book Set 1 copy
Pesko 1 copy
4 books by William Burroughs 1 copy
Viruses Were By Accident 1 copy
Gradovi crvene noći 1 copy
Razgovori 1 copy
Dosis 1 copy
The hog 1 copy
Daniel Defoe, His Life, And Recently Discovered Writings, Extending From 1716-1729. By William Lee (2008) 1 copy
POSTCARD 1 1 copy
Natural Bridge Romance 1 copy
Washington Monument Romance 1 copy
Yosemite Valley Romance 1 copy
ACADAMY [SIC] SERIES 1 copy
In Dub 1 copy
FLUCK YOU! FLUCK YOU! 1 copy
Goorbe Daroon 1 copy
ćpun 1 copy
Total Chi Fitness Stretching Exercise for Energy Boost, Ultimate Fitness and Health (Chi Powers for Modern Age) (Volume… (2014) 1 copy
Lee family history 1 copy
Ime mi je Burroughs 1 copy
THIRD MIND BOOKS CATALOG 2 1 copy
ASYLUM 3 1 copy
Junky ; Naked lunch 1 copy
Johnny 23 1 copy
An interview 1 copy
INSECT TRUST GAZETTE 1 copy
SPERO 1 copy
THE ALGEBRA OF NEED 1 copy
AM HERE BOOKS CATALOGUE 1 copy
The instrument of control [sound recording] : William S. Burroughs, in conversation and readings 1 copy
TIME PLACE WORD 1 copy
TEXTES 1 copy
IN YOUTH IS PLEASURE 1 copy
FRESH SOUNDS INC FLYER 1 copy
UNIVERS 12 1 copy
UNIVERS 10 1 copy
M.O.B.-MY OWN BUSINESS 1 copy
TIME-BOOTLEG 1 copy
PARDON 1 copy
GALERIE K CATALOG 1 copy
I 1 copy
Naked Lunch Press Kit 1 copy
Death Fiend Guerrillas 1 copy
Fruit Cup, No. Zero 1 copy
Rat: Subterranean News 1 copy
Pop Smear Magazine #15.0 1 copy
Shotgun paintings; works on wood and paper — Artist — 1 copy
Oui. Vol. 6 No. 10 1 copy
Oui. Vol. 2 No. 8 1 copy
Playboy. Vol. 17 No. 2 — Contributor — 1 copy
High Times. No. 48 1 copy
High Times. No. 43 1 copy
The Anchor Vol. 74, No. 14 1 copy
The Anchor Vol. 74, No. 15 1 copy
TALK TALK FLEXI 1 copy
PLEASED TO MEET YOU 1 copy
FRONTIERS 1 copy
ESQUIRE CASSETTE 1 copy
GHOSTS AT NO. 9 1 copy
RAPID EYE 1 copy
THE 60S READER 1 copy
MAYFAIR VOL 5 NO 7 1 copy
Priest They Called Him 1 copy
Black Rider 1 copy
SOFT NEED #9 1 copy
ZONE 7 1 copy
Black Book 1963-64 1 copy
Industrial Revolution [VHS] 1 copy
William S. Burroughs Exposition, 23 Mars/21 Avril 1990, Galerie K (an exhibition catalogue) (1990) 1 copy
EVERGREEN REVIEW READER 1 copy
LIGHTWORKS 1 copy
LITTLE CAESAR 9 1 copy
THE BLACK MOUNTAIN REVIEW 7 1 copy
THE COLDSPRING NEWS 1 copy
KONTEXTS 1 copy
NORTHWEST EXTRA! 1 copy
PAINTINGS 1 copy
PAINTING 1 copy
SEMIOTEXT(E) USA 1 copy
KLACTO 23 1 copy
MY OWN MAG #14 1 copy
GUITAR WORLD 1 copy
CYCLOPS NO 1 1 copy
PANTAPON ROSE 1 copy
THE FINAL ACADEMY 1 copy
LITERARY VISION 1 copy
DOCTOR BENWAY ANNOUNCEMENT 1 copy
Pengefutar 1 copy
ZERO TIME TO THE SICK TRACKS 1 copy
THE HERE TO GO TAPES 1 copy
RUSH 1 copy
Associated Works
Storming the Reality Studio: A Casebook of Cyberpunk and Postmodern Science Fiction (1991) — Contributor — 248 copies
Three-fisted Tales of "Bob": Short Stories in the Subgenius Mythos (1990) — Contributor — 181 copies
The Rolling Stone Book of the Beats: The Beat Generation and American Culture (1999) — Contributor — 167 copies
The Graphic Canon, Vol. 3: From Heart of Darkness to Hemingway to Infinite Jest (2013) — Contributor — 147 copies
Writing New York: A Literary Anthology (Expanded 10th-Anniversary Edition) (2008) — Contributor — 93 copies
Take My Advice: Letters to the Next Generation from People Who Know a Thing or Two (2002) — Contributor — 45 copies
Very seventies : a cultural history of the 1970s, from the pages of Crawdaddy (1995) — Contributor — 24 copies
My Kind of Angel: I. M . William Burroughs (Stride Conversation Piece) (1998) — Contributor — 16 copies
Seven Souls — Contributor — 15 copies
Cows Are Freaky When They Look at You: An Oral History of the Kaw Valley Hemp Pickers (1991) — Foreword — 15 copies
First Thought Best Thought: The Art of Spontaneous & Inspired Writing Taught by Four Legendary Mentors of the Craft (2004) — Contributor — 14 copies
Like a Girl, I Want You To Keep Coming — Contributor — 8 copies
William S. Burroughs' Unforgettable Characters: Lola 'La Chata'& Bernabe Jurado (2013) — Contributor — 8 copies
World Turning — Contributor — 5 copies
Hallucination engine — Vocalist — 5 copies
Apocalypse across the sky [sound recording] — Liner notes — 4 copies
Life is a killer [sound recording] — Contributor — 2 copies
Hashisheen : the end of law [sound recording] — Contributor — 2 copies
Die Sammlung der Nationalgalerie : 1945-1968 : Der geteilte Himmel : die Dokumentation einer Ausstellung (2014) — Contributor — 2 copies
The Paris Review 109 1988 Winter — Contributor — 2 copies
Conspiracy Charges — Contributor — 2 copies
Steamshovel Press. Issue #17 — Contributor, some editions — 2 copies
Better an old demon than a new god [sound recording] — Contributor — 2 copies
Ah Pook is here (Animated short, 1994) — Contributor — 1 copy
Intrepid No. 5, 1st Anniversary Issue — Contributor — 1 copy
Lines, No. 6 — Contributor — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Burroughs, William Seward, II
- Other names
- Lee, William (pseudonym)
Dennison, Will
Burroughs, William - Birthdate
- 1914-02-05
- Date of death
- 1997-08-02
- Burial location
- Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- St Louis, Missouri, USA
- Place of death
- Lawrence, Kansas, USA
- Cause of death
- heart attack
- Places of residence
- St. Louis, Missouri, USA
New York, New York, USA
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Texas, USA
Mexico City, Mexico
Tangier, Morocco (show all 9)
Paris, France
London, England, UK
Lawrence, Kansas, USA - Education
- Harvard University (A.B. ∙ 1936)
- Occupations
- novelist
short-story writer
essayist
poet - Relationships
- Burroughs, William S., Jr. (son)
Lee, James Wideman (grandfather)
Burroughs, Laura Lee (mother)
Lee, Ivy L. (uncle) - Organizations
- Olympia Press
- Awards and honors
- Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres (1984)
American Academy of Arts and Letters Academy Award (1975)
American Academy of Arts and Letters (1983) - Disambiguation notice
- This is the beat author, not to be confused with his son of the same name, also an author.
Members
Discussions
THE DEEP ONES: "Wind Die You Die We Die" by William S. Burroughs in The Weird Tradition (November 2023)
William S. Burroughs and the Dead-End Horror of the Centipede God in The Weird Tradition (December 2021)
1914: William S. Burroughs - The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead in Literary Centennials (January 2015)
1914: William S. Burroughs - The Yage Letters in Literary Centennials (August 2014)
1914: William S. Burroughs - Resources and General Discussion in Literary Centennials (January 2014)
Authors similar to Burroughs in William Burroughs (February 2012)
Reviews
Lists
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My TBR (3)
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Unread books (1)
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Read These Too (1)
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Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 398
- Also by
- 87
- Members
- 35,341
- Popularity
- #533
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 381
- ISBNs
- 870
- Languages
- 29
- Favorited
- 215
Frustrating. After years of blah, increasingly half-hearted experimental novels and a relatively short (though brutal) period of writer's block, Burroughs almost staged a comeback with Cities of the Red Night. Almost, but not quite. The first half of the book is the most ambitious thing he ever wrote, and the array of characters and situations is very impressive; it's obvious that he was taking greater pains with the material, and found it interesting and engaging. There's a story here, and you actually want to turn the page and find out what happens next. (This is extremely rare in WSB's oeuvre; he was by nature a writer, yet not a natural storyteller.)
So why did Burroughs allow this extraordinarily promising beginning to go to hell in the book's second half? Why did he abandon the various threads of the plot to churn out 160-odd pages of dreary, Naked Lunch-style routines? (You know the stuff I mean: young red-haired boy bends over and farts righteous green flame, setting fire to a bunch of screaming Southern bigots as Doc Benway looks on and mutters, "Most interesting case indeed," etc. This goes on for page after page after page, almost as if Burroughs intended to confound the reader's expectations.) Did he find himself unable to write a coherent ending? Was he only trying to give his audience the obscenity-by-numbers that he thought they demanded? Your guess is as good as mine, but the unfulfilled potential of Cities drives me crazy. I do feel that it's worth reading for the excellent first half; just enter into it with the understanding that the whole thing collapses rather abruptly and never recovers.
Burroughs was mixing with a dark, dangerous crowd during the years that this novel was being written, and the influence of the Magickal Childe scene is evident in the subplot involving New York private eye Clem Snide and the supernatural forces he encounters while investigating a cult murder case. If memory serves, the macabre death of the Jerry Green character was based on a real-life incident briefly described in a book by English travel writer Bruce Chatwin, and which actually did occur on the Greek island of Spetses or Spetsai. That island was the setting for John Fowles's critically acclaimed The Magus, to which Burroughs makes direct reference in Cities of the Red Night. It's interesting to note that horror novelist Peter Straub, who likewise appears to have rubbed elbows with some frightening folk during this same period, based his bestselling Shadowland (published the year before Cities) on the Fowles novel.… (more)