I used to think of this as the last of Burroughs' 5 cut-up novels. It's probably more appropriate to think of it as the 1st of the homoerotic adventure novels. Or something. Anyway, it's great! I read it when I was a research volunteer for a NASA study re space stn living. No shit. This was at the Phipps Clinic of Johns Hopkins University/Hospital in Baltimore. I was living in a simulated space stn environment for 15 days w/ 2 other guys. It was mainly an experiment in behavior modification designed to produce routines that wd prevent astronauts from going crazy in a restricted environment. I took "The Wild Boys" into the study w/ me particularly b/c of its anti-control theme. After the study was over, I was interviewed by a reporter for the Johns Hopkins Magazine (or some such). I remember talking about Duchamp & I probably sd a lotof things that were a bit too weird for Hopkins. This wd've been the 1st time I was ever interviewed. The article was squelched - perhaps this was an early instance of my being censored by the press? "The Wild Boys" is probably Burroughs's clearest novelistic depicition of feral revolutionaries. ( )

This is the best Burroughs work I've read so far. Of course, he is using his cut-up technique and the writing is somewhat difficult to follow, but there still seems to be a sense of something coherently effectuating itself (especially in terms of theme.) There is a lot of sex here, but it's like that primal urge is the thing that is dooming humanity in the first place. It was an eventful read and I'm glad I read it.

3.5 stars. ( )

A book I thoroughly disliked. It had no thread that I could follow, was overfilled with sexual escapades described in full detail.
No, thanks but no thanks. Maybe no more books by this author, now that's a thought worth considering! ( )

This is rather like a long, incredible dream that just never stops surprising me. Of the trilogy (_The Soft Machine_ and _Nova Express_ being the two to precede this novel) I hear this is the most accessible, but have not yet read the other two. Burroughs writes surreal sex like no one else! ( )

Perhaps this short novel by William S. Burroughs should not be taken too seriously. It was a joy to read this orgiastic, erotic, playful and sometimes hard to follow story. The troupe of rebellious wild boys, defeating the CIA and army attack, cannot be accepted but with a smile. There is a lot that defies understanding, perhaps one should not try to understand everything.

This naughty novel was written as early as 1969. Pure madness and joy. ( )