The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead

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 show more 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. show less

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.

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.

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!

what a book. the first burroughs, post-cutup trilogy. a series of films about the human race after an unknown apocalyptic event. themes of sex drugs and control run rampant.

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!