William Burroughs remains one of the most complex and controversial American writers of the twentieth century. A long-time heroin addict, he preferred to live abroad, away from America’s draconian drug laws. After killing his wife in a bizarre shooting accident, he moved to Tangier where he lived in a male brothel and wrote Naked Lunch. He also lived in London and Paris before returning to New York in 1974. Following his death in 1997, Barry Miles, a friend for over thirty years, has completely updated his ...
Note:This is a bargain book and quantities are limited. Bargain books are new but may have slight markings from the publisher and/or stickers showing their discounted price. More about bargain books
William Burroughs remains one of the most complex and controversial American writers of the twentieth century. A long-time heroin addict, he preferred to live abroad, away from America’s draconian drug laws. After killing his wife in a bizarre shooting accident, he moved to Tangier where he lived in a male brothel and wrote Naked Lunch. He also lived in London and Paris before returning to New York in 1974. Following his death in 1997, Barry Miles, a friend for over thirty years, has completely updated his riveting biography of this literary guerrilla and tormented visionary.
* Completely revised and updated since Burroughs’ death in 1997.
* Barry Miles was close friends with William Burroughs and is the undisputed Beat biographer.
In this affable and affectionate biography, Miles ( Allen Ginsberg ), a friend of Burroughs since 1964, covers the controversial writer's addictions, idiosyncrasies and personal relationships, as well as his writings. Drawing on Burroughs's correspondences and on his own experiences with him, Miles gives only a cursory account of Burroughs's early life in St. Louis, where he was born in 1914, and his years in Latin America, Paris, Tangiers and London. But he updates other biographies with a chapter on Burroughs's life in Lawrence, Kansas, where he settled in 1984, and with a discussion of his impact on modern culture. Miles is best when considering the genesis and intermingling of Burroughs's fiction and nonfiction. Photos not seen by PW . (Aug.)
Library Journal
In his latest work, Miles ( Ginsberg: A Biography , Simon & Schuster, 1989) turns his attention to William Burroughs. His book falls somewhere between Ted Morgan's comprehensive biography, Literary Outlaw ( LJ 10/15/88), and Jennie Skerl's introductory volume, William Burroughs (Twayne, 1985). Miles traces autobiographical parallels in Burroughs's work and examines his friendships with Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and Brion Gysin, among others. He details Burroughs's influence in rock and film circles within the general framework of his growing critical acclaim. Miles's book is especially valuable for its coverage of the complex textual history of Burroughs's work. The final chapter includes an evaluation of his ``shotgun art.'' Recommended for contemporary literature collections.-- William Gargan, Brooklyn Coll. Lib., CUNY
BARRY MILES is the author of many seminal books on popular culture, including the authorised biography of Paul McCartney, Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now.
Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked,
or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to
Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original
and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you
and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not
violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help
ensure that your review can be posted.
Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13
We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer.
However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or
to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.
What to exclude from your review:
Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the
information on the product page, please send us an email.
Reviews should not contain any of the following:
- HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
- Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
- Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
- Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
- Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
- Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
- Advertisements or commercial solicitation
Reminder:
- By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its
sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the
review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
- Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly
those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com
also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
- See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend
Create a Pen Name
Welcome, penname
You have successfully created your Pen Name. Start enjoying the benefits of the BN.com Community today.
If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Overview