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whackboy's review against another edition
4.0
i'm rereading this. i need it after the dan brown.
it's so refreshing to know there are folks like wsb out there. reading the letters he sent to various others, primarily allen ginsbergh, gives a safe glimpse into an adventurous spirit unlike most. he was interested in exploring in every sense of the word. none of it was safe. i've always thought it was impressive wsb lived as long as he did. this collection is insightful for those that have read NAKED LUNCH and would like a peek behind the curtain at its creation. many of the pieces i remember from that "novel" were originally part of these letters. worth it for the die-hard wsb fan.
it's so refreshing to know there are folks like wsb out there. reading the letters he sent to various others, primarily allen ginsbergh, gives a safe glimpse into an adventurous spirit unlike most. he was interested in exploring in every sense of the word. none of it was safe. i've always thought it was impressive wsb lived as long as he did. this collection is insightful for those that have read NAKED LUNCH and would like a peek behind the curtain at its creation. many of the pieces i remember from that "novel" were originally part of these letters. worth it for the die-hard wsb fan.
adru's review against another edition
5.0
Hoopis teistmoodi vaade biidihärradele, võiks öelda, et täiskasvanu pilgu läbi, aga täiskasvanu on vaheldumisi heroiini/morfiini/kokaiini/kanepi/u saja eri tableti, muu taime ja kemikaali vaevades - kohe-kohe jätab igaveseks maha, juba jättiski, juba päris kauaks, oi näe, hakkab jälle pihta. Ime, et ta ellu jäi, ime, et ta kirjutas (ehkki raamatuid ikka heroiinivaheaegadel, suurem osa muud kraami ei läinud tal õieti arvessegi). Ma olen midagi temalt kunagi lugenud ka, aga nii ammu, et enam ei ole 100% kindel, kas "Junkyt" või "Queeri", aga nyyd on huvi muidugi olemas, võib-olla kunagi julgen isegi "Naked lunchi" lugeda. Ja äge, et Burroughs tekitas Ginsbergi vastu sellise huvi, mida Kerouac päris ei ole suutnud.
ste3ve_b1rd's review against another edition
5.0
This book, like "Literary Outlaw: The Life and Times of Williams S. Burroughs" (by Ted Morgan)--which I read shortly after "The Letters"--was inspiring, enlightening, and often disturbing (as would be expected with Burroughs). These letters are often businesslike--IE Allen Ginsberg was Burroughs' agent in the 50's and was responsible for the publishing of "Junky" in 1953. I'd recommend reading "The Letters" after "Literary Outlaw", as "Literary Outlaw" provides a detailed context for these letters. In "The Letters" I felt a genuine shift once Burroughs started working on what would eventually become "Naked Lunch" in Tangier. During that period, the quality of the letters (the majority are written to Allen Ginsberg, some to Jack Kerouac, as well as sporadic communications with other members of Burroughs' international community) becomes more focused, forceful and driven. Nonetheless, in this body of work, the emotional state of Burroughs remains elusive and mysterious. I believe this collection of letters would be very helpful to anyone pursuing the path of avant-garde writer. Burroughs was not interested in creating compromised or "saleable" work, and while he was tormented by this aspect of his profession, in the end he did exactly what he wanted to do and became influential in the process.
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