Junky
Ratings30
Average rating3.7
15
Ratings30
Average rating3.7
A semi-autobiographical account, narrated in a matter-of-fact manner, of the author’s life as a drug addict. The story ranges from the backstreets of New York to a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kentucky, the bars of New Orleans and on to Mexico, recounting the difficulties of obtaining drugs, financial problems and homosexual encounters. Burroughs significantly stretched the boundaries of publishable material with his debut novel.
Reviews with the most likes.
Second read.
This book is more like a 7.5/10 than a 3/5.
What William S. Burroughs describes is horrible, but to dive into a world I never have and never will experience is fascinating, and the way Burroughs writes is wonderful. I tried to get through Naked Lunch a few years ago but couldn't. This might be the only readable book for me.
I was pleasantly surprised by Junky, having negative memories of reading Naked Lunch (albeit over 20 years ago, I'll really need to re-read it). Originally published in 1953 under a pen name and peppered with editorial disclaimers this was the 1977 “complete and unexperged edition”.
The writing was intelligent and the stories interesting and often quite funny. How much is entirely true is known only by Burroughs but it remains utterly believable. It does not attempt to glamorous drugs or addiction but nor does it shy from the pleasures a “hit” can give.
It's nearly 60 years old so some language and concepts may seen alien (and politically incorrect) but they are true to the time - the “jive talk” glossary was a lovely touch.
