Brion Gysin: Here To Go [Paperback]

Terry Wilson (Author), Brion Gysin (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1840680474 | ISBN-13: 978-1840680478 | Publication Date: May 1, 2001

Here To Go is Terry Wilson's classic book of interviews with Brion Gysin, the artist, writer and long-term collaborator of William Burroughs. Gysin, whose published books include The Process and The Last Museum, developed the revolutionary Cut-Up method of writing, conceived the Dreamachine, and worked on the experimental films of Antony Balch as well as exhibiting his art worldwide.

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Subjects covered include magick, sound/word cut-ups, painting/photography/film, psychic warfare, control systems, literature and drugs; plus a rare extract from Gysin's original screenplay for Naked Lunch.

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With many illustrations, Here To Go comprehensively documents the life, work and philosophy of one of the 20th century's most neglected, yet visionary polymaths-one of the few artists who can genuinely be described as "modern".

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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Gysin was a quieter member of the Beat Movement and a particular friend of William S. Burroughs, who once said Gysin was the only man he ever respected. Wilson met with the novelist and painter in 1971, and those interviews led to this volume, which includes the text generated at those meetings plus many photos and illustrations.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Terry Wilson has published 2 novels: ‘D-Train’ and ‘Dreams of Green Base’. It was the completion of the latter work that led to Wilson’s initial meeting with Burroughs and Gysin in 1971.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Creation Books (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1840680474
• ISBN-13: 978-1840680478
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #695,363 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Review of Here To Go, October 14, 2001

By 

"anirguista" (tetugsa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brion Gysin: Here To Go (Paperback)

A great piece to have, I recommend it to anyone interested in Brion Gysin, as well as for any serious reader of W.S. Burroughs. The conversations are comprehensive, Terry Wilson is obviously not just some rube who happened to speak with Gysin. It covers philosophy, art, life, music, permutations, cut-ups, religion, nearly everything across the board, with some excellent stories by Mr. Gysin appearing throughout. It's a shame that so little information about this man is readily available. Undoubtedly one of the most important artists/people of the 20th century. Now all we need is for The Third Mind to be reissued, along with everything else. (Anyone heard of a guy named "Flash Allen"? Supposedly there is a film called "Brion Gysin" made by him, but there seems to be no information about this anywhere.)

a.n.

(the book also has hard to find excerpts by Mr. Gysin and Mr. Burroughs from no longer extant writings as well as photographs)
(I gave it 4 stars because some of the calligraphy is noticeably pixelated, which gave it an amateurish kind of look, though the photographs do not have the same problem)

5.0 out of 5 stars Changed My Life, December 4, 2007

By 

James J. Pyke "Pajkossy" (m!ch!gan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brion Gysin: Here To Go (Paperback)

I discovered Brion Gysin in the late 1980s through my interest in the band Psychic TV. In the summer of 1987, after my freshman year of college, my roommate and I flew from Detroit out to Portland Oregon to transport a car from there back to the East Coast. While in Portland I purchased a copy of this book from a little music shop called the Ooze. My friend and I then took turns reading it aloud to each other as we drove.

While I have little recollection of the specific content of the book itself, I know that my copy of it is one of the only books still on my shelves that was made to be ragged and worn from reading and re-reading it back in those days. For years I had a dream machine set up in my room, and I feel I owe much of my brain's wiring to the influence of Brion Gysin.

If you are interested in the so-called "beat generation" but want to go to a different place than all the drugs and drifter stuff will take you, then I strongly recommend that you pick up a copy of this book and get to work.

5.0 out of 5 stars The World of Brion Gysin, October 28, 2006

By 

Guy W. Salvidge (WA Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brion Gysin: Here To Go (Paperback)

I came across this book (and to Gysin himself) through my interest in William Burroughs. Many who read this book will do so for this reason, as Burroughs cites Gysin as one of the primary influences on his life. This is basically a book of interviews with book excerpts thrown in. It doesn't seem to be organised with any great system, and nor does Gysin's thought seem to be easily pigeonholed. (As he says himself in this book) Some of the conversations and ideas in here are extremely interesting, however. Gysin has a fairly unique take on humanity. He calls himself a monumental misanthrope, claiming that man is a 'bad animal.' At the same time, he seems to be a severe misogynist, having no time for women. Despite this, there is something appealing about this book. Gysin is an extreme critic of Western civilisation, preferring indigenous cultures.

This is worth reading for two reasons.

1. To learn more about Burroughs' muse and greatest influence.
2. To learn about the worldview of Gysin himself, who is nothing if not interesting.

This book serves as in introduction to the thought of Gysin, which I imagine would be better explicated in other, more recent books on him. There is a recent biography I am interested in reading, as well as a collection of Gysin's paintings (which are interesting in themselves). 'Here to Go' is also an attractive, well presented volume. I can recommend it wholeheartedly.