Interzone [Paperback]

William S. Burroughs (Author), James Grauerholz (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1990

First Naked Lunch, Burroughs's original manuscript entitled Interzone includes a long and brilliant section known as "WORD." This previously unpublished text is the highlight of Interzone.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Burroughs seems to grow ever more trite with the passage of time, his rebellion against society a lame thing. Fans will probably enjoy this fragmentary collection of letters, journal entries, stories and autobiographical sketches from the mid-1950s. In style the pieces range from straightforward sociological descriptions of Tangier, where he has dope and young boys, to Kafkaesque fables ("Dream of the Penal Colony") to surreal, manic pastiche. In another story, the protagonist cuts off the joint of his little finger, then pops into his psychiatrist's office and makes light of his condition. The centerpiece is "WORD," a long, hitherto unpublished section from the working manuscript ( Interzone ) that eventually became the novel Naked Lunch. Rediscovered in 1984, "WORD" is a hipster's incoherent cosmic rant, sexually wild and often deliberately offensive. Burroughs's sense that we are all specters in a waking nightmare, so dominant in his recent fiction, is prefigured here in a futuristic sketch of a nameless U.S. city wracked by forces of evil and repression.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

"Interzone" was the working title of Burroughs's Naked Lunch , the bulk of which was written in the international zone of Tangier. The material in this collection is divided into three sections: "Stories," "Lee's Journal," and "Word." The stories, including "Twilight's Last Gleaming," are more realistic than Burroughs's later work, drawing heavily on autobiographical experiences and recalling the hard-boiled detective style of Junky and Queer. "Lee's Journals" contains sketches, routines, and notebook entries from the mid-1950s. "Word," a long, rambling, scatological piece cut from the original manuscript of Naked Lunch , is of value chiefly as a historical curiosity. While this book will have little effect on Burrough's reputation, it will be welcomed by his growing readership.
- William Gargan, Brooklyn Coll. Lib.,
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (February 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140094512
• ISBN-13: 978-0140094510
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #435,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars essential reading to really fully grasp burroughs genius, January 1, 2005

By 

Clark Nova (Interzone) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Interzone (Paperback)

Burroughs has incredible insight and an unmatched knack for spotting a con. This book contains an invaluable collection of short stories and journal rants that really showcase an emerging writer exploding with ideas in the transient surroundings of Tangier, which he describes as "the listening post of the world":

"Here East meets West in a final debacle of misunderstanding, each seeking the Answer, the Secret, from the other and not finding it, because neither has the Answer to give".

You hear firsthand his ideas and theories on writing so this is probably the best introduction to William Burroughs, as you prepare with the artist himself, stranded in interzone, for the arrival of a much more fragmented and explosive Naked Lunch.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Interzone" exemplifies Burroughs' insight, style, & genius, July 7, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Interzone (Paperback)

Before digesting the bulk of Burroughs' voluminous literary output, any reader so interested in Burroughs' work should read "Interzone." This text chronicles Burroughs' progressive literary development and encompasses virtually all of Burroughs' many and complex themes, character types, locales, etc. Much like his electric and mystifying prose, "Interzone" is a collection of abstract and provocative "primers" that will leave the reader hungry for Burroughs' more involved works. A great "jumping off" point

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Alien Corn, January 22, 2001

By 

Ponderous one (o) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Interzone (Paperback)

A novel of dangerous ideas, Interzone is literature at its subversive best. Like with all Burroughs' fictions, you'll never think about things the same after this.