Today we bring you a tale rife with murder and mayhem, but also something more. We present to you a portrait of an artist and writer, a literary provocateur and countercultural icon whose life and work defied all conventional boundaries: William S. Burroughs.

The writing of this elder statesman of the beat generation would challenge societal conventions and shatter censorship laws with its vivid portrayal of taboo subjects such as drug addiction, violence and deviant sex, using a bizarre experimental style that defied narrative structure and explored the darker recesses of the human psyche.

While he became a patron saint of the underground to many, deemed the Godfather of Punk and Pope of Dope, Burroughs lived a life marked by personal turmoil and tragedy, including murders, suicides, overdoses, addiction and psychosis.

Together with his friends Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, they would create a literary movement that would define a generation with their masterpieces of beatnik literature, namely Kerouac’s On The Road, Ginsberg’s Howl and Burroughs’ Naked Lunch.

Burroughs' legacy continues to inspire generations of writers, artists, and rebels, challenging us to question authority, embrace the unconventional, and explore the depths of human experience without fear or reservation.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to part one of our audio portrait of William S. Burroughs.

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Creepy Amusement Park theme by Brandon Fiechter and Derek Fiechter, used by permission and with many thanks.

References:

LITERARY OUTLAW: The Life and Times of William Burroughs by Ted Morgan

Naked Lunch by William Burroughs

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

HOWL And Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg

Burroughs: The Movie 1983 documentary film by Howard Brookner

William S. Burroughs: A Man Within 2010 documentary film by Yony Leyser