208 pages
English language
Published April 1, 2003 by Penguin (Non-Classics).
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.
Heroin stories are so depressing. This one is not much different. It's the same spirit as Naked Lunch. It is well written but it's a druggy story, man vs the environment. He got his Yagé.
