William S. Burroughs

One interesting fact about William S. Burroughs is that he was considered by G. Ballard to be 'the most important writer to emerge since the Second World War' and by Norman Mailer as 'the only American writer who may be conceivably possessed by genius'. Burroughs was an American writer known for his experimental novels and his nontraditional accounts of drug culture.

Novelist

February 5, 1914

Aquarius

August 02, 1997

83

St. Louis, Missouri

William S. Burroughs was an American author and visual artist, renowned for his role in the Beat Generation literary movement. He is best known for his novel “Naked Lunch,” which delves into themes such as drug use, homosexuality, violence, and anti-authoritarianism. Other significant works include the semi-autobiographical “Junky,” which details his life as a drug user, as well as “Queer” and “The Western Lands.” Burroughs collaborated with musicians like Lou Reed and Kurt Cobain and participated in experimental films such as “The Cut-Ups.” A proponent of the cut-up technique in literature, he battled heroin addiction throughout his life. In 1951, during a drunken game of “William Tell,” Burroughs accidentally shot and killed his second wife, Joan Vollmer, an event that deeply affected his life and writing. G. Ballard regarded Burroughs as ‘the most important writer to emerge since the Second World War,’ while Norman Mailer described him as ‘the only American writer who may be conceivably possessed by genius.’