William Burroughs
  • Published: 1 October 2007
  • ISBN: 9780753507070
  • Imprint: Virgin Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 288
  • RRP: $29.99

William Burroughs

El Hombre Invisible

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Repackaged and refreshed, this seminal biography of a counter-cultural icon is re-issued to form a core part of the Virgin backlist:

'[Miles's] mastery of Beat Generation know-how must surely be unrivalled.' Sunday Telegraph

Iconoclast; visionary; homosexual crusader; drug advocate; teacher and elder statesman to the Beats: William Burroughs remains one of the most complex and controversial American writers of the twentieth century.

After killing his wife in a bizarre shooting accident, Burroughs moved to Tangier where he lived in a male brothel and wrote his celebrated bestseller Naked Lunch - in Newsweek's words 'A masterpiece. A cry from Hell' and spent much of the rest of his life in self-imposed exile from the United States. Following Burroughs' death in August 1997, Barry Miles updated his riveting, highly readable and unconventional biography of this legendary provocateur and all-round thorn in the side of the establishment.
  • Published: 1 October 2007
  • ISBN: 9780753507070
  • Imprint: Virgin Books
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 288
  • RRP: $29.99
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About the author

Barry Miles

Barry Miles is the critically acclaimed author of the biographies of Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs (all published by Virgin) and of The Beat Hotel. He also wrote Hippie and the authorised biography of Paul McCartney, Many Years From Now.

Also by Barry Miles

Allen Ginsberg
Jack Kerouac
Charles Bukowski
Beat Collection
See all

Praise for William Burroughs

Miles traces threads of Burroughs' images from childhood to tough elder genius, isolating sensitive themes, following recurrences and evolution of routines, clarifying Burroughs' comic pathetic heroic philosophies and insights into coherent whole. Miles familiarises even old close readers with a fine map of Burroughs' mind.

Allan Ginsberg

There can be no more effective introduction.

Q

Gives shape to a life that would otherwise seem crowded and aimless.

Independent on Sunday