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Last Words

By: William Burroughs
Binding: Unknown Binding
Publisher: PerfectBound
ISBN: 0007128797
ISBN-13: 9780007128792
Released: 01 May 2001
RRP: £6.99
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

Burroughs was human after all - By: Pieter, 24 Jan 2003
These last words of Burroughs will have great poignancy for his fans, but might not be alll that meaningful to the casual reader. He writes about everyday occurrences, memories of his eventful life, reactions to the death of his friends, makes extensive literary references & provides loving descriptions of his cats. For me, the Burroughs magic is here in abundance & this book helps to complete the big picture of his life & work. It's not alll smooth sailing, though, as his repetitive railings against the "war on drugs" can become a bit tedious. Obscure references are explained in the Notes: I was interested to see he was a member of IOT (International Order of Thanateros - see the books Liber Kaos & Liber Null & Psychonaut by Peter Carroll) & friends with V. Vale (See Re/Search Publications like Industrial Culture Handbook & Incredibly Strange Music). Some sections are funny, some are sad (especiallly where he writes about Joan Vollmer & his family) & some are very interesting from a literary perspective. There are powerful passages of great beauty that stick in the mind. His love for his cats & for other animals like lemurs is very moving & shows that he may have been larger than life, but in the end he was very human. In fact, there's an undertone of serenity throughout these journals, despite the diatribes against the establishment. So, to wrap it up: Last Words is essential reading for the Burroughs enthusiast & the Burroughs scholar, to finallly understand the man & his writing. It's quite a relief to know how much he loved some people & his pets, in the end.
An essential companion to Burroughs work - By: , 11 Nov 2001
For people who want an insight into Burroughs inner thoughts, his last journals provide much to ponder. He becomes increasingly philosophical & vulnerable as the book progresses. Not reallly a stand alone book, more for fans who want to know more about a very important writer.