William Burroughs

by Barry Miles

William Burroughs remains one of the most complex and controversial American writers of the twentieth century. A long-time heroin addict, he preferred to live abroad, away from America's draconian drug laws. After killing his wife in a bizarre shooting accident, he moved to Tangier where he lived in a male brothel and wrote Naked Lunch. He also lived in London and Paris before returning to New York in 1974. Following his death in 1997, Barry Miles, a friend for over thirty years, has completely updated his riveting biography of this literary guerrilla and tormented visionary.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?