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Burroughs Live: The Collected Interviews of William S. Burroughs, 1960-1997

Burroughs Live offers a rare glimpse into the mind of one of the most influential figures in modern literature. The interviews, conducted between 1960 and 1997, cover a wide range of topics, from Burroughs' creative process to his views on society and culture. This collection is essential for anyone interested in the work and life of William S. Burroughs. more

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William S. Burroughs
William S. Burroughs

William S. Burroughs was an American novelist known for his unique writing style and his significant influence on postmodern literature. His works often involve social criticism, political satire, and surrealistic elements. more

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“For instance, they [The Federal Narcotics Bureau ] give out that marijuana is a harmful and habit-forming drug, and it simply isn't. They claim that you can get addicted to opiates with one shot, and you can't. They over-estimate the physical bad effects, and so forth.”

GivingEffectsHabitDrugShotsClaimsInstanceMarijuanaNarcoticsOpiates
Book:Burroughs Live: The Collected Interviews of William S. Burroughs, 1960-1997
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“I meant that people will take anything that gives them a lift, whether it's alcohol or cocaine or the consciousness-expanding drugs or opiates. In Iran, until recently, they sold opium in shops legally, and they had 3,000,000 addicts in a population of 15,000,000. I don't believe that all those people were escaping from "complexes" or anything of the sort. They were simply exposed to it.”

PeopleGivingBelieveConsciousnessDrugComplexesDon't BelievePopulationAlcoholLiftsShopsIranExposedAddictExpandingCocaineEscapingOpiumOpiatesConsciousness Expanding
Author:William S. Burroughs
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“Mr. Bradley-Mr. Martin is two people because it is a statement of the impasse of dualistic universe which he has created, they have created. I think that any dualistic universe ends in Nova. Mr. Bradley-Mr. Martin is a kind of God. A God of stupidity, cowardice, ugliness.”

PeopleThinkingKindTwoEndsUniverseStupidityStatementsCowardiceUglinessNovasImpasse
Book:Burroughs Live: The Collected Interviews of William S. Burroughs, 1960-1997
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“I've seen villages in South America with no police whatever. Then the cops would arrive, then the sanitary inspectors, and before you know it they've got all the problems - crime, juvenile delinquency, the whole works - just like us.”

KnowsWholeProblemAmericaCrimePoliceSouthVillageCopJuvenileSouth AmericaInspectorsDelinquencySanitaryJuvenile Delinquency
Book:Burroughs Live: The Collected Interviews of William S. Burroughs, 1960-1997
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“I have no message to give the politicians of the world. They're all completely addicted to promiscuous verbalization and I'm quite sure they would not be at all interested in hearing about cut-ups and hieroglyphics and still less interested to hear about silence.”

WorldGivingStillsSilenceCuttingPoliticianMessagesHearingPromiscuousHieroglyphics
Book:Burroughs Live: The Collected Interviews of William S. Burroughs, 1960-1997
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“It's a tract against capital punishment in the genre of Swift's Modest Proposal. I was simply following a formula to its logical conclusion. Some people appear to have understood it. The publication of Naked Lunch in England practically coincided with their abolition of capital punishment. The book obviously had a certain effect.”

PeopleBookCertainEffectsUnderstoodEnglandFollowingPunishmentNakedConclusionGenreLogicalFormulasLunchModestProposalPublicationAbolitionCapital Punishment
Author:William S. Burroughs
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