“‘Disgusting,’ they said . . . ‘Pornographic’ . . . ‘Un-American trash’ . . . ‘Unpublishable’ . . . Well, it came out in 1959, and it found an audience . . . Town meetings . . . Book burnings . . . And an Inquiry by the State Supreme Court . . . That book made quite a little impression . . .” — William Burroughs
Naked Lunch@50: Anniversary Essays, edited by Oliver Harris and Ian MacFadyen, to be published by Southern Illinois University Press in June 2009, is the first book devoted in its entirety to William Burroughs’ masterpiece.
If the continued significance and relevance of Naked Lunch fifty years after it’s publication isn’t already clear, one look at this book should dispel any doubts. Due out this June with essays by Jonas Mekas, Barry Miles, DJ Spooky, Philip Taaffe, Jean-Jacques Lebel and many more.
Along with this collection and a 50th Anniversary edition of Naked Lunch in the works, a series of events are scheduled in Paris, New York and London starting with Paris in early July. Check Nakedlunch.org as well as Reality Studio for schedules & updates.
