{Just finished this. A two afternoon read. And good too. Especially if you live in, or are familiar with New York. Makes you want to be a sailor. Or hard drinker. Or just wear Khakis around town.
Written just following, and based upon, the murder of David Kammerer by Lucien Carr, it has remained unpublished for years. It's pretty much the earliest work of either author, and each takes turns narrating chapters; Burroughs as Will Denninson, and Kerouac as Mike Ryko.
Burroughs wasn't ever interested in publishing it, and following his death his estate was unable to get it out there, due to friendships and legal wranglings with Lucien Carr. Who obviously wasn't too keen on it being put into print considering he had spent the rest of his release from jail trying to put the whole thing behind him. Interestingly Kerouac and Burroughs were also both arrested following the murder, for not informing the police. Burroughs posted bail, Kerouac stayed behind bars (his father refusing to post for him) until he could marry Edie Parker, while in jail, and have her family bail him out.
Following Carr's death in 2005, Penguin released the first edition last year, with Grove Press publishing the US version.
Highly recommended}
No comments:
Post a Comment