Almost indecently readable . . . captures [Burroughss] destructive energy, his ferocious pessimism, and the renegade brilliance of his style. With a new preface as well as a final chapter on William S. Burroughss last years, the acclaimed is the only existing full biography of an extraordinary figure. Anarchist, heroin addict, alcoholic, and brilliant writer, Burroughs was the patron saint of the Beats. His avant-garde masterpiece shook up the literary world with its graphic descriptions of drug abuse and illicit sexand resulted in a landmark Supreme Court ruling on obscenity. Burroughs continued to revolutionize literature with novels like and to shock with the events in his life, such as the accidental shooting of his wife, which haunted him until his death. Ted Morgan captures the man, his work, and his friendsAllen Ginsberg and Paul Bowles among themin this riveting story of an iconoclast. 18 photographs