Cities of the Red Night (Penguin Modern Classics) - Softcover

Burroughs, William S.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0141189932 ISBN 13: 9780141189932

Publisher: Penguin Classics, 2010

Synopsis

An opium addict is lost in the jungle; young men wage war against an empire of mutants; a handsome young pirate faces his execution; and the world's population is infected with a radioactive epidemic. These stories are woven together in a single tale of mayhem and chaos. In the first novel of the trilogy continued in The Place of Dead Roads and The Western Lands, William Burroughs sharply satirizes modern society in a poetic and shocking story of sex, drugs, disease and adventure.

About this title

Review:

""Cities of the Red Night is Burroughs's masterpiece. In it, the world ends with a bang--and a barely perceived whimper, disguised by the wicked smile of one of the most dazzling magicians of our time."--"Los Angeles Time Book Review
""Cities of the Red Night is not only Burroughs' best work, but a logical and ripening extension of all of Burroughs's great work."--Ken Kesey
"One should approach "Cities of the Red Night as the Wagneresque capper of all the five or six homosexual planet-operas Burroughs has scripted since he found a genuine new style in "Naked Lunch . . . It's as if we had gotten hold of a black ticket to his unconscious, and anyone who makes the trip will see sights and feel feelings that are unique and mind-bending beyond anyone else's description"--"The Washington Post Book World
""Cities of the Red Night is the most complete and most devastatingly sardonic statement of William Burroughs's apocalyptic vision. Through his mordant satire of cultural aspirations, homosexual eroticism and political power, he focuses our gaze into the abyss. His cold, surgical language creates beauty through a terror that we are just able to bear . . . A modern "Inferno."--"Newsday
""Cities of the Red Night" is Burroughs's masterpiece. In it, the world ends with a bang--and a barely perceived whimper, disguised by the wicked smile of one of the most dazzling magicians of our time."--"Los Angeles Time Book Review"
""Cities of the Red Night" is not only Burroughs' best work, but a logical and ripening extension of all of Burroughs's great work."--Ken Kesey
"One should approach "Cities of the Red Night" as the Wagneresque capper of all the five or six homosexual planet-operas Burroughs has scripted since he found a genuine new style in "Naked Lunch" . . . It's as if we had gotten hold of a black ticket to his unconscious, and anyone who makes the trip will see sights and feel feelings that are unique and mind-bending beyond anyone else's description"--"The Washington Post Book World"
""Cities of the Red Night" is the most complete and most devastatingly sardonic statement of William Burroughs's apocalyptic vision. Through his mordant satire of cultural aspirations, homosexual eroticism and political power, he focuses our gaze into the abyss. His cold, surgical language creates beauty through a terror that we are just able to bear . . . A modern "Inferno.""--"Newsday"

"Cities of the Red Night" is Burroughs's masterpiece. In it, the world ends with a bang--and a barely perceived whimper, disguised by the wicked smile of one of the most dazzling magicians of our time. "Los Angeles Time Book Review"

"Cities of the Red Night" is not only Burroughs' best work, but a logical and ripening extension of all of Burroughs's great work. "Ken Kesey"

One should approach "Cities of the Red Night" as the Wagneresque capper of all the five or six homosexual planet-operas Burroughs has scripted since he found a genuine new style in "Naked Lunch" . . . It's as if we had gotten hold of a black ticket to his unconscious, and anyone who makes the trip will see sights and feel feelings that are unique and mind-bending beyond anyone else's description "The Washington Post Book World"

"Cities of the Red Night" is the most complete and most devastatingly sardonic statement of William Burroughs's apocalyptic vision. Through his mordant satire of cultural aspirations, homosexual eroticism and political power, he focuses our gaze into the abyss. His cold, surgical language creates beauty through a terror that we are just able to bear . . . A modern "Inferno." "Newsday""

"Cities of the Red Night is Burroughs's masterpiece. In it, the world ends with a bang--and a barely perceived whimper, disguised by the wicked smile of one of the most dazzling magicians of our time." --Los Angeles Time Book Review

"Cities of the Red Night is not only Burroughs' best work, but a logical and ripening extension of all of Burroughs's great work." --Ken Kesey

"One should approach Cities of the Red Night as the Wagneresque capper of all the five or six homosexual planet-operas Burroughs has scripted since he found a genuine new style in Naked Lunch . . . It's as if we had gotten hold of a black ticket to his unconscious, and anyone who makes the trip will see sights and feel feelings that are unique and mind-bending beyond anyone else's description" --The Washington Post Book World

"Cities of the Red Night is the most complete and most devastatingly sardonic statement of William Burroughs's apocalyptic vision. Through his mordant satire of cultural aspirations, homosexual eroticism and political power, he focuses our gaze into the abyss. His cold, surgical language creates beauty through a terror that we are just able to bear . . . A modern Inferno." --Newsday

About the Author:

William S. Burroughs was born on February 5, 1914 in St Louis. In work and in life Burroughs expressed a lifelong subversion of the morality, politics and economics of modern America. To escape those conditions, and in particular his treatment as a homosexual and a drug-user, Burroughs left his homeland in 1950, and soon after began writing. By the time of his death he was widely recognised as one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the twentieth century. His numerous books include Naked Lunch, Junky, Queer, Nova Express, Interzone, The Wild Boys, The Ticket That Exploded and The Soft Machine. After living in Mexico City, Tangier, Paris, and London, Burroughs finally returned to America in 1974. He died in 1997.

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin Classics
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0141189932
• ISBN 13: 9780141189932
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 352