William Burroughs is among those writers of the 20th century who have been ignored by the mainstream. Even now, in the present age numerous editions of Burroughs's work are being re-issued given their cult status. Yet, it is easy to be lured in by the shock value of Burroughs' work, anyone familiar with the magnum opus, Naked Lunch will attest to this. Burroughs was not out to purely shock his audience, rather he aimed to reveal the seedy underbelly of post-war America that was largely covered up in popular society. Burroughs' drug addiction and involvement with homosexuals and other period outcasts is perhaps the reason behind his detachment from the mainstream. Queer, only published until 1985 as it was since banned, is Burroughs' most lucid work. It describes William Lee's (Burroughs incognito) infatuation with a young man and his pursuit to gain requited love. Lee follows his lover to Ecuador (South America being a favourite retreat for Burroughs, there he tries to pursue his love interest whilst dealing with locals and his debilitating drug addiction.
It is perhaps important for the reader to consider the life of William Burroughs in comparison to his novels as there is a great disparity between his own self-mythologizing and fictional events. The reader would do well to read the Letters of William Burroughs available in Penguin paperback.
Queer is the easiest Burroughs novel to read, considering the cut-up novels and later obscure works. However, this is not an entry level into Burroughs' psyche, moreover, the reader would be better off reading Junky, Burroughs' debut novel. Queer is at times painfully sincere and caustically cynical. The 25th century anniversary edition reads as clear as any present day confessional novel. The reader should consider this work not just as a piece of truthful life-writing but as a indictment of 20th century values akin to Wilde's De Profundis.
