At the height of his fame, Charles DickÂens could have comÂmandÂed any illusÂtraÂtor he liked for his novÂels. But at the beginÂning of his litÂerÂary career, it was he who was charged with accomÂpaÂnyÂing the artist, not the othÂer way around. His first seriÂalÂized novÂel The PosthuÂmous Papers of the PickÂwick Club, betÂter known as The PickÂwick Papers, began as a series of comÂiÂcal “cockÂney sportÂing plates” by Robert SeyÂmour. HonÂest enough to admit his ignoÂrance of the cockÂney sportÂing life but shrewd enough to know an opporÂtuÂniÂty when he saw one, the young DickÂens acceptÂed the pubÂlishÂer’s request for stoÂries meant to elabÂoÂrate on the images.
Even then, DickÂens posÂsessed irreÂpressÂible talÂent as a popÂuÂlar stoÂryÂteller, and it was his writÂing — which eviÂdenced scant interÂest in adherÂence to the existÂing art — that made The PickÂwick Papers into a great sucÂcess, a mass-culÂturÂal pheÂnomÂeÂnon comÂpaÂraÂble to a hit sitÂcom avant la letÂtre.
187 years latÂer there remains a whiff of scanÂdal around this chapÂter of litÂerÂary hisÂtoÂry, SeyÂmour havÂing comÂmitÂted suiÂcide earÂly in the seriÂalÂizaÂtion process the day after an arguÂment with DickÂens. EvenÂtuÂalÂly the author found a perÂmaÂnent replaceÂment for SeyÂmour in Hablot Knight Browne, or Phiz, who would go on to proÂvide the artÂwork for most of his novÂels.
You can see all of Phiz’s work for DickÂens at the Charles DickÂens IllusÂtratÂed Gallery, a project of Michael John GoodÂman, whom we’ve preÂviÂousÂly feaÂtured here on Open CulÂture for his VicÂtoÂriÂan IllusÂtratÂed ShakeÂspeare Archive (and his colÂlecÂtion of AI-genÂerÂatÂed ShakeÂspeare art). “The world of DickÂens illusÂtraÂtion is beset with poor reproÂducÂtions of the source mateÂrÂiÂal, so for this project I have searched out what I conÂsidÂer to be some of the best ediÂtions that feaÂture the origÂiÂnal illusÂtraÂtions printÂed to a decent qualÂiÂty,” GoodÂman writes on his proÂjecÂt’s About page. These tend to date from the earÂly twenÂtiÂeth cenÂtuÂry and come with “colÂored fronÂtispieces (which the origÂiÂnal novÂels did not have).”
One such fronÂtispiece appears at the top of this post, depictÂing the first appearÂance of The PickÂwick Papers’ most beloved charÂacÂter, the cockÂney valet Samuel Weller (who overÂtook the title charÂacÂter in popÂuÂlarÂiÂty in much the same manÂner as DickÂens’ writÂing overÂtook the illusÂtraÂtions). The Charles DickÂens IllusÂtratÂed Gallery conÂtains numerÂous plates from that book, as well as from all the rest: OlivÂer Twist (a colÂlabÂoÂraÂtion with not Phiz but George CruikÂshank), A ChristÂmas CarÂol (with John Leech), Bleak House (its grim atmosÂphere heightÂened by Phiz’s “dark plates”), even the nevÂer-finÂished The MysÂtery of Edwin Drood. Today’s readÂers are likeÂly to disÂmiss these illusÂtraÂtions, howÂevÂer well-renÂdered, as extraÂneÂous to the text. But we must bear in mind that most were seen and approved by DickÂens himÂself, who knew what he wantÂed — and even more so, what his readÂers wantÂed.
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂterBooks on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
Kurt VonÂnegut is one of those writÂers whose wit, humanÂism and lack of senÂtiÂmenÂtalÂiÂty leave you hanÂkerÂing for more.
ForÂtuÂnateÂly, the proÂlifÂic novÂelÂist was an equalÂly proÂlifÂic letÂter writer.
His pubÂlished corÂreÂsponÂdence includes a descripÂtion of the fireÂbombÂing of DresÂden penned upon his release from the SlaughÂterÂhouse Five POW camp, an admisÂsion to daughÂter Nanette that most parental misÂsives “conÂtain a parÂenÂt’s own lost dreams disÂguised as good advice,” and some unvarÂnished exchanges with many of familÂiar litÂerÂary names. (“I am cuter than you are,” he tauntÂed Cape Cod neighÂbor NorÂman MailÂer.)
No wonÂder these letÂters are catÂnip to perÂformÂers with the pediÂgree to recÂogÂnize good writÂing when they see it.
In addiÂtion to SlaughÂterÂhouse-Five, the board also conÂsigned two othÂer volÂumes on the sylÂlabus — James DickÂey’s DelivÂerÂance and an antholÂoÂgy conÂtainÂing short stoÂries by FaulknÂer, HemÂingÂway and SteinÂbeck — to the fire.
RevisÂitÂing the event, the BisÂmarÂck TriÂbune reports that “the objecÂtion to (SlaughÂterÂhouse-Five) had to do with proÂfanÂiÂty, (DelivÂerÂance) with some homoÂsexÂuÂal mateÂrÂiÂal and the (antholÂoÂgy) because the first two renÂdered all of Severy’s choicÂes susÂpect.”
A decade latÂer, VonÂnegut also revisÂitÂed the school board’s “insultÂing” objecÂtions in the pages of the New York Times:
Even by the stanÂdards of Queen VicÂtoÂria, the only offenÂsive line in the entire novÂel is this: ”Get out of the road, you dumb m(———–).” This is spoÂken by an AmerÂiÂcan antiÂtank gunÂner to an unarmed AmerÂiÂcan chapÂlain’s assisÂtant durÂing the BatÂtle of the Bulge in Europe in DecemÂber 1944, the largest sinÂgle defeat of AmerÂiÂcan arms (the ConÂfedÂerÂaÂcy excludÂed) in hisÂtoÂry. The chapÂlain’s assisÂtant had attractÂed eneÂmy fire.
Word is VonÂnegut’s letÂter nevÂer received the courÂtesy of a reply.
One wonÂders if the recipÂiÂent burned it, too.
If that 50 year old letÂter feels gerÂmane, check out Vonnegut’s 1988 letÂter to peoÂple livÂing 100 years in the future, a litÂtle more than 50 years from where we are now.
In many ways, its comÂmonÂsense advice surÂpassÂes the everÂgreen words of those it namechecks — Shakespeare’s PoloÂnius, St. John the Divine, and the Big Book of AlcoÂholics AnonyÂmous. The threat of enviÂronÂmenÂtal colÂlapse it seeks to stave off has become even more dire in the ensuÂing years.
Vonnegut’s advice (listÂed below) clearÂly resÂonates with CumÂberÂbatch, a vegÂan who leverÂaged his celebriÂty to bring attenÂtion to the cliÂmate criÂsis when he parÂticÂiÂpatÂed in the ExtincÂtion RebelÂlion Protests in LonÂdon.
1. Reduce and staÂbiÂlize your popÂuÂlaÂtion.
2. Stop poiÂsonÂing the air, the water, and the topÂsoil.
3. Stop preparÂing for war and start dealÂing with your real probÂlems.
4. Teach your kids, and yourÂselves, too, while you’re at it, how to inhabÂit a small planÂet withÂout helpÂing to kill it.
5. Stop thinkÂing sciÂence can fix anyÂthing if you give it a trilÂlion dolÂlars.
6. Stop thinkÂing your grandÂchilÂdren will be OK no matÂter how wasteÂful or destrucÂtive you may be, since they can go to a nice new planÂet on a spaceÂship. That is realÂly mean, and stuÂpid.
7. And so on. Or else.
VonÂnegut, who died in 2007 at the age of 84, nevÂer lost his touch with young readÂers. Who betÂter to recite his 2006 letÂter to his fans in New York City’s Xavier High School’s stuÂdent body than the ever youthÂful, ever curiÂous actor and activist, Sir Ian McKÂellen?
CumÂberÂbatch is a wonÂderÂful readÂer, but he’d require a bit more seaÂsonÂing to pull these lines off withÂout the aid of major prosÂthetÂics:
You sure know how to cheer up a realÂly old geezer (84) in his sunÂset years. I don’t make pubÂlic appearÂances any more because I now resemÂble nothÂing so much as an iguaÂna.
Now if only these gents would attempt a Hoosier accent…
In ChristÂmases past, we feaÂtured Charles DickÂens’ hand-editÂed copy of his beloved 1843 novelÂla A ChristÂmas CarÂol. He did that hand editÂing for the purÂposÂes of givÂing pubÂlic readÂings, a pracÂtice that, in his time, “was conÂsidÂered a desÂeÂcraÂtion of one’s art and a lowÂerÂing of one’s digÂniÂty.” That time, howÂevÂer, has gone, and many of the most presÂtiÂgious writÂers alive today take the readÂing aloud of their own work to the levÂel of art, or at least high enterÂtainÂment, that DickÂens must have susÂpectÂed one could. Some writÂers even do a bang-up job of readÂing othÂer writÂers’ work: modÂern masÂter stoÂryÂteller Neil Gaiman gave us a dose of that when we feaÂtured his recitaÂtion of Lewis CarÂrolÂl’s “JabÂberÂwocky” from memÂoÂry. Today, howÂevÂer, comes the full meal: Gaiman’s telling of A ChristÂmas CarÂolstraight from that very DickÂens-editÂed readÂing copy.
Gaiman read to a full house at the New York PubÂlic Library, an instiÂtuÂtion known for its stimÂuÂlatÂing events, holÂiÂday-themed or othÂerÂwise. But he didÂn’t have to hold up the afterÂnoon himÂself; takÂing the stage before him, BBC researcher and The Secret MuseÂumauthor MolÂly OldÂfield talked about her two years spent seekÂing out fasÂciÂnatÂing culÂturÂal artiÂfacts the world over, includÂing but not limÂitÂed to the NYPL’s own colÂlecÂtion of things DickÂenÂsian. You can hear both OldÂfield and Gaiman in the recordÂing below. But perÂhaps the greatÂest gift of all came in the form of the latÂter’s attire for his readÂing: not only did he go fulÂly VicÂtoÂriÂan, he even went to the length of repliÂcatÂing the 19th-cenÂtuÂry litÂerÂary superÂstar’s own severe hair part and long goaÂtee. And School Library JourÂnal has picÂtures. The stoÂry realÂly gets startÂed around the 11:00 mark. Gaiman’s readÂing will be added to our list of Free Audio Books. You can find the text of DickÂens’ clasÂsic here.
Based in Seoul, ColÂin MarÂshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂterBooks on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
I will admit it: I’m one of those oft-maligned non-sports peoÂple who becomes a footÂball (okay, socÂcer) enthuÂsiÂast every four years, seduced by the colÂorÂful pageantry, cosÂmopoliÂtan air, nosÂtalÂgia for a game I played as a kid, and an embarÂrassÂingÂly senÂtiÂmenÂtal pride in my home counÂtry’s team. I don’t lose all my critÂiÂcal facÂulÂties, but I can’t help but love the World Cup even while recÂogÂnizÂing the corÂrupÂtion, deepÂenÂing poverÂty and exploitaÂtion, and host of othÂer seriÂous sociopoÂlitÂiÂcal issues surÂroundÂing it. And as an AmerÂiÂcan, it’s simÂply much easÂiÂer to put some disÂtance between the sport itself and the jinÂgoÂisÂtic bigÂotry and violence—“sentimental hooliÂganÂism,” to use Franklin Foer’s phrase—that very often attend the game in varÂiÂous parts of the world.
In ArgentiÂna, as in many socÂcer-mad counÂtries with deep social divides, gang vioÂlence is a rouÂtine part of futÂbol, part of what ArgenÂtine writer Jorge Luis Borges termed a horÂriÂble “idea of supremaÂcy.” Borges found it imposÂsiÂble to sepÂaÂrate the fan culÂture from the game itself, once declarÂing, “socÂcer is popÂuÂlar because stuÂpidÂiÂty is popÂuÂlar.” As Shaj MathÂew writes in TheNew RepubÂlic, the author assoÂciÂatÂed the mass mania of socÂcer fanÂdom with the mass ferÂvor of fasÂcism or dogÂmatÂic nationÂalÂism. “NationÂalÂism,” he wrote, “only allows for affirÂmaÂtions, and every docÂtrine that disÂcards doubt, negaÂtion, is a form of fanatiÂcism and stuÂpidÂiÂty.” As MathÂews points out, nationÂal socÂcer teams and stars do often become the tools of authorÂiÂtarÂiÂan regimes that “take advanÂtage of the bond that fans share with their nationÂal teams to drum up popÂuÂlar supÂport [….] This is what Borges feared—and resented—about the sport.”
There is cerÂtainÂly a sense in which Borges’ hatred of socÂcer is also indicaÂtive of his well-known culÂturÂal elitÂism (despite his romanÂtiÂcizÂing of lowÂer-class gauÂcho life and the once-demiÂmonde tanÂgo). OutÂside of the hugeÂly expenÂsive World Cup, the class dynamÂics of socÂcer fanÂdom in most every counÂtry but the U.S. are fairÂly uncomÂpliÂcatÂed. New RepubÂlic ediÂtor Foer summed it up sucÂcinctÂly in How SocÂcer Explains the World: “In every othÂer part of the world, soccer’s sociÂolÂoÂgy varies litÂtle: it is the province of the workÂing class.” (The inverÂsion of this socÂcer class divide in the U.S., Foer writes, explains AmerÂiÂcans’ disÂdain for the game in genÂerÂal and for elitÂist socÂcer diletÂtantes in parÂticÂuÂlar, though those attiÂtudes are rapidÂly changÂing). If Borges had been a North, rather than South, AmerÂiÂcan, I imagÂine he would have had simÂiÂlar things to say about the NFL, NBA, NHL, or NASCAR.
NonetheÂless, being Jorge Luis Borges, the writer did not simÂply lodge cranky comÂplaints, howÂevÂer politÂiÂcalÂly astute, about the game. He wrote a specÂuÂlaÂtive stoÂry about it with his close friend and someÂtime writÂing partÂner AdolÂfo Bioy Casares. In “Esse Est PerÂcipi” (“to be is to be perÂceived”), we learn that socÂcer has “ceased to be a sport and entered the realm of specÂtaÂcle,” writes MathÂews: “repÂreÂsenÂtaÂtion of sport has replaced actuÂal sport.” The physÂiÂcal staÂdiÂums crumÂble, while the games are perÂformed by “a sinÂgle man in a booth or by actors in jerÂseys before the TV camÂeras.” An easÂiÂly duped popÂuÂlace folÂlows “nonexÂisÂtent games on TV and the radio withÂout quesÂtionÂing a thing.”
The stoÂry effecÂtiveÂly illusÂtrates Borges’ criÂtique of socÂcer as an intrinÂsic part of a mass culÂture that, MathÂews says, “leaves itself open to demÂaÂgoguery and manipÂuÂlaÂtion.” Borges’ own snobÂberies aside, his resÂolute susÂpiÂcion of mass media specÂtaÂcle and the cooptÂing of popÂuÂlar culÂture by politÂiÂcal forces seems to me still, as it was in his day, a healthy attiÂtude. You can read the full stoÂry here, and an excelÂlent critÂiÂcal essay on Borges’ politÂiÂcal phiÂlosÂoÂphy here. For those interÂestÂed in explorÂing Franklin Foer’s book, see How SocÂcer Explains the World: An UnlikeÂly TheÂoÂry of GlobÂalÂizaÂtion.
Note: An earÂliÂer verÂsion of this post appeared on our site in 2014.
“ThanksÂgivÂing Day, Nov. 28, 1986” first appeared in print inTorÂnaÂdo Alley, a chapÂbook pubÂlished by William S. BurÂroughs in 1989. Two years latÂer, Gus Van Sant (Good Will HuntÂing, My Own PriÂvate IdaÂho, Milk) shot a monÂtage that brought the poem to film, makÂing it at least the secÂond time the direcÂtor adaptÂed the beat writer to film.
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
There’s a pasÂsage from Kurt Vonnegut’s BreakÂfast of ChamÂpiÂons that crossÂes our desk a lot at this time of year. It’s the one in which he declares Armistice Day, which coinÂciÂdenÂtalÂly falls on his birthÂday, sacred:
What else is sacred? Oh, Romeo and JuliÂet, for instance.
And all music is.
Here, here!
HopeÂfulÂly ShakeÂspeare won’t take umbrage if we skip over his doomed teenaged lovers to celÂeÂbrate Kurt Vonnegut’s 11/11 CenÂtenÂniÂal with songs inspired by his work.
The driÂving force behind the KTE Tim LangsÂford, a drumÂmer who menÂtors AutisÂtic stuÂdents at the UniÂverÂsiÂty of PlyÂmouth, was lookÂing for ways to help his “fogÂgy mind rememÂber the key conÂcepts, charÂacÂters, and memÂoÂrable lines that occur in each” of Vonnegut’s 14 books.
The soluÂtion? ComÂmuÂniÂty and accountÂabilÂiÂty to an ongoÂing assignÂment. LangsÂford launched the PlyÂmouth VonÂnegut ColÂlecÂtive in 2019 with a typeÂwritÂten manÂiÂfesto, invitÂing interÂestÂed parÂties to read (or re-read) the novÂels in pubÂliÂcaÂtion order, then gathÂer for monthÂly disÂcusÂsions.
His loftiÂer goal was for book club memÂbers to work colÂlabÂoÂraÂtiveÂly on a 14-track conÂcept album informed by their readÂing.
They stuck to it, with efforts spanÂning a variÂety of genÂres.
The psyÂcheÂdelÂic God Bless You, MisÂter RoseÂwaÂtermixÂes quotes from the book with editÂed clips of the colÂlecÂtive’s disÂcusÂsion of the novÂel.
The project pushed LangsÂford out from behind the drum kit, as well as his comÂfort zone:
It has takÂen an awful lot to be comÂfortÂable with the songs on which I sing. HowÂevÂer, I have tried to invoke KV’s sense of creÂation as if no one is watchÂing. It doesn’t matÂter so do it for yourÂself…. Although do I conÂtraÂdict that by sharÂing these things to the interÂnet rather than trashÂing them unseen or unheard?!
Ah, but isn’t one of the most beauÂtiÂful uses of the InterÂnet as a tool for findÂing out what we have in comÂmon with our felÂlow humans?
ConÂgratÂuÂlaÂtions to our felÂlow VonÂnegut fans in PlyÂmouth, who will be celÂeÂbratÂing their achieveÂment and the legÂendary author’s 100th birthÂday with an event feaÂturÂing poetÂry, art, music and film inspired by the birthÂday boy’s novÂels.
Folk rockÂer Al StewÂart is anothÂer who “was drawn by the Sirens of Titan.” The lyrics make perÂfect sense if the novÂel is fresh in your mind:
But here in the yelÂlow and blue of my days
I wanÂder the endÂless MerÂcuÂriÂan caves
WatchÂing for the signs the HarÂmoÂniÂans make
The band gave the author a writÂing credÂit. He repaid the comÂpliÂment with a fan letÂter:
I was at my daughter’s house last night, and the radio was on. By God if the DJ didn’t play our song, and say it was numÂber ten in New York, and say how good you guys are in genÂerÂal. You can imagÂine the pleaÂsure that gave me. Luck has played an enorÂmous part in my life. Those who know pop music keep telling me how lucky I am to be tied in with you. And I myself am crazy about our song, of course, but what do I know and why wouldn’t I be? This much I have always known, anyÂway: Music is the only art that’s realÂly worth a damn. I envy you guys.
If that isn’t nice, we don’t know what is.
Vonnegut’s best known work, the time-travÂelÂing, perenÂniÂalÂly banned anti-war novÂel,SlaughÂterÂhouse-Five, presents an irreÂsistible songÂwritÂing chalÂlenge, judgÂing from the numÂber of tunes that have sproutÂed from its ferÂtile soil.
She titled her recent EP of five VonÂnegut-inspired songs, EveryÂthing is Sateen, a nod to the Sateen Dura-Luxe house paint Vonnegut’s abstract expresÂsionÂist, Rabo Karabekian, favors in BlueÂbeard.
We’re fairÂly conÂfiÂdent that Hwang’s No Answer, offered above as a thank you to crowdÂfunÂders of a recent tour, will be the bounÂciÂest adapÂtaÂtion of SlaughÂterÂhouse-Five you’ll hear all day.
Keep lisÂtenÂing.
Sweet Soubrette, aka Ellia Bisker, anothÂer BushÂwick Book Club fixÂture and one half of the goth-folk duo CharmÂing DisÂasÂter, leaned into the horÂrors of DresÂden for her SlaughÂterÂhouse-Five conÂtriÂbuÂtion, namecheckÂing rubÂble, barbed wire, and the “musÂtard gas and rosÂes” breath born of a night’s heavy drinkÂing.
SongÂwritÂing musiÂcolÂoÂgist Gail SparÂlin’s My Blue HeavÂen: The Love Song of MonÂtana WildÂhack — seen here in a library perÂforÂmance — is as girlÂish and sweet as Valerie Perrine’s take on the charÂacÂter in George Roy Hill’s 1972 film of SlaughÂterÂhouse-Five.
Back in 1988, HawkÂwind’s The War I SurÂvived sufÂfused SlaughÂterÂhouse-Five with some very New Wave synths…
The choÂrus of Sam Ford’s wistÂful So It Goes taps into the novÂelÂ’s time travÂelÂing aspect, and touchÂes on the chalÂlenges many solÂdiers expeÂriÂence when attemptÂing to reinÂteÂgrate into their pre-comÂbat lives :
That ain’t the way home
Who says I wanÂna go home? I’m always home I’m always home.
HavÂing invoked Vonnegut’s everÂgreen phrase, there’s no getÂting away withÂout menÂtionÂing Nick Lowe’s 1976 powÂer pop hit, though it may make for a tenÂuÂous conÂnecÂtion.
Hi ho!
Still, tenÂuÂous conÂnecÂtions can count as conÂnecÂtions, espeÂcialÂly when you talÂly up all the refÂerÂences to Cat’s CraÂdle’s secret govÂernÂment weapon, Ice Nine, in lyrics and band names.
Then there are the subÂmerged refÂerÂences. We may not pick up on them, but we’re willÂing to believe they’re there.
Pearl Jam’s front man Eddie VedÂder wrote that “books like Cat’s CraÂdle, God Bless You, Mr. RoseÂwaÂter, PlayÂer Piano…they’ve had as much influÂence on me as any record I’ve ever owned.”
A memÂoÂrable BreakÂfast of ChamÂpiÂons illusÂtraÂtion is said to have lit a flame with New Order, proÂpelling VonÂnegut out onto the dance floor.
And Ringo Starr edged his way to favorite BeaÂtÂle staÂtus when he tipped his hat to BreakÂfast of ChamÂpiÂons, dedÂiÂcatÂing his 1973 solo album to “KilÂgoÂre Trout and all the beavers.”
There are dozens more we could menÂtion — you’ll find some of them in the playlist below — but withÂout furÂther ado, let’s welÂcome to the stage SpeÂcial K and His Crew!
Yes, that’s Phish drumÂmer (and major VonÂnegut fan) Jon FishÂman on vacÂuÂum.
But who’s that mysÂtery front man, spitÂting Chaucer’s CanÂterÂbury Tales?
HapÂpy 100th, Kurt VonÂnegut! We’re glad you were born.
“Moby-Dick is the great AmerÂiÂcan novÂel. But it is also the great unread AmerÂiÂcan novÂel. SprawlÂing, magÂnifÂiÂcent, deliriÂousÂly digresÂsive, it stands over and above all othÂer works of ficÂtion, since it is bareÂly a work of ficÂtion itself. Rather, it is an exploÂsive expoÂsiÂtion of one man’s invesÂtiÂgaÂtion into the world of the whale, and the way humans have relatÂed to it. Yet it is so much more than that.”
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
William S. BurÂroughs is one of the most mytholÂoÂgized AmerÂiÂcan authors of the 20th cenÂtuÂry. When you recall the details of his life, they read like the biogÂraÂphy of a ficÂtionÂal charÂacÂter. He was an unabashed heroÂin addict yet he dressed like a dapÂper insurÂance salesÂman. He was openÂly, milÂiÂtantÂly gay at a time when homoÂsexÂuÂalÂiÂty wasn’t even menÂtioned in polite sociÂety. He shot his wife, Joan Vollmer, in MexÂiÂco City while playÂing an ill-conÂceived game of William Tell and then spent years in TangÂiers indulging in every posÂsiÂble vice while writÂing Naked Lunch, which hapÂpened to be one of the most conÂtroÂverÂsial books of the cenÂtuÂry. And his writÂing influÂenced just about everyÂone you conÂsidÂer cool.
Back in 2015, to comÂmemÂoÂrate the 101st birthÂday of BurÂroughs, This AmerÂiÂcan Life aired a BBC docÂuÂmenÂtary on Burroughs’s life. The show is narÂratÂed by Iggy Pop whose voice, in announcÂer mode, bears an uncanÂny resemÂblance to Sam Elliot. Pop relates how BurÂroughs influÂenced Kurt Cobain, punk rock and Bob Dylan, and how he himÂself liftÂed lyrics from BurÂroughs for his most popÂuÂlar song, and unlikeÂly CarÂniÂval Cruise jinÂgle, “Lust for Life.”
As Ira Glass notes, the docÂuÂmenÂtary paints a clear picÂture of why he is such a revered figÂure – going into detail about his writÂing, his hugeÂly influÂenÂtial “Cut Up” method, his obsesÂsion with cats – while nevÂer buyÂing into his mysÂtique. In fact, one of the most interÂestÂing parts of the doc is a damnÂing appraisal of Burroughs’s cool junkie perÂsona by author Will Self, who was himÂself an addict for a couÂple of decades. You can lisÂten to the whole episode above.
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
Note: This post origÂiÂnalÂly appeared on our site in 2015.
Jonathan Crow is a Los AngeÂles-based writer and filmÂmakÂer whose work has appeared in Yahoo!, The HolÂlyÂwood Reporter, and othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow him at @jonccrow. And check out his blog VeepÂtoÂpus, feaÂturÂing lots of picÂtures of badÂgers and even more picÂtures of vice presÂiÂdents with octoÂpusÂes on their heads. The VeepÂtoÂpus store is here.
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