“Junk,” Junkie, Junky > Junkie correspondence
William S. Burroughs, 1914-1997
Autograph letter signed, William S. Burroughs to Jack Kerouac, March 10, 1950
Jack Kerouac Collection
Burroughs, Kerouac, and Ginsberg all relied on their correspondence with each other as a supportive and motivating force in the creation of their work. In this note, Burroughs writes to Kerouac thanking him for sending a copy of his book—Kerouac’s first, The Town and the City (1950). Burroughs mentions that he has started his own first book, “Junk.”
William S. Burroughs, 1914-1997
Typed letter signed, William S. Burroughs to Allen Ginsberg, January 1, 1951
Allen Ginsberg Papers
In this letter, mistakenly dated “1950,” Burroughs writes to Ginsberg from Mexico City that he has “sent the finished M.S. of [his] book to Lucien [Carr].” He refers here to the original 150 page typescript of “Junk”—the first page of which is exhibited in this case. Carr helped Burroughs place the novel with Ace Books, whose publisher, A.A. Wyn, was the uncle of their mutual friend Carl Solomon.
William S. Burroughs, 1914-1997
Autograph letter signed, William S. Burroughs to Allen Ginsberg, March 1, 1953
Allen Ginsberg Papers
In April 1952 Burroughs was working on Queer, the novel he considered a sequel to Junkie, but Ace wanted to add the new text on to the end of Junkie. Burroughs resisted and the idea was dropped. Ace began pressuring him again when they learned he intended to write about his South American expedition to discover the drug yagé. In this letter, Burroughs writes to Ginsberg in March 1953 that “They are up to their old tricks: 2 books, 1 advance. By all means tell them to go ahead and publish Junk(ie) as is” (the line appears seven lines below the center crease).
William S. Burroughs, 1914-1997
Typed letter signed, William S. Burroughs to Allen Ginsberg, July 30, 1953
Allen Ginsberg Papers
Writing from Mexico City, Burroughs acknowledges receipt of his copy of Junkie from Ginsberg—then in New York—and asks how well the novel is selling. Accompanying the letter is the original envelope, the verso of which bears Ginsberg’s note to Kerouac.