William Burroughs

William Seward Burroughs. Described by Norman Mailer as "the only living American novelist who may conceivably be possessed of genius," this unique underground visionary has lived up to these words. Burroughs's influence has exploded far beyond the ethereal borders of the literati into the realm of popular culture - he has influenced a remarkable spectrum of adventurous writers, artists, filmmakers and musicians. His celebrated bestseller, Naked Lunch, which sparked a precedent-setting obscenity trial, was hailed by Newsweek as "a masterpiece. A cry from hell, a brutal, terrifying, and savagely funny book that swings between uncontrolled hallucination and fierce, exact satire." And his life, perhaps even more than his work, is the stuff of legend: he became infamous for his open use of heroin, for the bizarre, accidental shooting of his wife and for the explicit sexual nature of his writing. As a result of this legend he has been celebrated by friends and benefactors such as Andy Warhol, Allen Ginsberg, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Mick Jagger and Lou Reed.