Burroughs, William Seward III

Four [4] Letters with Mailing Envelopes and Ephemera; An Extensive, near complete archive of published material and associated ephemera

Savannah / Atlanta / Denver: c. 1972 - 1980. Four densely written letters, two-sided, three are full manuscript and one is typed with a manuscript closing. Includes four Air Mail envelopes, two with legible dates. Flattened, very good with mailing folds and some edge tear where extricated from original wiriting pad / notebook.

William S. Burroughs III, sometimes refered to as Jr. (Bill or Billy), actually had the same name as both his literary father and great-grandfather (inventor of the Burroughs adding machine). He was a troubled, substance afflicted and orphaned offspring of the Beat Generation. His father left the young Bill motherless at two years old with the William Tell style manslaughter of his wife. Thirteen years later, Billy accidentally shot his best friend in the neck and for months believed he had killed him. Billy was sent to live with his paternal grandparents for most of his early life in St. Louis and Palm Beach, FL. While in Florida he attended The Green Valley School in Orange City, which was intended for emotionally disturbed and delinquent children. The school was closed in 1973 for physical and emotional abuse of its students. While at the school, Bill Jr. found a much need male role model in Joe Stewart, and communicated with him throughout his life.

Books: 2A. Speed New York, NY: Olympia Press, 1970. First Edition. Paperback Original. An autobiographical novel focusing on Billy’s early life living with his grandparents in Florida followed by his running away to New York City during the height of his methamphetamine addiction. Very Good in illustrated wraps.
2B. Speed London: Olympia Press, 1971. First UK Edition. Introduction by Allen Ginsberg. Fine hardcover in Fine dustjacket.
2C. Kentucky Ham (Advance Uncorrected Proof) New York, NY: E.P. Dutton, 1973. First Edition. Advance Uncorrected Proof. The book also recounts Billy’s time living in Tangier with his father and later enrollment in the Green Valley School where he met his mentor, Reverend George von Hilsheimer, and future wife, Karen Perry. Fine in comb bound wraps.
2D. Kentucky Ham (Advance Review Copy) New York, NY: E.P. Dutton, 1973. First Edition. Advance Review Copy. Laid-in review slip from the publisher noting the Publication Date of June 11, 1973. Very Good hardcover in Very Good dustjacket.
2E. Speed (Advance Review Copy with Publisher’s “Precis”) Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press, 1984. First Overlook Press Edition. Advance Review Copy. Introduction by Jennie Skerl. Afterword by John Steinbeck, Jr. Laid-in is a Publisher’s two-page “Precis” dated 5/23/84 from The Overlook Press and Richard Elovich—the first editor tasked to complete Prakriti Junction [Cursed From Birth] for publication—asking Billy’s friends and acquaintances to send reminiscences of the author for inclusion in his final work. Elovich requests: “Your help is essential to the completion of Bill’s final book … Billy’s autobiography will not be complete without your memories of him. The lessons of his life cannot be drawn from his words alone, but must appear from your stories as well.” Additionally laid-in is a three-page typewritten response with numerous holograph corrections from poet, Richard Dillon, accompanied by a double-sided page of his draft notes, both handwritten and typed. Fine hardcover in Fine dustjacket with laid-in ephemera toned with age.
2F. Kentucky Ham (Advance Uncorrected Proof) Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press, 1984. First Overlook Press Edition. Advance Uncorrected Proof. Foreword by Anne Waldman. Afterword by William S. Burroughs. Fine plain tape bound wraps in Fine publisher’s advance dustjacket.
2G. Kentucky Ham (SIGNED Advance Review Copy) Woodstock, NY: Overlook Press, 1984 [1985]. First Overlook Press Edition. Advance Review Copy. Foreword by Anne Waldman. Afterword by William S. Burroughs. Signed by Anne Waldman on the title page. Laid-in publisher’s review slip noting the Publication Date of January 11, 1985. Additionally includes publisher’s letter dated October 8, 1984, signed and corrected by Overlook Press editor, Ira Silverberg. The publisher’s letter also notes their “program to publish the complete works of the late William S. Burroughs Jr.” Fine hardcover in Fine dustjacket.
2H. Cursed from Birth: The Short Unhappy Life of William S. Burroughs Jr. New York, NY: Soft Skull Press, 2006. First Edition. Edited by David Ohle. The first trade edition from Soft Skull Press, following two unsuccessful attempts at publication by the Overlook Press and Grove Press. Very Good in wraps with the corresponding reference markers cited in the “Letters” section above.
3. Collection of periodicals featuring William S. Burroughs Jr. Twelve periodicals featuring contributions by WSB Jr. including several uncollected pieces and first appearances excerpted for use in his books, Kentucky Ham and Cursed from Birth: The Short Unhappy Life of William S. Burroughs Jr. A major representation of Billy’s published body of work.
3A. “Life with Father: Mother's milk was mixed with speed” in Esquire Magazine (September 1971) Chicago, IL: Esquire, Inc., 1971. First Edition. Features the first appearance of William S. Burroughs Jr.’s second book, Kentucky Ham. Very Good in wraps.
3B. “Lexington Addicts’ Hospital” in Defiance: A Radical Review # 2 New York, NY: Coronet Communications, Inc., 1971. Features the 34-page piece, “Lexington’s Addict’s Hospital.” Variations would later appear in Billy’s second autobiographical novel, Kentucky Ham. Very Good in wraps.
3C. “Son of Naked Lunch Tells of Daddy Bill’s Sugar Skull” in Santa Cruz Times (September 16 - October 3, 1974) Santa Cruz, CA: Santa Cruz Times, 1974. First Edition. Edited by Jay Shore. Features a one-page piece by William S. Burroughs Jr. recounting his employment inquiry with the Santa Cruz Times and ultimately being commissioned to write about his father: “I went whining around to this paper’s offices looking for a writer’s job of work and the editor wanted me to write something about my father. This has never happened to me before as you can well imagine.” The piece concludes with an editor’s note: “Burroughs Jr. is also looking for a part-time job and will do anything that does not involve lifting or swinging heavy objects. Please contact the Times if you know of any work available.” Santa Cruz Times was a short-lived weekly counterculture newspaper that ceased publication in 1975. Fine in lightly toned tabloid format; appears unread.
3D. “JUST BECAUSE ALLEN GINSBERG MEDITATES DOESN’T MAKE HIM STUPID” in Creem Magazine (April 1976) Birmingham, MI: Creem Magazine Inc., 1976. First Edition. Features an intimate, off-the-cuff literary portrait of Allen Ginsberg by William S. Burroughs Jr. This piece appears to be incorrectly cited as “April 1974” in the “Acknowledgements” section of Bill Jr.’s final book, Cursed from Birth: The Short Unhappy Life of William Burroughs Jr. Near Fine in wraps.
3E. “from PRAKRITI JUNCTION” in Bombay Gin [#3] (Winter/Spring 1977) np [Boulder, CO]: Bombay Gin Editions, 1977. First Edition. Edited by Bonnie Shulman, Cindy Shelton, and Simone Lazzeri. Published at the Naropa Institute’s Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. Features four pieces by William S. Burroughs Jr. including an excerpt from Prakriti Junction which was later included in Section 1 of Cursed from Birth. Also features work by Anne Waldman and Gregory Corso, among others. Very Good in side-stapled wraps.
3F. “But I Tried” in Bombay Gin #4 (Summer/Fall 1977) Boulder, CO: Bombay Gin Editions, 1977. First Edition. Edited by Bonnie Shulman and Cindy Shelton with Guest Editors Anne Waldman and Larry Fagin. Cover photo of Gregory Corso by John Barkin. Features “BUT I TRIED”, a poem by William S. Burroughs Jr. Also features work by William S. Burroughs, Gregory Corso, Allen Ginsberg, Jim Carroll, Diane di Prima, Peter Orlovsky, Ed Sanders, Frank O'Hara, et al. Near Fine in side-stapled wraps.
3G. “from old Journal stuff” in Bombay Gin [#5] (Winter/Spring 1978) Boulder, CO: Bombay Gin Editions, 1978. First Edition. Edited by Mary Ann McCarty and Jan Johnson. Features a journal entry by William S. Burroughs Jr. recounting a time that he visited a convent in Savannah. Although cited in the “Acknowledgements” section of Cursed from Birth, this piece does not appear to be included in the book. The citation could have been mistaken with WSB Jr’s contribution to Bombay Gin #3, which was included in Cursed from Birth but not cited. Near Fine in staple bound wraps.
3H. “from FURY is a Sign of Life” and “The Grey Hound” in New Blood (Vol. I, No. I) Boulder, CO: Artz Press, 1980. First Edition. Edited by Tom Swartz. Features two contributions by William S. Burroughs Jr. “The Greyhound” and “from FURY is a Sign of Life” (a possible alternate title for Prakriti Junction) in which Billy describes the circumstances of his liver transplant and the early recovery period from his “heroic” operation. Also features two poems by Anne Waldman. Fine in wraps.
3I. “More from FURY is a Sign of Life” in New Blood (Vol. II, No. I) Boulder, CO: Artz Press, 1981. First Edition. Features a drawing by William S. Burroughs Jr. and “More from FURY is a Sign of Life”, a continuation of his previous contribution to New Blood chronicling the aftermath of his liver transplant. A variation of this excerpt also appears in Section 4 of Cursed from Birth. Near Fine in wraps.
3J. “Last Poems” in New Blood (No. 6) Boulder, CO: New Blood Press, 1982. First Edition. Featuring Wiliam Burroughs Jr.'s last poems and a single journal entry. Near Fine in wraps.
3K. Nada Poems (Big Scream Issue 25) SIGNED Grandvilsle, MI: Nada Press, 1988. First Edition. Edited by David Cope. Signed by David Cope. Collects six pieces by William S. Burroughs. Also includes “To Burroughs Jr. in the Bardo” by Anne Waldman. Nada Poems is Issue 25 of Big Scream, the poetry journal founded in 1974 by David Cope and published by his Nada Press. Big Scream published over 200 poets and was described by Allen Ginsberg as his favorite small-press mag. Fine in wraps.
3L. “On the Street: An Interview with Billy Burroughs” in The Moment #11 (Fall 1989) Association Copy: Woodland Hills, CA: Shelf Life Press, 1989. First Edition. Edited by Eric Lyden and Kevin Bartnof. Features a 1978 interview with William S. Burroughs Jr., conducted by Lee Hill in Boulder, CO. Bill Jr. shares his thoughts on the Beat Generation, being perceived as “the last Beatnik”, his absent “junky” father, and being raised by his grandmother, Laura Lee Burroughs. Billy further discusses his books, Speed and Kentucky Ham, as well as his failed marriage with Karen Perry and has time living in Denver. This copy is from the collection of Richard Aaron, friend of William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin. Aaron facilitated the sales of Brion Gysin’s archive and Burroughs’ Vaduz archive. He is the founder of Am Here Books which published the Descriptive Catalogue of the William S. Burroughs Archive (1973) and the true first editions of Burroughs’ Port of Saints (1973) and Letters to Allen Ginsberg, 1953-1957 (1978). Laid-in are the original sales receipt and Aaron’s carbon payment slip. Near Fine with a few spots on the upper front cover, otherwise unmarked. Item #3306

From Joe Stewart – friend of Bill Jr., former Green Valley School staff, and recipient of the letters presented here:

“Billy was a friend of mine. I knew him at Green Valley School in Orange City, Fla. in 1972 and afterwards until his death in 1981. I think this book [Cursed from Birth] tells his story the way he would like. Literary Outlaw is the other good bio of Bill Burroughs, Sr. in which Billy's life is well told. Read both of these books and you will know the Burroughs. The old man was a genius and a great writer but a lousy father. The son was cursed from birth (that title is something Billy wrote himself and signed a letter with to his father [See CFB p. 63]).”
Painkillers and living in Savannah: “Shed a tear for me, soon I’ll be out of painkillers. I eat them. Sigh. Dues is dues. Can’t have your pain and kill it, too. Don’t like Savannah / it’s old and dead and the pop. [population] is like Lazarus’ folks, hoping for a miracle. Lotta ignorant folk in this town eat fried food and fear yanks, but I love the south.” [CFB pp. 64/67]

Life of an artist: “Every artist I know of and respect has been down + dead + reborn and their work changes, grows, includes more and I count me lucky to have been + lived thru such a thing as you witnessed - Joe Stewart, the eternal witness when will you tell all?”

Max Corso—Gregory Corso’s son and the godson of William S. Burroughs: “Corso’s kid, Max has my pop for a godfather, a grotesque piece of miscasting if there ever was one. ‘shoot yr wife, Greg, and leave the kid’ I’m being too harsh but the idea of Big Bill being any kind of a father tickles me in the twilight zone.”.

Price: $9,500.00