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38 pages 1 hour read

Naked Lunch

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1959

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Book Brief

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William S. Burroughs

Naked Lunch

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1959
Book Details
Pages

304

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Multiple Locations • 1950s

Publication Year

1959

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

In Naked Lunch, Lee, a person grappling with heroin use, flees New York to evade police, journeying through Philadelphia and Mexico before arriving in Freeland, a dystopian state. After a riot in Freeland, he escapes to Interzone, facing bizarre and fantastical experiences. He returns to New York, evades police pursuing his notebooks, and flees to Panama City and then Tangier. The book depicts substance use and abuse, addiction, graphic sexual content, and graphic violence.

Mysterious

Dark

Unnerving

Gritty

Challenging

Reviews & Readership

3.8

93,499 ratings

52%

Loved it

28%

Mixed feelings

20%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs garners mixed reactions for its groundbreaking narrative and unorthodox style. Positively noted for its raw depiction of addiction and innovative prose, it intrigues many. Conversely, critics cite its chaotic structure and explicit content as detracting factors. Its cultural influence is undeniable, though polarizing.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Naked Lunch?

A reader who would enjoy Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs is likely drawn to experimental, non-linear narratives and controversial, avant-garde literature. Fans of Allen Ginsberg’s Howl and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road will appreciate Burroughs' raw, hallucinatory prose and exploration of countercultural themes.

3.8

93,499 ratings

52%

Loved it

28%

Mixed feelings

20%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

304

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Multiple Locations • 1950s

Publication Year

1959

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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