--- product_id: 11859008 title: "JUNKY" price: "9.17 OMR" currency: OMR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.com.om/products/11859008-junky store_origin: OM region: Oman --- # 4.4/5 star rating from 1,769 reviews Definitive archival text 1950s post-war America setting JUNKY **Price:** 9.17 OMR **Availability:** βœ… In Stock ## Summary > πŸ“– Unlock the raw pulse of post-war America β€” the definitive addiction story you can't afford to miss! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** JUNKY - **How much does it cost?** 9.17 OMR with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.om](https://www.desertcart.com.om/products/11859008-junky) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - β€’ **Cult Classic Narrative:** Dive into the gritty underworld of 1950s America through a semi-autobiographical journey of addiction and survival. - β€’ **Authentic Original Text:** Meticulously restored from archival typescripts by renowned scholar Oliver Harris, preserving Burroughs' raw voice. - β€’ **Critical Acclaim & Popularity:** Ranked #213 in City Life Fiction with thousands of readers praising its dark brilliance and literary impact. - β€’ **Essential for Literary Millennials:** A must-have for those craving authentic, boundary-pushing literature that shaped the Beat Generation and beyond. - β€’ **Unforgettable Characters & Settings:** Experience vivid portrayals from New York tenements to New Orleans queer bars, capturing a lost era with haunting realism. ## Overview Junky: The Definitive Text of "Junk" is William Burroughs' groundbreaking debut novel, restored word-for-word from original archival typescripts. This cult classic offers a semi-fictionalized, unflinching look at heroin addiction in 1950s America, spanning New York, New Orleans, and Mexico. Praised for its dark, brilliant prose and vivid characters, it remains a cornerstone of Beat literature and a must-read for anyone exploring the roots of modern counterculture. ## Description Junk is not, like alcohol or a weed, a means to increased enjoyment of life. Junk is not a kick. It is a way of life. In his debut novel, Junky , Burroughs fictionalized his experiences using and peddling heroin and other drugs in the 1950s into a work that reads like a field report from the underworld of post-war America. The Burroughs-like protagonist of the novel, Bill Lee, see-saws between periods of addiction and rehab, using a panoply of substances including heroin, cocaine, marijuana, paregoric (a weak tincture of opium) and goof balls (barbiturate), amongst others. For this definitive edition, renowned Burroughs scholar Oliver Harris has gone back to archival typescripts to re-created the author's original text word by word. From the tenements of New York to the queer bars of New Orleans, Junky takes the reader into a world at once long-forgotten and still with us today. Burroughs’s first novel is a cult classic and a critical part of his oeuvre. Review: Burroughs' Best? - William Burroughs chronicles his early days of heroin addiction in "Junky," which as one of the introductions puts it is a fictitious narrative based on events from his life. The stories he tells are dark, brilliant and kept me turning the pages well into the night. In "Junky" we learn about Burroughs' avatar "Bill Lee" and how he gets addicted to morphine, an addiction which as he puts is not like alcohol or marijuana, but is something more akin to a mathematical equation. The main character, Bill, first starts in New York City, where he becomes addicted to 'junk,' he and his friends do everything in their power to acquire it, from stealing money from drunks on the subway to conning senile doctors into writing them morphine prescriptions. After awhile he decides to enter rehab out West, and as soon as he gets himself off the junk, he relapses in New Orleans where a good bulk of the book takes place. There, he is eventually arrested for possession and soon after skips town to Mexico, where he stays for the remainder of the novel and struggles with his on again off again addiction to heroin. The people he meets along the way are all colorful characters who are based on people who are all long dead now, their personae immortalized through Burroughs' unforgettably stylistic prose. That's a very loose summary of the book, granted, you have to read the whole thing the whole way through to really take it all in and understand the world Burroughs/Lee lived in. It's a fascinating trip and being a fan of Burroughs' later works I was shocked when I finished this book that it took me this long to get to it in the first place. You see bits and pieces that would later reappear 'cut-up' in novels like "Naked Lunch" and "Nova Express," as well as some familiar faces like Hauser and O'Brien-- which this book implies were two very real police officers. I absolutely loved this novel. It's a harrowing tale and a warning to all those who dance with something like heroin. Out of all the novels I've read by Burroughs, from 'Naked Lunch' to 'The Wild Boys' to this very novel's sequel 'Queer,' I think that 'Junky' may be his best work, which is absolutely stellar for a then-inexperienced writer. He wrote what he knew and what he knew was the 'algebra of need,' and this novel presents that by showing Burroughs at his clearest. It is important to remember what the one introduction mentions: This novel is fiction based on fact, not necessarily everything in it is true, but knowing Burroughs, the truth shone through more often than not because of the utter believability of the characters, places and events that transpire throughout this darkly magical novel. If you read William Burroughs and haven't read "Junky," don't hesitate to buy this book. It's a trip. And for newcomers to William Burroughs, you should absolutely pick it up and start with it, then read 'Queer,' (the sequel to 'Junky' which I actually read before it) and move on to wade through the deep water of Burroughs' dark and fractured and beautiful imagination. This is hands-down, one of the best novels I have ever read in my life and it proudly deserves a spot easily accessible on my bookshelf! Review: Jails, institutions, and death. THE book to read about narcotics addiction. - The definitive book to read about the life of a narcotics addict. Jails, institutions, and death. Burroughs, addicted to morphine and heroin, in New York City in the later 1940s, in New Orleans circa 1950, and then (avoiding the law) in Mexico in the early Fifties. Addictive reading, it doesn't get any better than his if you're interested in knowing about the life. ## Features - Used Book in Good Condition ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #50,020 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #213 in City Life Fiction (Books) #3,111 in Literary Fiction (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,769 Reviews | ## Images ![JUNKY - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91h44vGqOdL.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Media Language, Media Format** options. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Burroughs' Best? *by S***H on April 18, 2016* William Burroughs chronicles his early days of heroin addiction in "Junky," which as one of the introductions puts it is a fictitious narrative based on events from his life. The stories he tells are dark, brilliant and kept me turning the pages well into the night. In "Junky" we learn about Burroughs' avatar "Bill Lee" and how he gets addicted to morphine, an addiction which as he puts is not like alcohol or marijuana, but is something more akin to a mathematical equation. The main character, Bill, first starts in New York City, where he becomes addicted to 'junk,' he and his friends do everything in their power to acquire it, from stealing money from drunks on the subway to conning senile doctors into writing them morphine prescriptions. After awhile he decides to enter rehab out West, and as soon as he gets himself off the junk, he relapses in New Orleans where a good bulk of the book takes place. There, he is eventually arrested for possession and soon after skips town to Mexico, where he stays for the remainder of the novel and struggles with his on again off again addiction to heroin. The people he meets along the way are all colorful characters who are based on people who are all long dead now, their personae immortalized through Burroughs' unforgettably stylistic prose. That's a very loose summary of the book, granted, you have to read the whole thing the whole way through to really take it all in and understand the world Burroughs/Lee lived in. It's a fascinating trip and being a fan of Burroughs' later works I was shocked when I finished this book that it took me this long to get to it in the first place. You see bits and pieces that would later reappear 'cut-up' in novels like "Naked Lunch" and "Nova Express," as well as some familiar faces like Hauser and O'Brien-- which this book implies were two very real police officers. I absolutely loved this novel. It's a harrowing tale and a warning to all those who dance with something like heroin. Out of all the novels I've read by Burroughs, from 'Naked Lunch' to 'The Wild Boys' to this very novel's sequel 'Queer,' I think that 'Junky' may be his best work, which is absolutely stellar for a then-inexperienced writer. He wrote what he knew and what he knew was the 'algebra of need,' and this novel presents that by showing Burroughs at his clearest. It is important to remember what the one introduction mentions: This novel is fiction based on fact, not necessarily everything in it is true, but knowing Burroughs, the truth shone through more often than not because of the utter believability of the characters, places and events that transpire throughout this darkly magical novel. If you read William Burroughs and haven't read "Junky," don't hesitate to buy this book. It's a trip. And for newcomers to William Burroughs, you should absolutely pick it up and start with it, then read 'Queer,' (the sequel to 'Junky' which I actually read before it) and move on to wade through the deep water of Burroughs' dark and fractured and beautiful imagination. This is hands-down, one of the best novels I have ever read in my life and it proudly deserves a spot easily accessible on my bookshelf! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jails, institutions, and death. THE book to read about narcotics addiction. *by D***N on January 24, 2026* The definitive book to read about the life of a narcotics addict. Jails, institutions, and death. Burroughs, addicted to morphine and heroin, in New York City in the later 1940s, in New Orleans circa 1950, and then (avoiding the law) in Mexico in the early Fifties. Addictive reading, it doesn't get any better than his if you're interested in knowing about the life. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Gift To My Wife *by J***E on January 16, 2012* My wife loved the book and it helped her to have insight into her drug addiction and hopefully this and other such writings will help her understand and face her addiction and find her way out of the nightmare of drug addiction that has almost destroyed her and all who love her. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - πŸ›’ **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** β€” Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** β€” Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - πŸ’° **No Hidden Fees** β€” All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - πŸ”„ **15-Day Free Returns** β€” Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - πŸ”’ **Secure Payments** β€” Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** β€” Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.com.om/products/11859008-junky](https://www.desertcart.com.om/products/11859008-junky) --- *Product available on Desertcart Oman* *Store origin: OM* *Last updated: 2026-09-04*