Burroughs, William S.

Electronic Revolution

Cambridge, England: Henri Chopin/ Blackmoor Head Press, 1971. Limited First Edition. Perfect Bound. "I have frequently spoken of word and image as viruses or as acting as viruses, and this is not an allegorical comparison. It will be seen that the falsifications in syllabic Western languages are in point of fact the virus mechanism. If we can infer purpose from behaviour, then the purpose of a virus is TO SURVIVE. To survive at any expense to the host invaded. To be an animal, to be a body. To be an animal body that the virus can invade. To be animals, to be bodies. To be more animal bodies so that the virus can move from one body to another. To stay present as an animal body, to stay absent as antibody or resistance to the body invasion." (pg. 38) A key work of literary-social criticism & commentary by William S. Burroughs (1914-1997), Foremost Founding Father of the Beat Generation-&-Beyond- & the Presiding Icon of our very enterprise. Published in the immediate wake of WSB's cut-up period, this is the very first manifestation of Electronic Revolution, with artwork by Brion Gysin (1916-1986, WSB's closest friend & collaborator) wrapped through front, back covers & spine; & published for & laid-out by Henri Chopin (1922-2008), the noted French avant-garde poet/musician; with English text followed by French translation by Jean Chopin (Henri's late wife). Large-format softcover original, one of 450 numbered copies of a total edition of 500, this is copy No. 51/500 (lowest among numbered copies) published on "30th October 1971" per colophon. Maynard & Miles, A21, pgs. 78-79; Shoaf, Section I, No. 23, pg. 37; Schottlaender, A24, pg. 11 (where our good friend Brian S. sharply notes that the edition actually totals 501 including a special copy "A" as described at colophon). From the collection of our good friend Kevin Ring, publisher of the indispensable Beat Scene magazine & other superb productions (many of which are available here). An essential high-end WSB rarity, of great substantive importance in the Master's oeuvre. In relatively fine condition with mild rubbing, browning & spotting to front, back covers & spine; light wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; one very small closed tear-crease at lower left corner/ edge of front cover- lower right spine edge/ corner; mild rubbing, browning & spotting to edges of text block. Interior very fine with only tiny bumps & small, quite faint creases at/ near mostly lower corners of some page leaves. Fine. [Item #5053]

Price: $350.00