February's Reading group: Junky by William S Burroughs

This month, our look at the avant-garde legend will be based on his more or less conventional autobiographical novel

This month's Reading Group choice is Junky by William S Burroughs. As requested, the titles were chosen out of a beret, and on the whole, I think it's made a good choice. Certainly as an introduction to this unique figure we couldn't have done better.

Junky – as I remember it, anyway – is to Burroughs' later work as Pablo Picasso's early art school paintings are to his cubist masterpieces. It's a good demonstration of conventional skill that shows how well he honed his craft before blowing apart all the rules. Or, at least, as conventional as it can be, considering it's an unflinching confessional narrative about guzzling powerful drugs written in 1957. While I'm detonating my own metaphor, I suppose I could also ask if it's right to compare Burroughs to a genius like Picasso. Is Burroughs going to be remembered as an impressive artist, or just a highly unusual and fascinating man?

That's something that we'll hopefully be able to talk about over the course of the month. It will almost certainly be worth discussing how Junky led onto the later works, so I will dig out my copy of Naked Lunch too. And there's also Junky's position within the wider spectrum of drug narratives. A great deal of interesting material, in other words, and I'd also welcome further ideas and suggestions for potential topics.

But the first thing to do is get reading.

I'm pleased to say that we have 10 copies to give away to the first readers in the UK to post "I want a copy please", alongside a nice comment relevant to the book. And if you're lucky enough to get in your request in quick enough, don't forget to email laura.kemp@theguardian.com. (Ginny is away for a couple of months!) as we can't track you down ourselves. Be nice to her too.

For those who don't get to ther freebies in time we also have a 30% discount in the Guardian bookstore.

FictionAutobiography and memoirBiographyWilliam BurroughsSam Jordison
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