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Port of Saints
PORT OF SAINTS is the mind-boggling story of a man whose alternate selves take him on a fantastic journey through space, time, and sexuality. The last work written by Burroughs before his return to the United States in 1973, PORT OF SAINTS is partly experimental autobiography, partly profound exploration of the concept of personality, partly nightmare voyage through revolting alien sexual fantasy to the depths of the psyche: in short, an ultimate foray into that rich, savage landscape first depicted in Naked Lunch and The Wild Boys.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
About the author
William S. Burroughs
390 books7,405 followersWilliam Seward Burroughs II, (also known by his pen name William Lee) was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, painter, and spoken word performer.
A primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodernist author, he is considered to be "one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the 20th century".
His influence is considered to have affected a range of popular culture as well as literature. Burroughs wrote 18 novels and novellas, six collections of short stories and four collections of essays.
Five books have been published of his interviews and correspondences. He also collaborated on projects and recordings with numerous performers and musicians, and made many appearances in films.
He was born to a wealthy family in St. Louis, Missouri, grandson of the inventor and founder of the Burroughs Corporation, William Seward Burroughs I, and nephew of public relations manager Ivy Lee. Burroughs began writing essays and journals in early adolescence. He left home in 1932 to attend Harvard University, studied English, and anthropology as a postgraduate, and later attended medical school in Vienna. After being turned down by the Office of Strategic Services and U.S. Navy in 1942 to serve in World War II, he dropped out and became afflicted with the drug addiction that affected him for the rest of his life, while working a variety of jobs. In 1943 while living in New York City, he befriended Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, the mutually influential foundation of what became the countercultural movement of the Beat Generation.
Much of Burroughs's work is semi-autobiographical, primarily drawn from his experiences as a heroin addict, as he lived throughout Mexico City, London, Paris, Berlin, the South American Amazon and Tangier in Morocco. Finding success with his confessional first novel, Junkie (1953), Burroughs is perhaps best known for his third novel Naked Lunch (1959), a controversy-fraught work that underwent a court case under the U.S. sodomy laws. With Brion Gysin, he also popularized the literary cut-up technique in works such as The Nova Trilogy (1961–64). In 1983, Burroughs was elected to the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, and in 1984 was awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by France. Jack Kerouac called Burroughs the "greatest satirical writer since Jonathan Swift", a reputation he owes to his "lifelong subversion" of the moral, political and economic systems of modern American society, articulated in often darkly humorous sardonicism. J. G. Ballard considered Burroughs to be "the most important writer to emerge since the Second World War", while Norman Mailer declared him "the only American writer who may be conceivably possessed by genius".
Burroughs had one child, William Seward Burroughs III (1947-1981), with his second wife Joan Vollmer. Vollmer died in 1951 in Mexico City. Burroughs was convicted of manslaughter in Vollmer's death, an event that deeply permeated all of his writings. Burroughs died at his home in Lawrence, Kansas, after suffering a heart attack in 1997.
A primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodernist author, he is considered to be "one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the 20th century".
His influence is considered to have affected a range of popular culture as well as literature. Burroughs wrote 18 novels and novellas, six collections of short stories and four collections of essays.
Five books have been published of his interviews and correspondences. He also collaborated on projects and recordings with numerous performers and musicians, and made many appearances in films.
He was born to a wealthy family in St. Louis, Missouri, grandson of the inventor and founder of the Burroughs Corporation, William Seward Burroughs I, and nephew of public relations manager Ivy Lee. Burroughs began writing essays and journals in early adolescence. He left home in 1932 to attend Harvard University, studied English, and anthropology as a postgraduate, and later attended medical school in Vienna. After being turned down by the Office of Strategic Services and U.S. Navy in 1942 to serve in World War II, he dropped out and became afflicted with the drug addiction that affected him for the rest of his life, while working a variety of jobs. In 1943 while living in New York City, he befriended Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, the mutually influential foundation of what became the countercultural movement of the Beat Generation.
Much of Burroughs's work is semi-autobiographical, primarily drawn from his experiences as a heroin addict, as he lived throughout Mexico City, London, Paris, Berlin, the South American Amazon and Tangier in Morocco. Finding success with his confessional first novel, Junkie (1953), Burroughs is perhaps best known for his third novel Naked Lunch (1959), a controversy-fraught work that underwent a court case under the U.S. sodomy laws. With Brion Gysin, he also popularized the literary cut-up technique in works such as The Nova Trilogy (1961–64). In 1983, Burroughs was elected to the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, and in 1984 was awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by France. Jack Kerouac called Burroughs the "greatest satirical writer since Jonathan Swift", a reputation he owes to his "lifelong subversion" of the moral, political and economic systems of modern American society, articulated in often darkly humorous sardonicism. J. G. Ballard considered Burroughs to be "the most important writer to emerge since the Second World War", while Norman Mailer declared him "the only American writer who may be conceivably possessed by genius".
Burroughs had one child, William Seward Burroughs III (1947-1981), with his second wife Joan Vollmer. Vollmer died in 1951 in Mexico City. Burroughs was convicted of manslaughter in Vollmer's death, an event that deeply permeated all of his writings. Burroughs died at his home in Lawrence, Kansas, after suffering a heart attack in 1997.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 14, 2012
This book was a real surprise. You know, this is actually a very interesting book, for the most part.
While there are a few parts where Burroughs completely loses me, the imagery in Port of Saints is beautiful and, of course, shockingly graphic at the same time, but there is also enough of a story here which you can sink your teeth into. As a previous reviewer of Port of Saints has already pointed out, this is THE book to read, not the overblown and somewhat disappointing Wild Boys. This is SO MUCH BETTER than Wild Boys, in my humble opinion.
If you ever wanted to know who the Wild Boys are/were and how they 'evolved' over the course of time this is the book to read, without a doubt. Either this book is not as shocking in terms of its homoerotic descriptions or I am just getting desensitized to Burroughs' work. Probably the latter.
Anyway, what I especially liked about this book is how it is NOT (deliberately or accidentally) obfuscatory like some other works in the Burroughs' canon and it is in fact quite revealing! I did not know that Audrey was Kim Carson's son (or is it the other way around?) until I read this. This puts the whole final trilogy into a completely different perspective for me. Also, we find out more about Audrey's background especially his childhood and how parents such as fathers can be oppressive figures in some people's lives, turning them into the complete opposite of what their parents intended. And that is pretty true even today - lots of people either become close replicas of their parents or the exact opposite. I cannot put my figure on it exactly, but there is something incredibly sad that comes through just under the surface in Burroughs' work and I don't think it is just Burroughs having to deal with his shooting of Joan. It's something deeper...haunting. And there is a veritable trace of nostalgia in this book too or was I deceived by that use of the first-person throughout? I have a feeling that some of the stories in this book cut really close to the bone and may reflect real events in Burroughs' life but I will have to read Literary Outlaw to find out for sure.
I would like to reiterate the fact that Wild Boys should not be revered as much as it has been heretofore but instead Port of Saints is a half-overlooked classic from WSB that is well worth reading through at least once. It is another relatively short book so what have you got to lose? Like other writers have pointed out also, words like 'rectal mucus' have been seared into my mind forever, for good or for worse...
While there are a few parts where Burroughs completely loses me, the imagery in Port of Saints is beautiful and, of course, shockingly graphic at the same time, but there is also enough of a story here which you can sink your teeth into. As a previous reviewer of Port of Saints has already pointed out, this is THE book to read, not the overblown and somewhat disappointing Wild Boys. This is SO MUCH BETTER than Wild Boys, in my humble opinion.
If you ever wanted to know who the Wild Boys are/were and how they 'evolved' over the course of time this is the book to read, without a doubt. Either this book is not as shocking in terms of its homoerotic descriptions or I am just getting desensitized to Burroughs' work. Probably the latter.
Anyway, what I especially liked about this book is how it is NOT (deliberately or accidentally) obfuscatory like some other works in the Burroughs' canon and it is in fact quite revealing! I did not know that Audrey was Kim Carson's son (or is it the other way around?) until I read this. This puts the whole final trilogy into a completely different perspective for me. Also, we find out more about Audrey's background especially his childhood and how parents such as fathers can be oppressive figures in some people's lives, turning them into the complete opposite of what their parents intended. And that is pretty true even today - lots of people either become close replicas of their parents or the exact opposite. I cannot put my figure on it exactly, but there is something incredibly sad that comes through just under the surface in Burroughs' work and I don't think it is just Burroughs having to deal with his shooting of Joan. It's something deeper...haunting. And there is a veritable trace of nostalgia in this book too or was I deceived by that use of the first-person throughout? I have a feeling that some of the stories in this book cut really close to the bone and may reflect real events in Burroughs' life but I will have to read Literary Outlaw to find out for sure.
I would like to reiterate the fact that Wild Boys should not be revered as much as it has been heretofore but instead Port of Saints is a half-overlooked classic from WSB that is well worth reading through at least once. It is another relatively short book so what have you got to lose? Like other writers have pointed out also, words like 'rectal mucus' have been seared into my mind forever, for good or for worse...
January 7, 2016
Well, four stars because of its uniqueness. This is Unlike most things I have ever read. It made my brain reel and at times I could be present in the otherworldly, in-between place of... multiple realities? If you want an even stranger experience while reading this book I recommend you read this on a 3 1/2 hour flight where you are trapped with two young adults basically having sex (trust me you don't want details) in the seats next to you pretending no one can see them. W.T.F.
March 12, 2024
The further I get into Burroughs biblio, the harder it gets to differentiate his ideas between novels. And initially I or anyone might chalk that up to him using the same tactics/themes/etc. for each novel, but to me I'm beginning to think that his novels aren't separate novels, but are instead a continuous work that simply "ends" at specific points because those are good stopping spots. That's the reason his characters reoccur so often, why certain phrases come up again and again, why character from Naked Lunch and from Wild Boys both arise here in Port of Saints. It's as if he is intersecting new ideas through the continuous story he's been telling since Naked Lunch (or even Junky if you wanted to argue that, which I'd probably agree with). Either way, this one seems mostly a continuation of The Wild Boys with some hints of Naked Lunch and the Nova Trilogy, but there's an aura of Burroughs himself that pervades the story more than usual, perhaps calling back to Junky? I'm not sure, but I feel as if his final "trilogy" will tie things together. This one was great.
May 6, 2023
"Port of Saints," penned by the inimitable William S. Burroughs, is a tour de force of his signature style – it is surreal, avant-garde, and brimming with Burroughs' distinctive blend of dark humor and social critique. It's a bold piece of experimental fiction that continues to challenge and mesmerize readers, and I find myself compelled to give it a full 5-star rating.
Burroughs, one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation, wields his unique narrative style like a weapon, blurring the lines between dreams and reality, and past and present, to create a tale that is at once disturbing and engrossing. From its audacious plot involving time travel, sexual intrigue, and the apocalypse to its kaleidoscopic array of characters, "Port of Saints" takes readers on a wild, psychedelic journey that pushes the boundaries of conventional storytelling.
In true Burroughs fashion, "Port of Saints" is a novel that explores the complexities of human desire and the dark recesses of the mind, whilst also presenting a biting critique of societal norms and structures. Its episodic structure and Burroughs’ stream-of-consciousness prose can be challenging, but they ultimately serve to reinforce the book's themes of chaos and transformation.
The novel's protagonist, the enigmatic Blue, is a compelling character, and his interactions with the various characters he encounters throughout his journey add depth and color to the narrative. Each character is uniquely flawed, making them simultaneously intriguing and grotesque. This is a testament to Burroughs’ ability to create vivid, complex characters that linger in your mind long after you've turned the last page.
However, a word of caution is in order. "Port of Saints" is not for the faint-hearted. It contains explicit content and explores some potentially triggering themes. Additionally, its non-linear structure and dense prose may pose a challenge for some readers.
In conclusion, "Port of Saints" is an exhilarating and disorienting reading experience, a brilliant testament to Burroughs' literary genius. It is a whirlwind of imagination that leaves you breathless, continually demanding your engagement and interpretation. This novel earns its 5 stars through its audacity, its richness, and its relentless ability to surprise and shock. It's a must-read for any fan of Burroughs or those seeking an adventure outside the realm of traditional narrative norms.
Burroughs, one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation, wields his unique narrative style like a weapon, blurring the lines between dreams and reality, and past and present, to create a tale that is at once disturbing and engrossing. From its audacious plot involving time travel, sexual intrigue, and the apocalypse to its kaleidoscopic array of characters, "Port of Saints" takes readers on a wild, psychedelic journey that pushes the boundaries of conventional storytelling.
In true Burroughs fashion, "Port of Saints" is a novel that explores the complexities of human desire and the dark recesses of the mind, whilst also presenting a biting critique of societal norms and structures. Its episodic structure and Burroughs’ stream-of-consciousness prose can be challenging, but they ultimately serve to reinforce the book's themes of chaos and transformation.
The novel's protagonist, the enigmatic Blue, is a compelling character, and his interactions with the various characters he encounters throughout his journey add depth and color to the narrative. Each character is uniquely flawed, making them simultaneously intriguing and grotesque. This is a testament to Burroughs’ ability to create vivid, complex characters that linger in your mind long after you've turned the last page.
However, a word of caution is in order. "Port of Saints" is not for the faint-hearted. It contains explicit content and explores some potentially triggering themes. Additionally, its non-linear structure and dense prose may pose a challenge for some readers.
In conclusion, "Port of Saints" is an exhilarating and disorienting reading experience, a brilliant testament to Burroughs' literary genius. It is a whirlwind of imagination that leaves you breathless, continually demanding your engagement and interpretation. This novel earns its 5 stars through its audacity, its richness, and its relentless ability to surprise and shock. It's a must-read for any fan of Burroughs or those seeking an adventure outside the realm of traditional narrative norms.
December 18, 2014
Più che seguito di Ragazzi selvaggi, questo romanzo ne sarebbe una continuazione, un allungamento, o un corollario, forse costituito di passi poi non inclusi nel primo romanzo e qui proposti, ma senza alcun preciso disegno narrativo e nessuna organicità.
Del primo romanzo si ritrovano le stesse atmosfere e suggestioni, la sensazione di esser a un nuovo appuntamento con la Storia, l'imminente eversione dei ragazzi selvaggi, il crollo della civiltà occidentale e l'ambivalente apertura a un nuovo tipo di futuro; manca, tuttavia, quel preciso disegno che vi aveva dato un senso, relegando dunque Porto dei santi al solito lavoro burroughsiano, collage di pezzi sparsi senza alcun senso.
Com'è tipico di Burroughs, biografia e finzione si mescolano, si può tentare di rintracciare diversi filoni che si sovrappongono, ma su tutto domina la confusione. E', insomma, l'ennesima ripetizione dei motivi burroughsiani, che ormai hanno perso mordente.
Si salvano isolate visioni particolarmente lucide; personalmente, mi è rimasta impressa la trattazione dei primi capitoli, in cui Burroughs immagina un futuro in cui scoppia il conflitto sociale tra i parries (i "paranormali") e i norm (i "normali"): dietro la confezione fantascientifica, l'eterna polemica tra la mediocrità e il genio, tra il normale e l'anormale.
Del primo romanzo si ritrovano le stesse atmosfere e suggestioni, la sensazione di esser a un nuovo appuntamento con la Storia, l'imminente eversione dei ragazzi selvaggi, il crollo della civiltà occidentale e l'ambivalente apertura a un nuovo tipo di futuro; manca, tuttavia, quel preciso disegno che vi aveva dato un senso, relegando dunque Porto dei santi al solito lavoro burroughsiano, collage di pezzi sparsi senza alcun senso.
Com'è tipico di Burroughs, biografia e finzione si mescolano, si può tentare di rintracciare diversi filoni che si sovrappongono, ma su tutto domina la confusione. E', insomma, l'ennesima ripetizione dei motivi burroughsiani, che ormai hanno perso mordente.
Si salvano isolate visioni particolarmente lucide; personalmente, mi è rimasta impressa la trattazione dei primi capitoli, in cui Burroughs immagina un futuro in cui scoppia il conflitto sociale tra i parries (i "paranormali") e i norm (i "normali"): dietro la confezione fantascientifica, l'eterna polemica tra la mediocrità e il genio, tra il normale e l'anormale.
April 5, 2013
It took four or five experimental cut-up books before Burroughs wrote one that is worth reading. A shame that it is the lesser known of the Paris/London experimental period. Port of Saints is an example of a work of fiction, using a strange technique (paper/scissors/repeated phrases) but somehow it works. Just.
January 15, 2026
necesito un descanso de leer sobre erecciones y twinks mutantes
September 1, 2024
It may be his most accessible book since Queer and Junky, but it’s not nearly as interesting.
January 31, 2012
Like my reveiw of Bladerunner : A Movie my rating of this novel is due to certain subject matter. Everything else about this book was great but it was to much graphic gay sex for me, time traveling graphic gay underage boy sex. Burroughs was brilliant, but some of his books just don't work for me because its just to much.
Now it jumps around between many characters from previous works and future works of his while a group of wild boys tries to change the future by going back in time. It was a fast read but at times i had to go back toe previous pages because i was suddenly somewhere i didn't remember getting to which i love about Burroughs books because with some authors im confused win that happens he leaves me intrigued.
Post Cut-up period works sometimes feel like the same book redone sometimes but everything he has done is worth a read. I recommend this to anyone that doesn't mind gay boy sex, if you don't want to read about it stay away.
Now it jumps around between many characters from previous works and future works of his while a group of wild boys tries to change the future by going back in time. It was a fast read but at times i had to go back toe previous pages because i was suddenly somewhere i didn't remember getting to which i love about Burroughs books because with some authors im confused win that happens he leaves me intrigued.
Post Cut-up period works sometimes feel like the same book redone sometimes but everything he has done is worth a read. I recommend this to anyone that doesn't mind gay boy sex, if you don't want to read about it stay away.
January 1, 2009
why the hell was this book so difficult to get a hold of? why do people put wild boys on a pedestal and consider this supplemental? honestly, it should be the other way around. the story moves along very quickly, and there's a whole lotta action in these pages. this is a very very fun read.
July 21, 2021
I had to stop after about fifty pages because the book was literally making me feel sick.
It just went on and on with murder, rape, hate and mockery, spicing it up with time travel, alternate realities, aliens and boring science fiction explanations of the various ustensils used for the supernatural stuff. Just horrible, i am sorry... there is not enough literary novelty in this book to redeem it from its pure meanness and inhumanity.
It just went on and on with murder, rape, hate and mockery, spicing it up with time travel, alternate realities, aliens and boring science fiction explanations of the various ustensils used for the supernatural stuff. Just horrible, i am sorry... there is not enough literary novelty in this book to redeem it from its pure meanness and inhumanity.
February 14, 2018
Costruito per apparenti inconciliabili contrasti narrati, assemblato fra visionarie allucinazione e ferrea volontà di esorcizzare il negativo (violenza, potere, morte, significato) attaverso l'omoerotismo assoluto, perturbante libro che si fa leggere, certo non scorrevolmente, per la sua opacità prosaica.
October 28, 2019
Another odd, yet great entry in Burroughs' bibliography; I don't understand why a novel this good is out of print. Interweaving routines similar to the Wild Boys material with what seems to be an attempt at autobiographical material, this book seems to tell the story of a sinister time traveling, identity shifting cabal of secret agents. Recommended.
August 17, 2017
You have to dig for them sometimes, but there are some absolute diamonds in here.
February 26, 2023
The Wild Boys, Part II, really.
September 29, 2024
I might have been too stoned to read this but i had fun with it
July 19, 2015
a companion piece to The Wild Boys, written between the cut-up trilogy and the dead roads trilogy, and sadly obscure - perhaps due to its small publisher - this is one of my favorite Burroughs books. perhaps his most lyrical book, and the one with the most heart if you don't count his cat book, what could be construed as pedophilia gives way to a man's mourning his youthful days. the book is short enough that it can be read in a day, thus better absorbing its labrynthine structure and the loose connections of some of its characters. it reminded me of a ray bradbury book in its celebration of boyhood, though way more complicated and with innumerable sex scenes added.
for me the sex scenes are the problem. it seems that every scene must end with an improbable sex act. this gets boring. and often grotesque. it wears you down. but that's burroughs for you, i guess. and perhaps the best part of this novel is the picture it leaves you with after you've finished reading it. much like the movie The Tribe, which can be tedious and difficult to watch, but is so compelling to remember afterwards.
for me the sex scenes are the problem. it seems that every scene must end with an improbable sex act. this gets boring. and often grotesque. it wears you down. but that's burroughs for you, i guess. and perhaps the best part of this novel is the picture it leaves you with after you've finished reading it. much like the movie The Tribe, which can be tedious and difficult to watch, but is so compelling to remember afterwards.
August 23, 2013
Port of Saints is one of Burroughs' shorter, slightly less experimental stories - it's easier on the brain than his other work, but it's still not exactly light reading. Interestingly enough, Port of Saints is pivotal in that it's the meeting point between many of his earlier characters and a whole host of new characters who were to reappear in later books.
Like many other Burroughs novels, the narrative is episodic, presented in the form of multiple plot-lines which coexist and shuffle together, so that half of the time you're not even sure which story-line you're dealing with. Not that that matters - Burroughs work is avant-garde and experimental, and the isolated chapters allow you a quick glimpse in to the hellish dystopia that plagued the writer's junkie imagination.
While it's short and sweet, Port of Saints probably isn't the best starting point for someone that's new to Burroughs - start with Naked Lunch instead, perhaps.
Like many other Burroughs novels, the narrative is episodic, presented in the form of multiple plot-lines which coexist and shuffle together, so that half of the time you're not even sure which story-line you're dealing with. Not that that matters - Burroughs work is avant-garde and experimental, and the isolated chapters allow you a quick glimpse in to the hellish dystopia that plagued the writer's junkie imagination.
While it's short and sweet, Port of Saints probably isn't the best starting point for someone that's new to Burroughs - start with Naked Lunch instead, perhaps.
January 26, 2014
probabilmente il burroughs più pornografico e disturbante. ma il problema non è questo (chi legge buroughs sa già cosa aspettarsi), il problema è che salvo la trovata dei "ragazzi selvaggi" (che però dovrebbe venire dal romanzo omonimo, che non ho ancora letto) e il solito linguaggio pirotecnico c'è poco da dire: vorresti che uno straccio di trama apparisse prima o poi, che le storie che si intrecciano avessero una logica, bestemmi contro le ripetizioni (e -dannazione!- di nuovo spunta lo yage e di nuovo spunta dutch schultz) e i momenti troncati senza un perchè. uff, ogni volta uno vorrebbe che burroughs avesse avuto un editor a costringerlo a tagliare e cucire i suoi scritti e a trasformare questi frammenti in un'opera definitiva: ma forse questa frustrazione nel cercare di leggere il quadro generale da queste singole parti è ciò che mi spinge a leggere burroughs...
March 6, 2008
Another day, another series of reviews of William S. Burroughs bks. Bet you didn't know that there're so many! (Ok, you old timers know, but you young'uns didn't) I'm sure I read this just b/c I'd been reading about it for so long that by the time I finally scored a copy I was probably eager for another Burroughs fix. HOWEVER, I think this fell into the category of "read-so-many-Burroughs-bks-that-they're-like reruns-to-me-now" so this one gets a 3 even though, as usual, it's probably brimming over w/ gen-i-us or toys-r-us or something.
Currently Reading
May 21, 2008One of the least known of WS Burroughs later books. Same themes, but as with any of his books, the voice that reads it inside your head is pure magic.
August 9, 2010
like a mix of nova trilogy and wild boys, so pretty good, but starting to repeat himself here
August 6, 2011
A used to be rare novel, mine is oop hardback version.
May 31, 2012
had high hopes for this due to reviews and i love burroughs but there was nothing here to get into.
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