William S. Burroughs: “The Revised Boy Scout Manual”. An Electronic Revolution
Before the era of fake news and anti-fascists, William S. Burroughs wrote about preparing for revolution and confronting institutionalized power.
In this work, Burroughs’ parody becomes a set of rationales and instructions for destabilizing the state and overthrowing an oppressive and corrupt government. As with much of Burroughs’ work, it is hard to say if it is serious or purely satire. The work is funny, horrifying, and eerily prescient, especially concerning the use of language and social media to undermine institutions.
The Revised Boy Scout Manual was a work Burroughs revisited many times, but which has never before been published in its complete form.
Based primarily on recordings of a performance of the complete piece found in the archives at the OSU libraries, as well as various incomplete versions of the typescript found at Arizona State University and the New York Public Library archives, this lost masterpiece of satiric subversion is finally available in its entirety.
“He’s up there with the pope . . . you can’t revere him enough . . . he’s the greatest mind of our times.” — Patti Smith
“Well, he’s a writer.” —Samuel Beckett
“The Revised Boy Scout Manual offers easy-to-read proof that the uncensored human imagination allowed to freely extrapolate about future social change can offer outrageous scenarios and fresh language capable of inspiring readers decades into the future.” —V. Vale, founder and publisher of RE/Search
The Revised Boy Scout Manual
An Electronic Revolution
by William S. Burroughs
Edited by John M. Bennett, Geoffrey D. Smith
Publisher Ohio State University Press
Language: English
Format Paperback
Nb of pages: 144
ISBN-10 0814254896
ISBN-13 9780814254899
Publication 01 September 2018
$12.65
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William S. Burroughs
The Revised Boy Scout Manual
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