It’s a little disconcerting how the Penguin Moderns pairs that I pull out to read often seem to fall quite naturally together. The last two, 23 and 24, were inspiration women authors; however 25 and 26 go off in a very different direction, with a duo of dudes who most definitely want to push the envelope!
Penguin Modern 25 – The Finger by William S. Burroughs
Burroughs is something of a notorious figure (or at least, he was, back when I was reading him in the 1980s!). Connected to the Beat movement by his friendship with Kerouac, Ginsberg et al, his writing is individual, often shocking and frequently labelled obscene because of its treatment of sex and drugs. Yet it’s also often very, very funny; and although things like “Naked Lunch” can be considered difficult to read, he’s also capable of much more straightforward narratives. This Penguin Modern gathers six short pieces, drawn from a collection called “Interzone” and they’re readable, entertaining, often funny and sometimes moving.

Burroughs in 1983 – Chuck Patch [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D
It was three o’clock in the morning. Not a car on the street, not a sound. A pocket of immobile silence… Jack’s face was blank, oblivious, the beautiful mouth a little open. Bill lit a cigarette from the dashboard lighter, muttering a denunciation of car lighters and car clocks. A piece of burning tobacco fell on his thigh, and he brushed away it away petulantly. He looked at Jack’s face and put the cigarettes away. The car had moved into a dream beyond contact with the lives, forces and objects of the city. They were alone, safe, floating in the summer night, moon spinning around the world. The dashboard shone like a fireplace, lighting the two young faces: one weak and beautiful, with a beauty that would show every day that much older; the other thin, intense, reflecting unmistakably the qualities loosely covered by the word ‘intellectual,’ at the same time with the look of a tormented, trapped animal. The speedometer crept up… 50… 60…
I haven’t read Burroughs in decades, though I do still have his books on my shelves. However, having read this, as well as Andrew Lees’ excellent “Mentored by a Madman“, I do find myself drawn back to his work. Perhaps a re-read is in order…
Penguin Modern 26 – The End by Samuel Beckett
In contrast, Beckett (an equally controversial author) is someone I’ve never read; the closest I’ve come is the old Open University version of “Waiting for Godot” featuring Leo McKern and Max Wall which used to turn up in the wee small hours of BBC2 decades ago. I found “Godot” intriguing, so why I’ve never explored Beckett’s writing is unclear… 😀
Anyways, as they say, this Penguin Modern contains two stories by the great man, The End and The Calmative. Both were written in French and published in 1954; in 1967 they were translated into English, The Calmative by Beckett himself and The End by Richard Seaver in association with Beckett. And a strange little pair of fictions they are. Both are narrated by vagabonds; are they alive, are they dead, are the ill, do they really exist? Nothing is clear with Beckett, which is be expected I suppose, if “Godot” is anything to go by. The narrators wander; look for shelter; decay; beg; scrape together food occasionally; and ponder on the apparent reality around them. I’m not sure what to actually make of these stories – I guess I need to read a bit more of Beckett to get a handle on him – but they were unusual, entertaining, often bleakly funny and quite unsettling. Which is no doubt what the author intended… 😀******
So what an unusual and thought-provoking pair of Penguin Moderns this was. I enjoyed re-encountering Burroughs and found myself intrigued by Beckett. The pair of Bs turned out to be bleak, black and often affecting. Yay for the Penguin Moderns for taking me to authors I wouldn’t necessarily seek out myself! 😀
Jul 11, 2019 @ 07:54:46
An interesting pairing
Jul 11, 2019 @ 09:46:32
Quite fortuitous in a way, as both were definitely thinking and writing outside the box!
Jul 11, 2019 @ 08:41:11
It’s many decades since I read any Burroughs and I think I was a bit too young to really understand him. This collection coul be a good way in to him again.
Jul 11, 2019 @ 09:46:09
I’m not sure I entirely got him either, but I *would* like to go back to his work. Sometimes you need those extra years and that extra reading experience under your belt to really understand a book or an author.
Jul 11, 2019 @ 09:57:06
I’ve never read any Burroughs, I think I should bump him up the TBR!
Jul 11, 2019 @ 19:43:43
Worth exploring to my mind – such an individual author, and I do love individuality!
Jul 11, 2019 @ 10:23:27
My approach to these would have been from the opposite direction – I’ve never had much time for Burroughs but have loved the Beckett I’ve read. Your description of the Burroughs stories does make it sound a good introduction, and it’s a nice reminder to read more of Beckett’s work.
Jul 11, 2019 @ 19:43:15
Interesting! I’d certainly like to explore Beckett further. As for Burroughs, these stories are less typical of his more out-there books, but I loved them.
Jul 11, 2019 @ 21:23:19
I have never read either of these writers, of the two Burroughs appeals the most. This little collection sounds like it might be a good place to start with him.
Jul 12, 2019 @ 13:36:09
It would be, although it’s not typical of all of his work – some is very off the wall! But a very individual author!
Jul 12, 2019 @ 02:08:26
The Burrough’s writing you shared is mesmerizing. I’ve not read him. Beckett’s Waiting for Godot was read in our Play Reading class last year and we all loved it. So funny. But haven’t read anything else by him.
Jul 12, 2019 @ 13:35:42
Burroughs is an interesting author. Some of his stuff is not for the faint-hearted but he can be perhaps surprisingly lyrical at times – and very darkly funny. And I *do* want to explore more Beckett now!
Jul 13, 2019 @ 16:34:07
I’ve never read Burroughs, it sounds like this could be a good place to start, I find the idea of short pieces less intimidating!
Jul 13, 2019 @ 17:05:06
Yes, these could definitely be a good introduction to his style or his subject matter. And Junk/Junky/Junkie (title seems to vary depending on edition…) has a more straightforward narrative style than say something like Naked Lunch!
Jul 16, 2019 @ 10:50:41
Gosh, two outside the comfort zone there! This series and project is so interesting!
Jul 16, 2019 @ 11:09:41
Definitely unusual, but interesting! The Beckett lingers and the Burroughs reminds me of the fun I had reading him in my teens and twenties. So I guess I may end up reading more of them both! I *am* enjoying reading my way through this box – such fun! 😀
Jul 19, 2019 @ 22:17:46
The Beckett Trilogy and Watt are my favourites by Beckett. I much prefer his prose over his drama.
Jul 20, 2019 @ 07:35:59
I’m definitely going to look out for his prose and I’ll keep those in mind – these short works were intriguing! 😁
Jun 29, 2020 @ 06:56:38
Jul 13, 2020 @ 07:12:05