LETTER FROM WILLIAM BURROUGHS
TO A. A. WYN [1959]
Wyn Publishing Co.
23 West 47 Street
NYC
Reading over a published copy of JUNKIE, I found that a number of alterations and omissions had been made. I am listing alterations that I feel to be unwarranted, to blur or completely obscure the original meaning. I strongly urge that these alterations be omitted in the event of a reprinting as they detract from my book.
I spent a year working on this manuscript. I checked over every word many times. Good or bad the manuscript I submitted was written exactly the way I intended. I have not found one instance of a change that I consider necessary, though I am in agreement with some of the omissions. This list is not complete, but covers only the more flagrant mutilations:
Preface. Page 8, Line 8: “Put me down as an out and out con.” This does not mean anything. The original phrasing was: They “put down an out and out con.” Meaning, they attempted to con (deceive) me. There is no such word as “con” used as a noun applied to a person. A con man is never referred to as “a con.” Because the editor is not familiar with an expression he is not justified in assuming it to be meaningless, and altering it in accordance with ill-informed caprice.
Page 21, Line 1: “His complexion faded . . .” Original was “was fading.” I meant his complexion had been brown and now was fading to yellow.
Page 85, Line 22: “He put me down a routine.” This is never said. The original was “He put down a routine.” I wrote it like that because that is the way it would be said.
Page 93, Line 5: “We’ll get to see him any time.” Original was “We are subject to see him at any time.” “Subject to” means liable to. It is an expression much used in New Orleans. We are liable to is not synonymous with we will get to.
Page 120, last line: “And five more that would get it filled.” Original was “and five more would get it filled.” I meant five more pesos. Not doctors. Doctors do not fill scripts in Mexico.
This list is incomplete. I am merely enumerating the most pointless changes. As regards omissions, I consider the omission of page 150 in the original M.S. in which I describe my first meeting with Old Ike, to be a definite loss. This is not only my opinion, but is shared by everyone I know who read the original M.S. and the published version.