William Burroughs

A first edition, first printing of William Burrough's Junkie: Confessions of an Unredeemed Drug Addict; bound with Narcotic Agent, signed as Burroughs and Lee.

• William Burroughs [as William Lee] (American).
• United States: Ace Books, 1953.
• Signed on the title page, 'William Burroughs/ for William Lee.'
• In publisher's original pictorial card wrappers.

Most copies found are inscribed and addressed to a dedicatee - the nature of the signing is unique. For the first two editions of Junkie, Burroughs employed the pseudonym of William Lee. During the period in which the novel was written, the author corresponded regularly with Allen Ginsberg, and it was Ginsberg, struck by the richness of the letters, who pressed him to write the novel. Ginsberg, acting as Burroughs' agent, was instrumental in the publication of Junkie, persuading A. A. Wyn, owner of Ace Books to accept the book for publication. Receiving the good news, Burroughs wrote to Ginsberg, 'You really are a sweetheart. I could kiss you on both cheeks. We should get used to calling each other sweetheart. I understand it is the standard for of address between agent and author, but this time I mean it.' Published in pulp form and quality, back to back with Maurice Helbrandt's Narcotic Agent, Junkie, like the other Ace Books, was mass produced and designed to be disposable - this example is an unusually well preserved example and the first we have seen signed in this way.