++William Seward Burroughs II (February 5, 1914 – August 2, 1997) was an American novelist, essayist, social critic, painter and spoken word performer. Much of Burroughs' work is semi-autobiographical drawn from his experiences as one of the opiate inclined, a condition which marked the last forty years of his life. He is a primary member of the Beat Generation, and regarded as an avant-garde author who affected popular culture as well as literature. In 1984, he was elected to the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.++ |