Burroughs's first novel, a largely autobiographical tale of the constant cycle of drug addiction, withdrawals, and relapses, remains the most uncompromising and unsentimental account of addiction ever written. Winding through the notorious neighborhoods of New York City, New Orleans, and Mexico City, the reader experiences the world of withdrawal, dealing, and picking pockets. With a background in anthropology from Harvard, Burroughs offers a meticulous account of the postwar American drug underworld in "Junky." This cult classic has influenced generations of writers with its raw, stark, and unapologetic tone. This definitive edition meticulously restores the author's original text word for word.