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Chapter 15 - The Collaborator

Intertextuality and Authorship

from Part II - Identities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  aN Invalid Date NaN

Oliver Harris
Affiliation:
Keele University
Davis Schneiderman
Affiliation:
Lake Forest College
Alex Wermer-Colan
Affiliation:
Temple University
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Summary

This chapter contains an overview of William Burroughs’ collaborative work over the course of a half-decade career, including literary collaborations (with Kells Elvins, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Brion Gysin, and James Grauerholz) and interactions with filmmakers, musicians, and artists. The discussion is situated within the context of other literary collaborations, considerations of geography (who meets whom and where), mutual affinities that inspire and sustain joint projects, and contemporary theoretical work on authorship (e.g., Barthes, Foucault, Derrida, Deleuze and Guattari). In so doing, the chapter invites a reconsideration of notions of single authorship, and a fresh, expanded perspective on Burroughs’ oeuvre. Ultimately, the chapter reflects on the essential ingredients for successful collaborations, as well as various perils and challenges that accompany any collaborative endeavor.

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