The Ticket That Exploded
Originally published in 1962 by the Olympia Press in Paris, The Ticket That Exploded by William S. Burroughs is a key part of the innovative Nova Trilogy. The novel delves into the fragmented nature of modern society through its non-linear narrative, exploring themes of control, surveillance, and the power of language. Set in a dystopian world, it presents communication as a tool for manipulation. Burroughs' unique cut-up technique creates a disorienting, mosaic-like story that mirrors the chaos of an information-saturated world. The 1967 Grove Press edition introduced significant changes to the original, further deepening the novel's complex and disorienting narrative.
Hardcover. First American Edition, First Printing. Octavo, cloth. New York: Grove Press, 1967. #10666.
Fine in fine dust jacket.
The Ticket That Exploded, the second novel in William S. Burroughs' groundbreaking Nova Trilogy, continues the author's foray into experimental literature. First published in 1962 by Olympia Press and revised in 1967 for its Grove Press edition, the novel features Burroughs' use of the cut-up technique, disrupting traditional narrative structures.
Set in a similar dystopian world as in The Soft Machine, the novel expands upon themes of control and manipulation. The narrative, a fragmented mosaic of scenes and images, sees characters and events intersecting in unpredictable ways. Burroughs probes the concept of language as a mechanism of control, depicting communication as a means to dominate and reprogram individuals. His non-linear storytelling, jumping between various locations, times, and perspectives, reflects the fragmented nature of contemporary society and the overwhelming experience of living in an information-saturated world.
The 1967 Grove Press revision introduced significant changes, incorporating more cut-up experiments and restructuring the narrative. Like the rest of the Nova Trilogy, The Ticket That Exploded offers a challenging yet rewarding experience to anyone willing to explore the novel's surreal and disorienting vision of modern life.