A modern homage to William S. Burrough's classic Junky, the new novel Drugs is the sparse, beautifully unassuming account of one man's life of drug use.
As Robert Crumb, who illustrated the book jacket, says,
"J. R. Helton really speaks to me-starkly honest, darkly funny, acutely observant, and captures the tragic absurdity of human life. . . . [H]e's right up there with the best of them."
This fictionalized memoir is told in masterfully wry, Spartan prose with no apologies for a drug-user's lifestyle, and instead looks back on it with clever insight and an appreciation for everything felt and observed. With self-awareness and conviction, Helton avoids the sensationalist commentary so common to drug memoirs and instead favors the honest details, the effects of each drug on his body and on his soul. The result is a sincerely told tale of adventure, debauchery, and absurdity.
J. R. HELTON's first novel Drugs, a modern homage to William S. Burroughs's classic Junky, introduced the world to his wry writing and unique genre of fictionalized memoir. A professor of writing at the collegiate level, Helton has also published two memoirs and a number of short stories-for one of which he won an Honorable Mention Pushcart Prize-and poems in such literary magazines as the Sun, the Missouri Review, and Mineshaft. He lives, writes, and teaches in Texas.
Show moreA modern homage to William S. Burrough's classic Junky, the new novel Drugs is the sparse, beautifully unassuming account of one man's life of drug use.
As Robert Crumb, who illustrated the book jacket, says,
"J. R. Helton really speaks to me-starkly honest, darkly funny, acutely observant, and captures the tragic absurdity of human life. . . . [H]e's right up there with the best of them."
This fictionalized memoir is told in masterfully wry, Spartan prose with no apologies for a drug-user's lifestyle, and instead looks back on it with clever insight and an appreciation for everything felt and observed. With self-awareness and conviction, Helton avoids the sensationalist commentary so common to drug memoirs and instead favors the honest details, the effects of each drug on his body and on his soul. The result is a sincerely told tale of adventure, debauchery, and absurdity.
J. R. HELTON's first novel Drugs, a modern homage to William S. Burroughs's classic Junky, introduced the world to his wry writing and unique genre of fictionalized memoir. A professor of writing at the collegiate level, Helton has also published two memoirs and a number of short stories-for one of which he won an Honorable Mention Pushcart Prize-and poems in such literary magazines as the Sun, the Missouri Review, and Mineshaft. He lives, writes, and teaches in Texas.
Show moreJ.R. Helton has been writing for thirty years. He has published a number of short stories, as well as the memoirs Below the Line and Man and Beast. A French collection of his work, Au Texas Tu Serais Deja Mort, was published in March 2011 by 13e Note Editions in Paris. He lives in Texas.
"J. R. Helton really speaks to me—starkly honest, darkly funny,
acutely observant, and captures the tragic absurdity of human life
... [H]e’s right up there with the
best of them." —Robert Crumb
"Helton ... writes with passion, clarity, and
fairness." —Harvey Pekar, author of American Splendor
"Just when you think there’s nothing to new to say about drugs,
Drugs marches out whole new ways to fuck up your brain, your life,
and basically anyone insane or unlucky enough to cross your path.
This is a truly riveting, mind-altering read, not to be missed."
—Jerry Stahl, author of Permanent Midnight
"Appearances can be deceiving—JR Helton’s wonderful book is not so
much about 'Drugs' as it is about growing up in America as viewed
through the prism of our national past-time. Funny and poignant,
Helton has delivered a book that would make Mark Twain proud—it’s
hilarious, true and subversive—a perfect piece of modern American
writing." —Tony O'Neill author of Down and Out on Murder Mile and
Sick City
"For three days straight, I did Drugs. The straightforward
matter-of-fact prose—reminiscent of William S. Burroughs’ classic
memoir Junky—latched onto my brain and wouldn’t let go until the
final page." —Broken Pencil
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