# Should I finish Naked Lunch? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 11, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370 "2010-11-11T23:35:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370/1 "2010-11-11T23:35:33Z")
I’m a little over half through, although it’s taken me quite a while. I can’t read more than 5 pages in a sitting. I have no clue what the plot is, if there is one. What’s going on other than shocking language and acts that weren’t part of media at the time? To me this is basically Scotty McBugerballs. So, continue reading with a different viewpoint, or just pass and read something else? ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370/2 "2010-11-11T23:57:35Z")
I vote don’t torture yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370/3 "2010-11-12T00:08:29Z")
Certainly if you’ve read the first half and it’s not clicking for you then it’s unlikely to do so in the second, IIRC - it’s been a long time since I read Burroughs. I think it depends on where you are with your reading in general - I read it as a teenager and found it completely mind-expanding with respect to what was possible with the novel. If you’re more of an old hand with reading then it will be less impressive, now that its influence has been subsumed over the decades. If I picked it up now I’m sure it would be less awesome for this reason. I don’t remember it being a difficult read tbh - it has no structure like a conventional novel but the prose is pretty straightforward. I guess that’s wrapped up with enjoying the novel in the first place, though - if you’re not impressed with it in general then it’s always going to be less appealing to keep going with it. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370/4 "2010-11-12T01:50:40Z")
Well, you may wanna put on something before dessert. Oh! Wait! I see what I’ve done. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370/5 "2010-11-12T03:52:07Z")
No. Cut your losses and get the hell out of Dodge. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370/6 "2010-11-12T04:07:42Z")
there is no plot but it is a good read. actually it jumps around. next try Nova Trilogy (Soft Machine, Ticket That Exploded, Nova Express) then you’ll never want to read another word of his. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370/7 "2010-11-12T04:08:34Z")
Watch the movie instead. ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370/8 "2010-11-13T02:26:58Z")
Hahaha! That depends, have you gotten to the part about making sexual lubricants out of the junk left over after rendering whale blubber yet? What about the beautiful story involving a guys colon being ripped out when his hemorrhoids got caught in the axle of the car? Seriously though, if you’ve made it half way through it doesn’t get any “better.” You certainly won’t find a conventional plot. Fried Dough has the right idea, David Cronenberg’s Naked Lunch is a pretty cool flick, especially after reading the book. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370/9 "2010-11-13T02:53:34Z")
I really enjoyed Cronenberg’s movie as a teenager, so I picked up the book and read it at some sort of UN/Peace conference I went to. I quit reading during the chapter consisting entirely of men raping boys and breaking the boy’s neck at the moment of orgasm. Didn’t really need any more. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370/10 "2010-11-13T03:42:36Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > Watch the movie instead. And maybe pair it with [_Drugstore Cowboy,_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drugstore_Cowboy) which Burroughs also (co)-wrote (and has a cameo in), and which has a much more coherent, realistic plot about the lives of junkies. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2010, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370/11 "2010-11-13T07:13:26Z")
Look, it was written by a gay heroin addict way back in the 60s. It HAS to be good! ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2010, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370/12 "2010-11-14T11:01:25Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > there is no plot but it is a good read. actually it jumps around. > > next try Nova Trilogy (Soft Machine, Ticket That Exploded, Nova Express) then you’ll never want to read another word of his. Cities of the Red Night is his best IMO - thought it was really strong and a long way in front of his other stuff. ---
**Author:** ![acetylene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@acetylene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acetylene)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-finish-naked-lunch/560370/13 "2010-11-14T13:06:32Z")
I can think of two things wrong with the title of that movie. I can’t believe I’m the first one to make that joke!