The Yage Letters Redux By William S. Burroughs & Allen Ginsberg

The Yage Letters Redux is a collaborative work between Beat Generation luminaries William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg. Initially published in 1963, this updated edition includes additional material, offering a more comprehensive look at the authors' quest for "yage" (ayahuasca), a powerful hallucinogenic plant used in Amazonian shamanic rituals.

The book documents Burroughs' travels in the 1950s to South America in search of yage, which he believed could unlock telepathic abilities and higher states of consciousness. Written in an epistolary style, the letters exchange insights, revelations, and vivid descriptions of the people, places, and experiences they encountered.

This revised version includes Ginsberg’s reflections on his own experiments with psychedelics and their cultural implications, providing a richer perspective on the transformative and sometimes harrowing experiences associated with yage.

Why Read This Book

• Beat Generation connection: A key text for understanding the intellectual and cultural experiments of Burroughs and Ginsberg.
• Exploration of psychedelics: Offers firsthand accounts of early Western interactions with ayahuasca, long before its current popularity.
• Epistolary format: A rare and intimate glimpse into the minds of two iconic literary figures.
• Cultural anthropology: Provides vivid descriptions of South American landscapes, cultures, and shamanic practices.
• Philosophical depth: Delves into themes of consciousness, spirituality, and the boundaries of the human mind.

About the Authors

William S. Burroughs (1914–1997) was a seminal figure in the Beat Generation and one of the most innovative writers of the 20th century. Known for his experimental narratives and exploration of taboo subjects, Burroughs' works, including Naked Lunch and The Soft Machine, have had a lasting impact on literature, art, and culture. His fascination with altered states of consciousness and the occult deeply influenced his writing.

Allen Ginsberg (1926–1997) was a poet, activist, and one of the founding members of the Beat Generation. Best known for his poem Howl, Ginsberg’s work often challenged societal norms and explored themes of sexuality, spirituality, and political dissent. He was also deeply interested in mysticism and the transformative potential of psychedelic substances.