Comments on: Dead Fingers Talk

By: Ross M Miller

Ross M Miller — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:43:11 +0000

I too forever struggled, but there is something that I did not see you address. It has been imbedded into my life as I race toward death. The phrase is: ” Everyday I die a little, it helps pass the the time.”

That simple sentence will not leave me as I now race to death.

By: Alan Codd

Alan Codd — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 19:56:51 +0000

I am one of those people who has never been able to finish a Burroughs ‘novel’, I have read Nova Express cover to cover, and Place of Dead Roads, cover to cover, but I have spent more time than with any other text enjoying Dead Fingers Talk. It has always been my impression that it is a book in its own right, and somehow I find it supremely coherent, and the ‘poetic’ passages towards the end seem to being the whole things to a terrific balanced conclusion. I have had my difficulties in making coherent sense of others of Burroughs’ ‘novels’. But this one has always seemed to me to be a Work of Art. I have always felt about it that way. I did try to make a comparison once between the arrangement of the material and how it appears in other editions of the books, but not closely enough to form any firm convictions. But from somewhere I got the impression or feeling that there was new material in it. Obviously all these comments and observations aren’t telling you much. The point of my contributing to this discussion is to tell you that I think this ‘Advertisement’ for Burroughs’ work may exceed in organization, balance, and effect, many of the texts from which the material is drawn. I have always liked it. I prize my 1963 John Calder hardcover edition of Dead Fingers Talk as what I call a real Burroughs book. A narrative that moves through his world and comes to an end in a convincing fashion. I am just putting a spoke in for its recommendation. If there should be any question about it. Some of the writing at the end is my favourite of all Burroughs’ stuff. ’remember i was the movies’ ‘remember i was the ship gives no flesh identity’. Incredible to see, and hear, and listen to. (fitting that the Cover Art of this first edition should be so Top Notch.) Thank you for your information that ‘dead fingers talk’ is from Naked Lunch which I was looking to locate. You have given me the precise phrase that is its title.

By: Jim Pennington

Jim Pennington — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 18:24:13 +0000

new printing coming out later this year…. Rob R… do you know the name of the restaurant where your dad saw Burroughs?

By: William New

William New — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 22:35:47 +0000

I went to a Burroughs signing in 1980 with a library copy of DFT. He was not impressed! Bill did, however sign it! (No date) the next x mas I went to meet a friend with the book wrapped up as a Christmas present. When we met on the street he punched me in the eye over a girl, I dropped the book and ran neither of us picked it up. It breaks my heart to think that there were only 4000 copies of it!

By: Ramsey Campbell

Ramsey Campbell — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:22:06 +0000

Has anybody ever identified the “extra material” in DEAD FINGERS TALK? At the time I compared it with the three Olympia Press books I had by Burroughs and could find not a single sentence that didn’t come from them. I have to wonder if the claim was just more of John Calder’s sharp practice.

By: Terry Kattleman

Terry Kattleman — Sat, 12 May 2012 14:00:26 +0000

Re book as text, not as object, DFT is, incredibly, available for the Kindle, and it’s under $8 to boot.
http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Fingers-Talk-ebook/dp/B0080Y32OO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1336831013&sr=1-1

By: mels

mels — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:00:07 +0000

I have a copy of Dead Fingers Talk it is a 1963 first edition hardback with the dust jacket intact .
It is an ex library book and shows that it has been taken out almost constantly since 1972 (earlier tickets not in book) until nov 93 when it was sold off – the ticket is at the rear of the book.
Despite this it is in amazing condition – all readers must have been very reverent with the book! I think it gives a feel of the importance of the text that it was constantly read.

However , I am looking to sell it and I wondered what it’s value might be?

By: Rob R

Rob R — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 11:10:54 +0000

I have DFT 1963 hardback with a damaged dust jacket, signed, and dedicated to my dad, around 1965, also a paperback Junkie also sidned and dedicated, probably at the same time in London at a restraunt Burroughs frequented in chelsea.

By: John

John — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 02:07:05 +0000

I have DFT paperback Tandem Edition 1966 with a great cover – picture of junky shooting up, needle in arm, blood flowing. “The sensational novel of the nightmare world of the junky by the author of The Naked Lunch.” 224 pages.

By: James

James — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:34:19 +0000

Is there any difference between to two, thanks