The Yage Letters

work by Burroughs

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July 15, 2026

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The Yage Letters is a work by William S. Burroughs, published in 1963. It is a collection of correspondence between Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, written in 1953. The letters detail Burroughs's experiences in the Amazon region of South America, where he was experimenting with drugs.1

"Yage" refers to ayahuasca, a potent hallucinogenic brew used in South American shamanic traditions. Burroughs's writings often explore themes of drug addiction, sexuality, and a nightmarish, often humorous, worldview. His work is associated with the Beat movement, and he is known for his experimental prose.21

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William S. Burroughs
…of his life detailed in The Yage Letters, his correspondence with Ginsberg written in 1953 but not published until 1963, and the novel Queer (1985; film 2024). Between travels he lived in London, Paris, Tangier, and New York City but in 1981 settled in Lawrence, Kansas.
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…of his life detailed in The Yage Letters, his correspondence with Ginsberg written in 1953 but not published until 1963, and the novel Queer (1985; film 2024). Between travels he lived in London, Paris, Tangier, and New York City but in 1981 settled in Lawrence, Kansas.
Read More