Savoy's Copy of the Cities of the Red Night Typescript

New York City: William S. Burroughs (typescript copy), 1978

The typescript copy of William S. Burroughs' Cities of the Red Night given to Michael Butterworth and David Britton of Savoy Books by William S. Burroughs at The Bunker, Burroughs' NYC former-YMCA apartment.  Savoy Books had been given approval to publish a paperback copy of Cities, but was hit by a police raid shortly after returning to England on Obscenity concerns. After additional raids, Savoy went bankrupt and had to offer this typescript to Calder Books, which ended up publishing the first UK edition.  See "external links" for an interview with Butterworth and Britton.

This stack of sheets is missing two of its pages (likely lost by Calder) and is marked up with the publishing house's editorial marginalia. 

This copy was acquired from the collection of Darin Scope (UK), who acquired it directly from Michael Butterworth. It is assumed that he received it back from Calder after affording it to them for the editing & publishing of the book.

External Links: 

• RealityStudio: David Britton and Michael Butterworth on William S. Burroughs
• Wikipedia: Michael Butterworth
• Wikipedia: David Britton
• The Quietus: Lord Horror: A History of Savoy Publishing