Title: And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tanks
Author(s): William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac
What I think so far: A novel that neither author wanted published, a story that took sixty years to surface, a plot that is a fictionalised version of a real-life murder; And The Hippos…immediately fills potential readers with intrigue and excitement at the prospect of exploring both a mystery and an insight into the lives of the Beat Generation authors. A first-hand account it should be enthralling, the definition of a page turner, but… it just isn’t. Written with no literary technique, And The Hippos… becomes a collection of short sentences that completely lacks the description and detail needed to captivate the reader, bringing them into this (not-so) imaginary world that is created. That being said, Burroughs does come out with some incredibly poignant and beautiful lines, for example, “She lay there unable to die, resisting death as she had resisted life, frozen with resentment of process and change.” This momentary genius not only makes the read more compelling but also foreshadows the future talents that these two notorious writers will eventually become.
Arguably, the simplistic narrative could also be used to replicate real life, with the Beat Generation later famed for their semi-autobiographical works (such as On The Road, another novel by Jack Kerouac). The lack of literary devices, allowing for the plot to speak for itself, makes the story become factual and lived by the authors themselves. The gritty reality of the true events is illuminated by the clear, unembellished narrative.
Would I recommend: Purely for its social and cultural importance in both the Beat Generation and American literature as a whole, I would undoubtedly recommend And The Hippos Are Boiled In The Tanks. While sometimes the novel seems to drag, the looming excitement of a murder is enough to propel you onward, until eventually the moments of literary beauty and genuine intrigue allow for you to be totally captivated by the story. An unparalleled insight into some of the most interesting writers of the 20th Century, this novel is a must for anyone who has an interest in this self-destructive sub-section of literature.
Rating: 7/10
Words by Heather Moss