Turning the Blue Key

Can reassessment of Harold Norse's formative cut-up period place his early work into conversation with Burroughs and Gysin? The Beat cut-up is rightly credited to Burroughs and Gysin, but the neglect of Norse in the context of the Beat cut-up raises questions. Not only does Norse's work merit discussion, his cut-ups add to the larger negative cut-up aesthetic. Links between Harold Norse and William Burroughs are quite uncanny. Yes, both authors were gay American expat writers who experimented with various aesthetic forms, including the cut-up technique. However, present research avoids really examining the fascinating and profound aesthetic and methodological distinctions between the different cut-up approaches. Against this background, this chapter considers the many connections between Harold Norse and other cut-up practitioners including Burroughs and Gysin.