Turkish prosecutors investigate William S. Burroughs

The Istanbul Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into William S. Burroughs' novel, The Soft Machine. Burroughs was a friend of Robert Anton Wilson. Wilson used Burroughs' cut-up prose technique in ILLUMINATUS! and other works.

The Prime Ministry's Council for Protecting Minors from Explicit Publications has levied a number of accusations against The Soft Machine. My favorites are the claims that the book "lacks narrative unity" and has a "fragmented narrative style." The publisher of the book is maintaining that lack of narrative unity is not a crime under Turkish law.

Via @tedgioia on Twitter.