Unrelated to anything: I finished listening to the unabridged version of "A Clockwork Orange," with the final chapter that U.S. editors cut from the original issue. Burgess was pissed, but having heard it now, I'm going to say: The editors were right. *no spoilers* /1
Burgess apparently felt that the U.S. ending - the version you see in the film - was incomplete and thus made the book a parable rather than a real novel. Far be it from me to disagree with a genius, but it seemed like a raggedy, tacked-on final chapter. /2
The U.S. editors felt the UK ending wouldn't fly with American audiences, and at least for me, it didn't. I can't see it really landing with anyone, but it seems anti-climactic. /3
The version I heard also included Burgess reading some of the chapters, and I thought: Some authors shouldn't read their own stuff. (Um, as I had just finished reading my own stuff. So I hope my reaction was just that an old man's voice sounded wrong for a teenage Alex.) /4
Anyway, if you're a fan of the book, try out the chapter you've never encountered before. It didn't work for me, but again, Burgess is a literary genius and I'm not; but I still think his U.S. editors steered him right. /5x
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