Brett Easton Ellis. I don't care if there was already a thread

Heheh, on the back of my American Psycho book it says: Not For Sale In Canada.
I laughed for hours thinking about all sorts of reasons why that'd be there. All sorts. In the end though, buried deep in a frown, I reasoned it was probably due to publishing rights in that country. To be honest I haven't read anything else by him, except a couple pages in Borders in Leeds. But they have seats there, so it's not as if they're going to tell me it isn't a library. I mean, why do they have seats there if it isn't?!

EDIT: Holy crapple! I thought this was General Discussion. I didn't know I could post here!

My favourite is Glamorama, I just love it. The first section is brilliant, the way he describes a day in the life of Victor Ward is outstanding, it feels so real. Then as the book goes on he gets drawn further and further into the terrorist plots you really start to feel a sense of dread.

My favourite used to be Rules Of Attraction because of the multiple narratives and storylines but over time I started to go off of it for some reason. Less Than Zero is pretty damn good as well.

American Psycho didn't really appeal to me, it just seems over-hyped. Lunar Park is alright, there are some real good bits and it's interesting to see him using past-tense but overall it seemed a bit tired.

I only read The Informers once when I found it in the library but I bought it a while back and I've been wanting to go back to it.

I actually finished Rules of Attraction on the plane this weekend. I thought it was fantastic and I rented to movie to watch tonight.

Glamorama is up next. Then Lunar Park.

I actually like The Informers the best out of all of them (so far). I think Ellis really got to the core of the characters and it stands on its own as a book and a short story collection.

[QUOTE=mikandrewz]My favourite is Glamorama, I just love it. The first section is brilliant, the way he describes a day in the life of Victor Ward is outstanding, it feels so real. Then as the book goes on he gets drawn further and further into the terrorist plots you really start to feel a sense of dread.[/QUOTE]

I was not sure if I wanted to read Glamorama or anything else by Ellis, but I think I'll pick it up. I just needed a break after The Informers. I think what happened was I read The Rules of Attraction and The Informers back to back and had a hedonist spoiled rich kid overload.

[QUOTE=Stevesie]Concerning American Psycho...Although the book was undoubtedly better than the movie, the movie was great none the less. For example, the scene where Bateman was running around naked with a chainsaw in reebok classics after the hooker was not exactly how it happened in the book, but it was something I could fathom Bateman doing anyway. I would have to agree with you Dj_iii that the book and the movie somehow complement each other.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, the movie seems to fill in visually what the book doesn't because it is written in so internal of a narrative and the book fills in with motivation, etc. what the movie can't without constant voiceover. This case is the only movie/book thing like this that I have noticed.

Which reminds me I really want to rent The Rules of Attraction but I keep forgetting to look for it when I go to the video store. That also reminds me -

I have to return some videos.

i couldn't finish the book american psycho but i liked the movie very much

[QUOTE=mikandrewz]My favourite is Glamorama, I just love it. The first section is brilliant, the way he describes a day in the life of Victor Ward is outstanding, it feels so real. Then as the book goes on he gets drawn further and further into the terrorist plots you really start to feel a sense of dread.[/QUOTE]

Picked up Glamorama last night. Looking forward to it.

BEE is my all-time favourite author. I've loved everything he's done. His characters are so realistic it's unbelievable somtimes. After reading a book, they seem more like old friends than characters.

Too bad about American Psycho the movie, it really tried hard but coulda been so much better, at least they got the character casting right.
Bret Easton Ellis is the only author that I have gone outta my way to read and collect all his books, i useta feel the same way about Chuck but find I no longer am impressed by him.

Anyone catch Lunar Park yet, amazing friggin book, nails the horror thing down perfectly without being too horror-ish.
I'm still waiting on the Glamorama movie, damn it Avary get your shit together.
goes without saying The Rules of Attraction is one of the best flicks out there too.

Of this time I've also read The Informers, which I enjoyed more than American Psycho.

[QUOTE=clayton;890372]Too bad about American Psycho the movie, it really tried hard but coulda been so much better, at least they got the character casting right.
Bret Easton Ellis is the only author that I have gone outta my way to read and collect all his books, i useta feel the same way about Chuck but find I no longer am impressed by him.

Anyone catch Lunar Park yet, amazing friggin book, nails the horror thing down perfectly without being too horror-ish.
I'm still waiting on the Glamorama movie, damn it Avary get your shit together.
goes without saying The Rules of Attraction is one of the best flicks out there too.[/QUOTE]
I read Lunar Park soon after it came out. I found it hilarious, but in a more direct comedy way and not a dark, twisted and absurd comedy like his first three novels. It was a bit cheesy, but intentionally so. I loved the book, but hope he returns to the dark material of his first three (Glamorama is sort of in between, as Victor is undeniably set up for pure comedy, but the plot is still quite dark).

How come no-one's mentioned Less Than Zero? I read all of BEE's stuff a few years ago and Less Than Zero is the only one I'd be interested in re-reading.

Honestly, I found his books hard to read.

[QUOTE=Vendetta;892229]How come no-one's mentioned Less Than Zero? I read all of BEE's stuff a few years ago and Less Than Zero is the only one I'd be interested in re-reading.

Honestly, I found his books hard to read.[/QUOTE]
Definitely hard to read. Difficult and meticulously described.

Less Than Zero is my least favourite of his novels because I find it far too simple in comparison, however I still do consider it a great book.

I've read American Psycho, The Informers and Lunar Park.
I like all of them, but my prefered was American Psycho because the materialism, obsesive description and certain malicious focus...the book is against homicide acts but is not aswell a kind of self-help guide... fashion,style, social life...how many times have you rent Double Body? what brand of vodka do you prefer? (Absolut?)

I would like connect Bret and Chuck with "99 Francs" by Frédéric Beigbeder "Exquisite Corpse" by Poppy Z. Brite, Michel Houellebecq, certain Ballard works....

What's your opinion?

I hope you don't take his fashion tips seriously. Ellis has stated that if you actually saw what the characters were wearing, they'd look like clowns.

I've read Less than Zero, American Psycho, Glamorama and Lunar Park...and I've loved all of them but I think Less than zero stands out.

As for the films, I think American Psycho and Rules of Attraction are great. Less than zero, however, is a stinker. (Even though it does have the Downey Jr and Andrew McCarthy hehe)

AP is the best - made me gag, the scene with the rat

I've read everything that Bret Easton Ellis has written. I think the guy takes everything he writes in a different direction. He has different films and techniques in almost every one of his books.

I honestly loved every one of his books. Glamorama gets a lot of bad reviews, but you really have to push through. It's so worth it at the end. Lunar Park was his weirdest, but he still made the corny monster totally realistic with his discriptions of the fear he felt.

I have nothing bad to say about him. He's one of my favorites and I hope he's got another book coming out sooner than 5 years...

I agree, from what I've read he's definately one of my favourites.

I wouldn't make the comment that he takes each novel of his in a different direction. He is known to heavily use cross-over characters, specific lines from previous books etc...

No mention of the beautifully crafted movie version of Rules...? There's some interesting news redarding the aftemath of that film, apparently there's some very interesting stuff on the way including a segue to Glamorama.

read them all, love AP and Less that Zero best. Glamourama close third though.

I thought Lunar Park was a bit of a mishmash, seemed to me like he was just writing what he thought people expected him to write ... it was the only one of his books where the violence really seemed overly gratuitous and without much point. Cheesy.

oh man, and the vampires in the Informers. lolz

[QUOTE=jmizair;895367]I wouldn't make the comment that he takes each novel of his in a different direction. He is known to heavily use cross-over characters, specific lines from previous books etc...[/QUOTE]

Are you a fucking retard?
How did you even manage to type out that sentence?
I'm not even going to point out where you went wrong. Just fuck off.

[QUOTE=jmizair;895367]I wouldn't make the comment that he takes each novel of his in a different direction. He is known to heavily use cross-over characters, specific lines from previous books etc...[/QUOTE]Yes there are cross-over characters and lines, but the over all themes of his books and style are different. Lunar Park is a totally different book that American Psycho - yet they both have Patrick Batemen in them...

Having trouble getting through Glamorama. Any advice? I'm at the part just after the big opening party. What's with the "film crew"? Are they there or not? Or is that just part of the illusion/delusion?

Thanks.

[QUOTE=wickerkat;896164]Having trouble getting through Glamorama. Any advice? I'm at the part just after the big opening party. What's with the "film crew"? Are they there or not? Or is that just part of the illusion/delusion?

Thanks.[/QUOTE]

My advice - just push on through. It's sort of like American Psycho in that you don't know what is and what is not real. I don't want to ruin anything for you. I know when I read it I almost put it down in the beginning, but I slowly got to the point where I couldn't stop reading it. The story slowly changes and morphs and goes in so many directions throughout. It's an awesome book. If you make it through it, you'll be happy.

One thing I always liked about Ellis is that the narrator is not always 100% credible. So, you never really know what is really happening, what is a lie protecting the ego, and what is just flat out delusion.

He does that in all of the books I've read by him, and Glamorama is no different. Not to give anything away, but there are still a lot of questions unanswered because you never get out of Victor's head to see a different side of the story.

The whole time I was reading it I was trying to decide if I should be believing Victor's perception, but by the end it didn't really matter if he was full of shit or not, it was just a good story.

Anyone watching "Dexter"? He used a false name to get on some list that provides restricted tranqs to animal doctors. Dr. Patrick Bateman.

[QUOTE=Mad Daego;896449]Anyone watching "Dexter"? He used a false name to get on some list that provides restricted tranqs to animal doctors. Dr. Patrick Bateman.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I caught that.

[QUOTE=PGoutis01;896441]My advice - just push on through. It's sort of like American Psycho in that you don't know what is and what is not real. I don't want to ruin anything for you. I know when I read it I almost put it down in the beginning, but I slowly got to the point where I couldn't stop reading it. The story slowly changes and morphs and goes in so many directions throughout. It's an awesome book. If you make it through it, you'll be happy.[/QUOTE]

thanks

you too dj

I said "He does that in all of the books I've read by him," and nobody even fucking told me how dumb sounding that looked.

Yeah, I feel ya wickerkat on Glamorama. I'm struggling through it now as well. What keeps stopping me is my overwhelming distaste for Victor. But all the 90s nostalgia is so much fun.

That's it. I'm done. I couldn't finish Glamorama....there are too many good books out there without me wasting my time on junkie fiction that I'm reading to 'get through' and not actually enjoying....FUCK IT!!!

[QUOTE=Vendetta;892229]How come no-one's mentioned Less Than Zero? I read all of BEE's stuff a few years ago and Less Than Zero is the only one I'd be interested in re-reading. [/QUOTE]

Agreed. Less Than Zero was completely my favourite, maybe because I [I]liked[/I] the characters far more than in the other books of his I'd read.

There's one scene that sticks out in my mind when it comes to that book, and that's the one that takes place in the bathroom near the end of the book. God, I love that scene. Sucks they cut it out for the movie, because Robert Downey Jr. could have totally rocked that.

[QUOTE=jar;903127]Agreed. Less Than Zero was completely my favourite, maybe because I [I]liked[/I] the characters far more than in the other books of his I'd read.

There's one scene that sticks out in my mind when it comes to that book, and that's the one that takes place in the bathroom near the end of the book. God, I love that scene. Sucks they cut it out for the movie, because Robert Downey Jr. could have totally rocked that.[/QUOTE]

Yeah you hit it on the head about the characters. My biggest complaint about Glamorama was that I didn't care about the characters and I loathed Victor. The story never pulled me in.

im 3/4s into less than zero

so far i have noticed it to be a much easier read than AP, im kind of enjoying it, i like the narrator and its a very interesting world that he is placed in.

Im just waiting for a big fantastical finish to make this book great.

I liked all his books especially AP and Lunar Park. Does anyone know if he is currently working on a new project?

Does anyone else find his prose eerily similar to Douglas Coupland's?

started... The Informers... read a couple of the stories... seems good... got lots of other stuff I need to read first...

Shouts, Johnny

If you are a BEE fan, apart from Chuck, Jay Mc Inerney and Douglas Coupland, what other writers are worth checking out?

[QUOTE=Barca Boy;932297]If you are a BEE fan, apart from Chuck, Jay Mc Inerney and Douglas Coupland, what other writers are worth checking out?[/QUOTE]

If you can get through the Scottish humor, phrases and overall context, then Irvine Welsh may be a good read for you. You have to be up for a challenge though when reading his works.

What is Lunar Park about? I bought it, but haven't read it yet. Is it fiction? I started it, and it seemed like a biography or something.

[QUOTE=LeHaHi;932303]What is Lunar Park about? I bought it, but haven't read it yet. Is it fiction? I started it, and it seemed like a biography or something.[/QUOTE]

I haven't read it but I've read about it and it's kind of a mock-autobiography. I heard it gets weird and that it's funny. I've been actually meaning to pick this one up.

[QUOTE=Dj_iii;932517]I haven't read it but I've read about it and it's kind of a mock-autobiography. I heard it gets weird and that it's funny. I've been actually meaning to pick this one up.[/QUOTE]

yes, thats the most accurate description of Lunar Park, I loved it, I think Im going to reread Less Than Zero, its been a long time since I read it.

I read AP and Lunar Park, and loved both of them. Very different books.

Any suggetions on where to go from here in the world of BEE? I'm thinking Informers, but I can't make up my mind.

on page 343 of BEEs GLAMORAMA, still fighting to get through it - getting better, one HELL of a sex scene, but wouldn've enjoyed the threesome more if it was two girls

Ellis is the man. He's the only contemporary author that I like more than Chuck. [I]American Psycho[/I], and [I]Less Than Zero[/I] were incredible. And that bathroom murder scene in [I]The Informers[/I] where the guy is trying (rather unsuccessfully) to murder that kid is the most realistic, disturbing murder scene I've ever read in a novel.

The movie adaptations are a different matter, though. Even the best ones are kinda bad, imo.

Well, AP was a terrible adaptation in my opinion. Satire? Humor? I thought presented very straighforward it would have been frightening. Not that there weren't moments in the book that were funny, just dark.

Haven't read LTZ so can't compare it to the film, but I liked the movie. Guess I owe BEE a gander at that one.

I love Bret Easton Ellis, he's my favourite living author by miles of smiles. I met him once and he called me a publisher's dream, because I'm awesome.
I like Less Than Zero best and then Glamorama a close second. I don't dislike anything he's written.

He is difficult to read though, at times I find myself really forcing myself forward through pages of something incredibly detailed and boring or gory or embarrassingly sexually graphic. It's always worth it though.

speaking of sexually graphic...

the threesome in Glam came out of nowhere, and i must say was rather arousing, and i only mention that because it wasn't expected - either the passage or the effect

anybody else have a similar reaction?

i mean it went on for like 4 pages, jeezus