Cult Forum bookclub [March '03]

Bret Easton Ellis' "American Psycho" would be my vote, although many of you may have already read it, and no, seeing the movie doesn't count... the book is much, much deeper and intense, and the plot isn't so wide open for interpretation as the great film with its ambiguous ending... so yeah, either that or Hubert Selby's "Requiem For A Dream"...

... keep in mind if many of you are gonna read a certain book, that you have to be able to find the damn thing in a bookstore or whatever, and some of the books mentioned by some around here just aren't that available to some people, however many are, like the above as a result of box office exposure...

I would also suggest on the side that for all of you here at The Cult who HAVE NOT read every Chuck Palahniuk book... and YOU know who YOU are... to get out there and pick those mofo's up, and hell, READ THEM for fuck sake... maybe even contemplate what's going on beneath the surface, the underlying messages, how they apply to you, what you can do with the knowledge imparted on you by Chuck... just an idea from yours truly. Do what you want. Whatever makes you happy. If it works for you, stick with it. No one can think for you...

OR BEST OF ALL... we could read one of Chuck's favorite authors from his own list, if you already haven't... I can always re-read... I always do... get more out of it...

I am totally down for this club, but i dont know that i will reccomend a book, because all the books i would recomend i have already read and i'd like to read something new, maybe an irvine welsh book? i have only read a few of his books.... although i just picked up Michael Moore's Stupid White Men today... good idea dennis.

woops, i mean good idea Zaki, and yeah, i am down to read house of leaves, a kid in one of my english classes was telling me i should read it last week...

if it includes a chuck book i'm game! make everyone read a CP book again for the very first time. Oprah won't have shit on The Cult!

You know, I'm glad you put it that way supernaut... I mean, "again for the first time", because everytime I re-read a Palahniuk book, I always take something different from it. It's also not like some books, where you get bored after reading it once and well, Chuck's stuff is less about plot than it they are about issues... sex, violence, reality, perception, truth, knowledge, deception, lies, depression, fear, loneliness, anxiety, anger, frustration, lust, desire, deviance, perversion, power, control, poverty, neglect, love, hate... on and on, and all of these things are transformed in new ways in my mind everytime I read Palahniuk. he takes old ideas and turns them into something new. he takes singular concepts and gives them several meanings. All in all, and in keeping this brief, he's a fuckin-A great writer and I recommend reading each and every book of his at least twice... if not more... hell I even take notes, Memento-style if something just clicks in my mind, some phrase or thing i read of his, if some concept makes sense, etc... plus with a buttload of great dialogue between the characters, it's almost impossible not to pick up some tasty tidbits for throwing out in conversations at a later date...

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Brock Landers [/i]
[B] hell I even take notes, Memento-style if something just clicks in my mind, some phrase or thing i read of his, if some concept makes sense, etc... [/B][/QUOTE]

i know what you mean i have "Sorry Mom. Sorry God" tattooed in old english across my chest backwards.

I'm in.
I like the idea of "American Psycho" Brock, but I am assuming a lot of people here have read that, how about another Ellis book? "Less Than Zero" is great, thousands times better than the piece o' shit movie that followed.

My submission "Breakfast of Champions" by Vonnegut.

what about Glamorama" by Ellis, i just finished it yesturday.
and brother, i don't get it.

I like this idea; however, I'm always reading at least one book at a time anyway. But fuck it, I'm totally up for this. Should make reading the book more fun, even if I have read it already. I always seem to miss shit the first, second, third...times around. Doesn't hurt reading books again, that is, unless you think they suck. Anyway, my recomendations:

1) American Psycho; chock full of shit we can talk about.
2) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas; because I feel the drug culture should be represented.
3) Anything I haven't read yet, cause I'll try just about anything once

This should be an official feature of the cult. can we make this happen? Dennis?

Yes, officialdom should be issued!

Great idea. I've looked around at book clubs because I love reading something and then discussing it, you get so much more out of it than just the story. It gets you thinking.

Hmm...a recommendation? I don't know. A really great book I just read was American Gods...(dunno if I wanna read it again two weeks later) I've been wanting to read Glamorama... I just want it to be something somewhat complicated (not exactly hard) like vonnegut or whatever. So we have something to really talk about.

I broke down and participated in a message board discussion for one of Oprah's books (this much i know is true - wally lamb) and it was so much fun. it was a halfway decent book...not my favorite type, but the discussion and trying to figure out underlying meanings made it so much better.

The only bad thing is i already have 25 books on my shelf waiting to be read, a list of books i want to get from the library, and a huge list of authors and books that sound interesting. But yeah, I can add one more

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by pan [/i]
[B]"Less Than Zero" is great, thousands times better than the piece o' shit movie that followed. [/B][/QUOTE]

I would *SO* be down for that!

I'll probably re-read it regardless... it's been about a year since I last cracked its spine.

I agree with brock on Requiem, a friend left it over here and hasn't picked it up yet...

On the other hand, Catcher in the Rye might be worth doing if everyone and their mother hadn't read it by now.

Yeah, really good idea though, and i'll go along with whatever you guys decide, unless it turns out to be that goddamn ya ya book.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by plastic [/i]
[B]On the other hand, Catcher in the Rye might be worth doing if everyone and their mother hadn't read it by now.[/b]

another of my favorite books of all time. I've had so many copies of that through the years, it's amazing the cia hasn't locked me up yet.

I'm in, too.

Someone suggested Irvine Welsh - I've read all his stuff and would happily re-read any of them should y'all choose one of his tomes. "Marabou Stork Nightmares" gets my vote.

Been meaning to read "Desolation Angels" by Kerouac - anyone up for that?

I'm currently reading Jay McInerney's "How It Ended" - collection of short stories (really quick read).

BTW, Odd-Reigh - I pinched my copy of Catcher in the Rye from my high school. Just couldn't bear to part with it. I thought I was so cool...

No [I]House of Leaves[/I]. I wont participate. The book was ok but lacked that page turning quality. It was tedious and took me 3 months of forcing myself through to finish.

Can it be plays?

I am just starting [I]Doctor Faustus[/I] which coined the saying a "faustian bargain" or selling your soul to the devil for power, money etc. I dont know much about it. I went to the library to pick up Macbeth and noticed it, read the premise(see next paragraph), became interested.

"Faustus, a brilliant scholar, sells his soul to the devil in exchange for limitless knowledge and powerful black magic, yet remains unfullfilled. He considers repenting, but remains too proud to ask God for forgiveness. His indecision ultimately seals his fate."

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by mr_gone [/i]
[B]what about Glamorama" by Ellis, i just finished it yesturday.
and brother, i don't get it. [/B][/QUOTE]

So strange. I finshed yesterday also. Well, what didnt you understand? I could be of some help.

[B][COLOR=orangered]Oh and this should be this coming saturdays CHAT topic.[/COLOR] [/B]

HoL is also $25 for a PAPERBACK! I'm down for this book club, cause you all know that I'm a fucking nerd. And if you dont know, I'm a fucking nerd.
Anyways, there have to be some kinds of internet book clubs, and this should be modeled after those. We can't just say we're gonna make a book club and have it be legit. For those of us that have school and other shit to take care of, convenience is important. I'd much rather write an essay than respond to a cluster-fuck of posts, does that make sense? I'm just saying it has to be highly organized, with focus, or it won't work. I'm all for the idea because I feel like I'm in the presence of other lit-nerds and writers that have one thing in common: Chuck's books.

So did we ever decide on a book? I've read American Psycho and started it a second time but didn't finish it because I was so damn busy and the book is so involving.

How about Amy Hempel's Reasons to Live? It's one of Chuck's top recommended books, is fairly short (which might be good for the first go), and I just checked it out from the library, so I have it already (of course, if I really like it I will be looking to buy a copy). I do like the idea of making it somewhat official, and of voting on the selections, too.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by William [/i]
[B]How about Amy Hempel's Reasons to Live? It's one of Chuck's top recommended books, is fairly short (which might be good for the first go), and I just checked it out from the library, so I have it already (of course, if I really like it I will be looking to buy a copy). I do like the idea of making it somewhat official, and of voting on the selections, too. [/B][/QUOTE]

You make a valuable point. Chuck loves Amy. Amy's books are witty and short.

We all have crazy schedules. But a period of 1month is plenty of time for all of us to complete reading 1 common book.

I think "Reasons to Live" is a good idea. I haven't read it yet. I'd have to get it Special Ordered at work, no biggy.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by The Gucci Ghost [/i]
[B]everybody had to read cather in high school right? I agree on requiem or anything ellis, but what do you guys think of murakami? [/B][/QUOTE]

I've never read had to read Catcher and even if I had been told to, its not like I would have.

I think the Amy Hempel book's a great idea, since he recommended it and i'm trying to read all of his recommendations anyway.

How, and when, are we going to decide which book?

I like cluster fuck posts That's the way my mind works. Having it's own message board section w/ different thread topics would be organized I think...? maybe?

I'd say no to something most people read in high school and analyzed already. I think it would be a little redundant. House of Leaves maybe...my b/f got it from the library (saved the $25) but couldn't stand it. But i'm willing to try just about anything. A play would be okay too.

Gucci Ghost: If you're referring to Haruki Murakami, he is one of my favorite writers.

However, my vote for the first Cult book club selection would be Amy Hempel--mainly b/c she is such a big influence on Chuck, and I actually haven't read anything of hers yet. Like many of you, I have a huge backlog of stuff to read, but I would definitely put her at the top of the queue if I had to.

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn or The Beach by Alex Garland. (It is absolutly nothing like the movie. It is just a great great STORY). The first is probably the most important book ever written in any language in any land. After you put this book down you will know why there is something missing inside of all of us. It shows you when it all went wrong in this world. Catcher in the Rye and American Psycho is good but i say read something you havent allready read 5 times. Michael Moore's book is very good. Catch 22 is long but good. I couldnt sit through House of Leaves, it reminded me of Kurt Cobain's journals which i also thought was 400 pages of scribbles. Maybe im impatient. Try Ishamel i say.

Satan Burger by Carlton Mellick III. The greatest book ever
written.

Did anybody ever decide on a book for this?

I was itching to put in an order to Amazon!

Maybe someone could post a vote thing, with three or five of the more popular suggestions.