DIARY - Chuck Palahnuik

Here is a book I finished on Wednesday June 25th 2014 at 3:31am while at home.

The idea to read this book (as you may know from my other Palahnuik reviews - Sorry, I am a broken record) was started by a co-worker who recommended the author to me. 

Without giving too much away the book revolves around main character Misty Wilmont and her life on Waytansea Island.  Misty is a young artist in art school when she meets her husband Peter.   The two fall in love and eventually move to the island where Peter was born.  The years go by and Misty puts her dreams of becoming a painter aside and takes a job at the island hotel as a waitress. Over the years she raises their daughter, develops a drinking problem, takes too many pills, and Peter falls into a coma after a failed suicide attempt - but only after he leaves behind a seriously deranged series of messages which he has enclosed in hidden rooms of the rich tourist homes he was contracted to renovate.  Not so slowly, the plot unfolds and Misty discovers (with the help of her husbands gay lover Angel Delaporte) that she is, not only the reincarnation of two older artists, but that she was also recruited by Peter and the other island locals to help destroy the islands rich tourist inhabitants who they feel are destroying Waytansea's way of life.

In Palahnuik fashion, the book is rife with passages that don't make sense until you uncover the full story.  I think Palahnuik was probably hoping to 'wow' his readers with this eventual conclusion - but Diary fell short, and the build up simply didn't reach a high enough peak before dropping the reader down the other side; the 'holy-shit-I-did-not-see-that-coming' moment just wasn't there, and I was left feeling that Palahnuik wrote this too quickly; there was so much room for him to get into greater character detail.  This is a common criticism for me when reviewing Palahnuik.

Like Palahnuik's Pygmy, this book is written in an unconventional way - Diary is written in a diary style (hence the name) written in the third person. (See Nausea by Sartre also reviewed here of you like the diary format) The purpose of the Diary is that it is to be left for Misty's husband Peter to have as a recollection of events if /when he wakes from his coma. 

I recommend this book for those who like a little suspense without biting off their fingernails.  The book leaves you guessing at times but not edge-of-your-seat, so you're able to put it down should you need to, without wondering whats going to happen next.  This, however, can be a point that doesn't work.  If I am going to read a suspense novel, I generally like them to leave me wanting more.  I was told this book was similar in feel to that of Rosemary's Baby...at times I can see a direct correlation; the way Misty is tricked by her family and her doctor, the way she is being used as a means to a sinister end, and a twist at the finale.  Palahnuik truly has done something good here - at least something better than I was expecting.  He riddles the book with interesting facts about art history, and the origins of paint colors, which at times I found more interesting then the plot - thankfully adding to my enjoyment. 

This book is 261 pages long and it took me 3 days to read, which for a suspense novel is a bad sign, as a truly engaging one I simply cannot put down, and this one I could easily forget about.

On my sliding scale I gave this book a solid 6/10.  I enjoyed it much more than the previous 3 books I have reviewed here by Palahnuik. (I know, gotta drive that home)  As noted the diary-style worked for me, and it was kept consistent throughout the book. I didn't feel the book became as repetitive and predictable as previous Palahnuik books tended to.  Worth a read if you're an existing fan, as there are lots of classic Palahnuik trademarks easily identifiable for those that have read even a couple of his others.  After awhile his 'style' becomes very evident and you either begin to enjoy this more or...well...I don't need to tell you.

PS - There is a surprise ending AFTER the ending of the book (read it to have that statement make sense)  that you'll find on the very last page.  I am assuming it was left by the author as one last 'make-you freak-out' attempt - and I can see it working on a very eager reader who truly 'wants to believe'. (enter x-files theme here)  Not to complain more, but I just wasn't convinced.  wamp wamp... Sorry Chuck, but I am going to give you one last chance to make me a believer. Not sure what to read next? 

TROUT FISHING IN AMERICA - Richard Brautigan

Here is a book I finished June 15th 2014 at 8:43pm while at work.  I bought this book (along with 2 other Brautigan classics - reviewed in later posts) from a used bookstore on West Street in Port Colborne in the summer of 1994 as a young high school student.  Therefore, this took me over 20 years to finally read.

The idea to read this book (20 years ago) came from a friend who had lent me a copy of another Brautigan book titled; The Abortion (will review here in a later post)  At the time I was interested in all things "beat generation" and Brautigan fit the bill.  He was classic Beat, and met with untimely death by suicide in 1984.

Without giving too much away, this book is compiled of 40+ anecdotes where the sentence; 'Trout Fishing in America' takes unusual roles.  In the chapters, these roles sometimes include being a product sold by the foot, reoccurring characters like 'Trout Fishing in America Shorty', a dead person undergoing an autopsy, the subject of a parade/rally, and also the act of trout fishing itself, which almost becomes hard to understand after you've been trained to believe it to be so many other things.  Brautigan uses these anecdotes well, and the chapters can be easily read and enjoyed individually. The golden-nugget in this book for me is the potential for interpretation.  Those that are familiar with Brautigan don't need an introduction to his use of metaphor. Brautigan, at times, doesn't require you to look too deeply to find it, like in the chapter; THE CLEVELAND WRECKING YARD, however, often the reader needs to be a little more creative; as in chapters like IN THE CALIFORNIA BUSH.  I enjoyed this book immensely, I liked that I could look as deeply as I wanted at the material and take out what best suited me at that moment.  On the other side of that, I also enjoy a book that can be digested in an afternoon; just to pass the time. Fortunately for Brautigan fans, this book can be both, as it can be reread multiple times and enjoyed a different way each time through.

I recommend this book to all those interested in the 'beat' writers. This has everything you'd expect from this era.  One the the true beauties of  this book for me was how Brautigan was able to take it slow, the book just seems to coast at times, and when I least expected it there was a line that blew my mind with something so beautifully and metaphorically written that I not only had to stop to contemplate what I thought he was trying to say, but also kept me reading until he was able do it all over again. Examples of this ability can be seen in my favorite excerpts from the book, such as the description of the sun in chapter 'RED LIP', and hearing about Hemingway's death in the chapter 'THE LAST TIME I SAW TROUT FISHING IN AMERICA'.  It was easy to feel a pit in my stomach when Brautigan talked about Hemingway in that chapter; knowing how Brautigan would eventually meet his own end; by pulling the trigger himself...bone chilling reading.  I wish I could say more, but this is one of those rare treasures that must be read and figured out on your own.

This book is 182 pages long and took me one day to read (although 20 years after purchase date)

On my sliding scale I give this book a solid 7/10.  I am almost certain 20 years ago I would have ranked it much higher, but as my tastes have changed over the years I am only now able to go as high as 7, and that's in paying niceties to the homage of my youth. 

PYGMY - Chuck Palahnuik

Here is a book I finished June 12th 2014 at 3:17pm while at home.

The idea to read this book came from a promise I made to myself to read '4' Palahnuik books before deciding if I wish to buy, read and collect his anthology.  Originally a co-worker promised me that I would enjoy his books...I am still undecided. 

Without giving too much away, the book  tells the story of Agent 67, a spy from an undisclosed totalitarian state, sent to unleash a 'terrorist' plot in America.We learn that from the age of 4, Agent 67 (named Pygmy by his sponsor family) has been training to carry out "Operation Havoc", an act of terrorism on American soil (Fight Club's Project Mayhem anyone?) Agent 67 is not alone, he has come to America with several other agents under the guise of foreign exchange students, however, not many get mention in the book after chapter one where we learn these agents are all sent into different American host families.  Our story revolves mainly around the 4 members of the Cedar family, where Agent 67 has lovingly been placed. Enter here Pygmy's description of his host family (perhaps the only part I liked about the book)"Cow father",a God fearing porn addict employed in a biological weapons facility. The matriarch, lovingly titled "chicken mother" a skin and bones drug addict who is obsessed with her large collection of vibrators. Their classic American son, "Pig Dog Brother", a bullied high school student obsessed with breasts, and lastly there is "Cat Sister" who in the end is instrumental is integrating Pygmy into what he was originally sent to destroy.
We get the usual taste of Palahnuik's all too common attack on the church, ("religion propaganda distribution outlet") with more time-wasting spent on his potentially clever observations of school life in America, ("American education facility devoted humiliation and destroy all self-respect").  We get a spelling bee competition, a science fair, and even a school-shooting - oh my!  All this, and the odd quote from Hitler, Mussolini, and other undesirable tyrants from time to time.  This is suppose to be satire...oh I get it now.

As a reader semi-familiar with the Palahnuik recipe you can already imagine how much potential there was with a plot and a character like Pygmy. I was expecting Palahnuik to do so much more with the voice of Pygmy; a perfect candidate and vessel for our author to utilize in his trademark satirical rantings.
Sadly, so much is lost right from the gates, as the reader has to get used to the epistolary novel style, which for those that don't know is a novel written as a series of documents.(Google it).  This would work in very short bursts, but for 200+ pages it becomes a small hell.  For example; Pygmy is suppose to be a genius, yet his mastery of the English language is absurd, and makes Palahnuik's attempt at being humorous that much more intolerable to read.

I recommend this book to no one.  No one I know, who is alive, should need to suffer as I did.  At points I grew so angry that I was foolish enough to have purchased the book, that I actually wanted to physically destroy it. I am not joking.

This book is 241 pages long and it took me four days to read.  It is easily readable in one day, however I could not torture myself for too long a period at once, and had to space it out.

On my sliding scale I give this book a solid 1/10.  There was nothing about Palanuik's attempt to be clever that I truly enjoyed here. He wasted an ideal character, in an ideal Palahnuik-wonderland with an inundation of terrible boob jokes and uber-cliche observations of American culture. While the epistolary template might work for some, it just did not work here and ends up feeling like an experiment...one gone horribly wrong. Chuck P. only gets as high as a 1/10 because he wrote a book (worth 0.5) and becasue he had the balls to actually attempt this gigantic flop of a project (worth another 0.5)...that must deserve something...right?   

DOOMED - Chuck Palahnuik

Here is a book I finished on June 4th 2014 @ 11:16pm while at work.

It's worth noting that this book is the second part in a series written by the same author.  The first book is called Damned (also reviewed in this blog)

The idea to read this book came simply from reading the first book (Damned) Originally it was a coworker who got me started on my Palahnuik kick; at this point I am undecided if I will continue to read too many more of his books.

Without giving to much away the book continues to follow the life (or after life) of Madison Spencer.  In this book she has escaped from Hell and is on earth as an invisible observer.  At this point in the book series Satan has been trying to convince Madison that he has authored her life and she is predestined to play an instrumental role in sending millions of the still living to eternal damnation.  In the first part of this series Madison was under the impression that Hell was a good place to be and she had been communicating with living people and spreading the word.  Eventually word spreads (like it does in Fight Club fashion) and the world begins a new religion based on her teachings; Boorism. The people of the Boorist faith are people that are horribly mean to each other, verbally abusive, but instead of being viewed as 'wrong' these actions are instead seen as kind gestures; an entry into heaven. Never has a world filled with so much 'wrong', seemed so 'right'.  Madison, somewhere in the book, realizes the error of her ways and sets out to make things right; to warn people that they are actually damning themselves.
Palahnuik gets into some dark territory with this book; he depicts a very gritty and rather disturbing account in Madison's past, which at the time of reading seemed to make little sense other than shock-value, and (for me at least) was almost too disgusting to finish reading.  However, he redeems himself in the last few chapters, as you realize that things are not always what they seem and what was a disturbing encounter between Madison and her Grandfather earlier in the story, makes more sense after you realize the truth Palahnuik has laid out.  The book ends with the promise of a third part to the series, making it a possible trilogy. The next book hints of Madison being unable to identify between good and evil, between God and the Devil.  She vows to "reconcile Satan and God"  She plans to "resolve all conflict" between the two superpowers of the afterlife.  Sounds complicated, but if you enjoyed Damned, this book is almost necessary to finish, and part three, if it does get written, will simply be a MUST read. 

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the feeling of being totally grossed out while they read.  This book was, at times, flat out disturbing, more so than the first part in the series. This time however, Palahnuik seems to have put more thought into the story, and there were more twists near the end that I found to tie the rest of the story together nicely.  I enjoy books that can make a complete 180 degree turn in the last 10-20 pages, and in doing so, completely redeem certain characters that you hated throughout most of the book. Palahnuik's use of satire ( one of his trademarks ) is less obvious in this book, making it more enjoyable for me than the first part.  In Palahnuik fashion, we are shown a not-so-unique obsession behind religion, how people can allow themselves to lose all sense of right and wrong when they become obsessed.  This book, in a very drawn out way, depicts the struggle between good and evil, and in its last few pages promises to mend the two in order to create some sort of peace.  We'll need to wait for part three to get more from this mention.

On my sliding scale I give this book a 5/10.  I am still not entirely sold on Palahnuik as a "generation defining author", but I am committed to at least 2-3 more of his books. Call me a sucker, but there is always something in his books that keeps me wanting to read a little longer.  Perhaps when Palahnuik finishes this potential trilogy in their entity, perhaps then, the completed works together will make it a more enjoyable experience.  I am certainly committed to reading another if he does, I simply must get an end to the life of Madison Spencer now that I have started.

FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS - Hunter S. Thompson.

Here is a book I finished in 1998, as you can tell by the cover the movie had already been released.

The idea to read this book came from a preexisting love of Hunter S. Thompson which I developed after reading Fear and Loathing:  On the Campaign Trail '72.  (which will be reviewed in this blog)  I originally heard of Hunter S. Thompson after seeing a Bill Murray movie called; Where the Buffalo Roam. which I saw with my father as a young boy.


Without giving too much away, as it has been some time since last reading; the book revolves around a journalist's deranged road trip to Las Vegas to cover a racing event taking place in the desert for the magazine that employs him.

The main Character ( Raoul Duke - based on Dr. Thompson) is accompanied by his Samoan 'attorney'(Dr.Gonzo - based on real life activist; Oscar Zeta Acosta), whose sole advice is to rent a red convertible and fill the trunk with booze and drugs for their consumption. The sporting assignment is sadly never covered due to large clouds of dust the racers stir up from the desert sand. Raoul returns to his hotel where he and Dr.Gonzo destroy a hotel room and rack up an insanely large hotel room-service bill.
They consume more than enough drugs and hit the streets of Las Vegas in a drug induced frenzy, eventually concluding their time together after Dr. Gonzo's disturbing display of violence.
At some point in the story Raoul tries to flee Vegas, but he is forced to return after an unfortunate experience with the highway patrol. It seems as if he keeps getting sucked back in.
Later in the book, Dr. Gonzo finds Raoul another assignment; covering a DA convention on illegal drugs, a convention filled with lawmen from around America; not the place for a drug crazed lunatic-journalist.  Gonzo and Raoul are reunited shortly after; again they embark on their usual bouts of over the top drug consumption and destroy yet another hotel room.  The pair eventually split again and Raoul returns to LA, escaping the large bills for damages he and Gonzo have accrued at their various hotel visits. 
 
I recommend this book to all fans of 1960's hippy culture.  Dr. Thompson's famous "wave speech" included in this book almost entirely condenses the totality of the 'hippy movement' with just a few paragraphs.  That in particular is one of the reasons I love Hunter S. Thompson's writing; he has an incredible ability to paint for his readers an exact portrait of even something like a generation - even when the reader (like myself) was not there to experience it first hand.  For anyone who has no desire to read this book, I still strongly recommend reading that short piece if literary genius; the 'wave speech' that is. (Google it)

This book is 204 pages long and was easily read over the course of 2 days.

On my sliding scale I give this book a solid 9/10 based on the sheer force of the story telling.   The thought that Dr. Thompson and his actual attorney actually did experience some of the things written about in this book increases the enjoyability of reading. 

THE ART OF LIVING - Epictetus

Here is a book I finished in 2006.  Sadly, I did not record the month or time like I try and do, however '2006' was written on the inside cover in my hand writing so I know this year is accurate.

The idea to read this book came as a recommendation from a good friend; Mac Pearsall.  He and I used to work in a small cafe kitchen during that year, and to pass the time we often discussed the books we were reading.  Mac was interested in Stoic Philosophy at the time and was immersing himself  in various books regarding the topic. Being a philosophy major, I had heard  of Stoicism as well as the name 'Epictetus' many times prior.

Without giving too much away, this book is translated from his original, ancient text, to paint the picture for readers that human beings can simply have no 'real' control over life, but can more accurately only control their either, positive, or negative responses to it. By putting the small chapters of this book into manageable daily practices, the reader can be trained that they ought to be able to handle the all too common disappointments of modern life with renewed confidence; that everything is out of their control, and therefore not worth worrying about.

From the history books it is said that Epictetus was born into slavery about 55 AD in the eastern outreaches of the Roman Empire, once freed he established an influential school of Stoic philosophy. I won't go into detail here, as WIKI can explain it better.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in stoic philosophy which should go without saying, but the book can also act as a guide for everyday living. I have heard of people giving copies of this book to friends and family when seeing them losing ground in their everyday affairs.  It's amazing how when reading something written so simply that it can change the entire outlook you might have on certain aspects of your own life.  Those who read motivational books like those written by Anthony Robbins will see that Epictetus' ancient philosophy has become a highly marketable motivational teaching...this isn't entirely a bad thing, I suppose if it helps you get out of bed in the morning than there must be some good in that...but somehow it feels wrong to me; that what started out as a revolutionary (for its time) school of thought is now a pocket book for adjusting your mind into a state of 'getting by' and accepting the things you can't really change.  Regardless of all this, its a 'feel-good' read and most certainly has something in it for everyone...especially if you're looking.

This book is 113 pages long.  It is broken up into short page long chapters, making it easy to digest for one, but also something simple to pick up and use on a day to day basis without cutting in to your busy life schedule. I imagine, due to this fact, that one would be able to read it over a day with very little effort.

On my sliding scale I give this book a solid 10/10 as it serves its designed purpose; a motivational book that helps the reader to not sweat the little things in life and to help them build a foundation upon which they can set clear mental goals and build character reflected by a helpful reminder that there are just things in life that deserve your time, and stress and pain are not some of those things.  My only regret is that I am unable to tell how much was lost in translation from Epictetus' original works to this put-in-your-pocket, self-help section, motivational  version. If anything this book left me hungry to study the true philosophy behind Stoicism, and when you start that journey things can get quite interesting.  Happy trails to those of you looking to become what the Stoics of Epictetus' time called a 'Sage'.  If you figure out how to get there please leave a comment and explain how.

DAMNED - Chuck Palahniuk

Here is a book I finished reading on May 22nd 2014 at 4:56pm in Burlington Ontario after a dentist appointment where I had a crown put in.

This book is a two part series.  Part one (Damned) reviewed here and part two (Doomed) reviewed in another post.

The idea to read this book came after a coworker told me how much he had enjoyed it.  Having more than a few things in common with this particular coworker I thought I would gamble and make the purchase.  I had always meant to read some Palahniuk after seeing the movie Fight Club (which he also wrote) but just never found the time or had the desire to follow through.

Without giving too much away; this book follows the life of a prepubescent teenager after her untimely death.  She finds herself in hell with several other characters, as Palahniuk himself admits, are based on 1980's brat-pack movie; The Breakfast Club.
The main character, Madison Spencer, was raised by a billionaire father and a movie-star mother, and she is afforded what might be too much privilege in life; constantly being bombarded with perfectly planned, yet staged family experiences. These experiences have trained her to become cynical of everything that might seem wholesome as far as family-values are concerned. (this becomes clearer in part two of the book series)  This also makes Madison much older in her intellect than her actual age.  In an attempt to win over the affection of a step-brother who Madison feels slightly attracted to, she is accidentally choked to death and wakes up in hell, which is where her tale begins.  While in hell she learns very quickly how to make up her own rules and eventually becomes a powerful and feared member of its most motley ranks.  Her job in Hell (as everyone has something to do) is that of a telemarketer, and when not telling her millions of minions to make hell a "prettier" place, she spends her time calling people in the "alive" world and tricking them into doing things that will make them come to hell.  She takes-on Hitler, giant demons, as well as other interesting faces of history along her journey, until eventually she lands herself back on earth for more misadventure which the author covers in part two (titled; Doomed - reviewed here as well). Part two gives us much more insight into the life of Maddy Spencer and her twisted billionaire parents, and in my opinion you can't read one and not the other, and they truly need to be read in order to fully appreciate.

For the first time since starting this blog I am uncertain how to recommend a book; what type of person to recommend this book to alludes me!  Chuck P. likes to stir the pot and in this book his over-the-top (and constant) descriptions of wealthy and privileged life are rife with intelligent satire, but it becomes too easy to miss what I feel Palahniuk is really trying to show us, as he beats his point to death way too often.   Readers can't miss the in-your-face descriptions of a doom and gloom teenage life, of growing up with rich parents, and the lack of attention they pay for anything unscripted in a world where everything is staged, planned and phoney...all set up for the perfect newspaper headline.  However, it is this obviousness that is constantly being forced on the reader than makes the true satire, and beauty of the book, hard to appreciate and therefore identify.  As with the other Palahnuik books reviewed here, I always finish them feeling like he rushed them, like he was writing them just to get them done. I truly feel so much more time could have been spent on character, plot, and overall story development to help drive some of his more interesting satirical rants home.

This book is 247 pages long and took me two days to read.

On my sliding scale I give this book 5/10.  Although I rather enjoyed the vivid descriptions of hell and Palahniuk's unveiling of the insanely rich, I found that the content was so frequently repetitive in its limited descriptions that it felt as if I was reading the same lines over and over again but on different pages. Perhaps at times striving too much for the shock-value over a good story, Palahniuk lost me on ranking it any higher. Although this has been his recipe for many successful books, and it seems to work for him, it just didn't make me a believer this time.  All that being said, I did buy part two the day I finished this book so I could find out what happens to Madison and her family - perhaps Chuck is on to something.