224 pages
Published May 1, 2018 by W. W. Norton & Company.
2.5 stars
Toxic masculinity, lots of violence, and a bunch of pseudo intellectual bullshit...
Makes me question whether I would still like the film adaptatioin.
(The book ending is way worse than the film ending, btw)
A very bizarre and weird book. Of course, I expected no less. Also was strangely apropos since I had just finished reading about Jim Jones’ cult. I listened to this on Audible, and I highly recommend the tape and narrator.
One of my favorite movies has become one of my favorite books. One of the nice things about reexamining this story as an adult is catching all stuff I missed as a kid, like the significance of Tyler working as a projectionist that switches between rolls of film. Besides the ending, I was surprised by how closely the movie followed the book.
It doesn't hit quite as hard as its cult classic film adaptation, but Palahniuk's debut novel still packs a punch with its examination of fragile masculinity and the repercussions of living an un-examined life.
Perfect product of the 90s. Interesting messages, some good symbolism, but ultimately falls a little flat. The obsession with "manliness" dates it I think. Or, maybe it just reveals a misogynistic ideology, I am not sure.
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The alienation that presumably accompanies modern life finally led the protagonist to create an alter-ego that embodies his rage over society. They then created a club where men gather to beat the hell out of each other, allegedly, to provide some purpose for their lives. Over time, the organization grew and turned into an army bent on destroying civilization.
The paradox that this idea is caught in is this: you are using the very systems that you want destroyed. You are telling people to hate consumerism, to stop going to malls, to stop being a bunch of mindless robots, but the only way they can access your idea is by buying your book or watching your film. Of course, realization of this paradox is never really that much of a blow to the central idea itself: that the world we are living in, is full of shit. Apparently, judging …
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The alienation that presumably accompanies modern life finally led the protagonist to create an alter-ego that embodies his rage over society. They then created a club where men gather to beat the hell out of each other, allegedly, to provide some purpose for their lives. Over time, the organization grew and turned into an army bent on destroying civilization.
The paradox that this idea is caught in is this: you are using the very systems that you want destroyed. You are telling people to hate consumerism, to stop going to malls, to stop being a bunch of mindless robots, but the only way they can access your idea is by buying your book or watching your film. Of course, realization of this paradox is never really that much of a blow to the central idea itself: that the world we are living in, is full of shit. Apparently, judging by the popularity of the movie and the novel, many people entertain this idea. Clearly, the author has struck a nerve.
But on another point of view, this could also be taken to symbolize the might of the prevailing order. Mass culture has provided that the very idea of rebellion itself be a form of entertainment or a fashion statement at most. Take for example, Che Guevarra, the Argentinian guerrilla-doctor who spent his life fighting capitalism, only to have his face end up in T-shirts and various merchandise. I don't know, but I think there's something wrong with that. This might be too much a stretch of the imagination, but still, the possibility is there.
Jul 10, '07
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