lmv@houxa.UUCP (L.VANDERBILT) (12/16/85)
Less Than Zero is written by Bret Easton Ellis, a college freshman or sophmore at Bennington. The book was billed as the voice of the next generation and takes you through the world of drugs, male prostitution, homosexuality, etc.. It was also called the "catcher in the rye" for the eighties. It is supposedly fiction, but after reading it I wonder how much of it could have possibly been made up through the eyes of an eighteen year old. Has anyone else read this book and if so what do you think about it? The book gets pretty sick in some spots (at least I thought so) but it does so with a matter of fact attitude. I didn't think there were many things left that could shock me, but this book did in a couple of parts. I think a lot of people will read it and say "oh, it's just a sick book" and not finish it or whatever. I agree it is "sick" but I also think that's pretty bad considering the author is only 18. I'm very curious to other people's reactions and/or opinions about the book. Lynn ihnp4!houxm!houxa!lmv
krantz@csd2.UUCP (Michaelntz) (12/25/85)
/* csd2:net.books / lmv@houxa.UUCP (L.VANDERBILT) / 3:58 pm Dec 16, 1985 */ Lynn Vanderbilt writes: > Less Than Zero is written by Bret Easton Ellis, a college > freshman or sophmore at Bennington. The book was billed as > the voice of the next generation and takes you through the > world of drugs, male prostitution, homosexuality, etc.. It was also > called the "catcher in the rye" for the eighties. It is > supposedly fiction, but after reading it I wonder how much of it could > have possibly been made up through the eyes of an eighteen year old. > Has anyone else read this book and if so what do you think about it? > The book gets pretty sick in some spots (at least I thought so) but it > does so with a matter of fact attitude. I didn't think there were > many things left that could shock me, but this book did in a couple > of parts. I think a lot of people will read it and say "oh, it's just > a sick book" and not finish it or whatever. I agree it is "sick" but I > also think that's pretty bad considering the author is only 18. I'm > very curious to other people's reactions and/or opinions about the book. > Lynn > ihnp4!houxm!houxa!lmv > /* ---------- */ Lynn, and others: Less_Than_Zero is a terrible novel. Don't let the Salingeresque affadavits fool you. Ain't nothing wrong with porno literature (see Portnoy's Complaint, all Henry Miller, some Mailer...) but you have to back it up, and Ellis doesn't. That he could write any sort of coherent narrative at the age of 20 is remarkable (I know from experience, since I'm 23 and I still can't) but that's tough bananas. His book simply shouldn't have been published. But it sold, so the book execs knew what they were doing, right? Go figure. Yours Literarily, Michael Krantz Courant Institute 251 Mercer St. NY, NY, 10012 - - - - - "The text reveals the process of its own production." (by the way, who out there knows what that means? (net.semiotics?))
lmv@houxa.UUCP (L.VANDERBILT) (12/30/85)
In response to my article on Less Than Zero, Michael Krantz writes: > Less_Than_Zero is a terrible novel. why do you think it is terrible? I think the book shocked me but I still think it was well written. > Don't let the Salingeresque > affadavits fool you. Ain't nothing wrong with porno literature (see > Portnoy's Complaint, all Henry Miller, some Mailer...) but you have > to back it up, and Ellis doesn't. I'm not sure what you mean by he doesn't back it up, could you explain. > That he could write any sort of coherent narrative at the age of > 20 is remarkable (I know from experience, since I'm 23 and I still can't) > but that's tough bananas. > His book simply shouldn't have been published. But it sold, so the why do you think it shouldn't have been published?? > book execs knew what they were doing, right? Go figure. Lynn houxm!houxa!lmv