Less than Zero

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By Brett Easton Ellis

(the guy who wrote american psycho)

This shit is fucked up. Its a depressing account of 19-20 year old south california brahs from the early 80's doing mad coke, partying, being from california, having gay sex, heroin, rape etc..Theres no moral center and the narrator is basically part of it so the book has a very bleak look on things. I highly recommend it.

Anyone ever read it? He also wrote 'The Rules of Attraction' and 'American Psycho'

Quote:

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Originally Posted by maestro wooz

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having gay sex, I highly recommend it.

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Cmon man.

?^

I am a fan of Ellis,apperently he wrote Less Than Zero while on a meth binge, which explains ALOT.

I'm pretty sure he did not write it on a meth binge.

But yeah, the first book i read by him, and it's great.

The whole thing sort of just floats by, and you reach the end and realise what a fucked up situation these people are in.

It's fucking bleak as anything ive ever read.

The ambivalence of all character to the plight of others is striking but the book almost lulls you into accepting this without question.

Well written, and definitely warrants a re read if you're that way inclined.

Pat, he (Ellis) says at the start of his most recent book, Lunar Park, that indeed Less Than Zero was written during a crystal-meth binge..."I had written it quickly in an eight-week crystal-meth binge on the floor of my bedroom in L.A..

Anyway, I haven't read it but desperately want to. I only got into the author quite recently. American Psycho is probably my favourite book ever, and I am engrossed in Lunar Park at the moment. Just about to go and finish it right now.

I'm currently in the process of tracking down all of his novels.

Finally got hold of this. Fucken awesome. I love that motherfuckers writing style so much. I got Glamorama as well. Probably read a few other books before I start on that though.

Ah, yes Noel, however a lot of Lunar Park is tongue in cheek and outright lies.

I took that as a joke, in reference to rumours about his drug use at various stages of his career (in a similar way to the flippant drug use of Jay and him throughout Lunar Park).

Because, from what i remember he wrote it at college (not back in LA - additionally i can't remember if his family home was in LA, but i think he was living there at the time) and it took him longer than 4 weeks.

No doubt there is some truth in that drug use, but in my opinion it is exaggerated purposefully in order to lampoon his critics.

I guess neither of us will ever really know, but that was the way it came across to me.

There is a similar rumour about Jack Kerouac writing On The Road in a week on an amphetamine binge, which he subsequently debunked (although it was written on a giant manuscript of typywriter paper which he joined together)

Incidentally, Ellis seems to enjoy including errors in his books.

Re read some of the material from AP (particularly the parts where he reviews music) and there are several errors included (and i assume they are purposeful, because they are related to song names, lyrics and the like).

I'll have to look through and see what they were specifically.

His interpretation of the lyrics of Hip To Be Square is amusing and intentionally erroneous i assume (or maybe i just interpret Huey Lewis and The News lyrics incorrectly).

Rereading Ellis' books is very rewarding.

As an aside, Lunar Park was really good.

A lot of authors use so called 'post modern literary techniques' but Ellis employs them with skill and effortlessness it seems.

And he writing style and use of techniques is so varied.

Glamorama is the only book i can think of that i have read where the change in technique (i won't mention what it is, again, because you're reading it right now) was so seamless that i didn't even pick up when he started doing it, it just crept in.

Obviously the last paragraph i wrote is extremely confusing if you haven't read the book (maybe if you have read the book also).

Anyway, i see The Informers film is coming out soon, i have read some terrible reviews though.

Also apparently his next book is a sequel to Less Than Zero entitled Imperial Bedrooms.

I think it is coming out sometime next year.

elvis costello^^

Yes.

Word up Pat. When I read LP I didn't know anything about it, and I thought the biographical part at the start was just straight fact, and that the following story was true...until a whole lot of inexplicable, paranormal shit started happening. So when I finished it I did a bit of research on it and found out it was entirely fictional and the other people in the story don't even exist. If I'd known that before I read the book I wouldn't have taken the biographical part so literally.

Point being that yeah, I'd have to agree with you that a lot of the biographical part is likely exaggerated or simply not true.

I've only started reading Ellis recently and so have only read a few of his books, none of them more than once. I can't recall picking up on any notable errors in his books, intentional or otherwise, but I do plan to eventually read his books again, as they are hugely entertaining, fluent, easy reading.

I'm not reading Glamorama at the moment. I bought it recently but have not read it. I've now got all of his books and would love to just read them all one after the other, but I'd rather space them out as he has such a limited discography. Also I read a large variety of different types of books and like to mix it up a lot. I never read the same author 2 books in a row and tend to follow a pattern of fiction, non fiction, fiction, non fiction...and so on.

But yeah, I will be starting on Rules of Attraction later tonight. I look forward to that.

Book to film adaptations are often shit. I'm not really into them. Although after I've read the book (The Informers) I guess I'll dl the movie if it's out. Same with ROA. They're interesting to watch even though they're usually shit and frustrating.

I'd definitely be interested in that new book though.

Also I tried to reply to your pm and it said your inbox was full.

Yeah i can't send pm's anymore.

HI guys,,,I like this..... "I thought the biographical part at the start was just straight fact, and that the following story was true...until a whole lot of inexplicable, paranormal shit started happening. So when I finished it I did a bit of research on it and found out it was entirely fictional and the other people in the story don't even exist. If I'd known that before I read the book I wouldn't have taken the biographical part so literally."................

thanks for sharing,,,,,,,,,,,


regards...
sneha