7.27.2010

Glamorama by Bret Easton Ellis


I'm not really sure how to review this book except to tell you it is unlike anything I have ever read and it will stay with me for a long time. My initial reaction after closing the book was wow this is brilliant and seriously crazy all at the same time.

On the surface this is an extreme satire of post-modern society and the celebrity-obsessed culture as we know it. Ellis combines models, celebrities, drugs, pop culture, violence, sex and terrorists to convey a sense of confusion, emptiness and dispair. The first half of the book focuses on establishing this plastic, superficial culture and the ladder twists it into a violent ball of mayhem that begs the reader to consider exactly where our society is headed.

While I did enjoy the book I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone. If you can't read Chuck Palhunak you most definitely can't read Bret Easton Ellis. That being said, Ellis has the gift of combining great writing with a great story - albeit a very dark and shocking story.

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Year of First Edition: 1998

With 546 pages this book puts me at 2,227 pages for the 2010 Summer Reading Challenge.

11 comments:

  1. :) I love how you filed it under the "WTF?" tag! I haven't heard of this story, but I might check it out and see what it's all about!

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  2. Extremely dark and very long! I guess I put this on my list for books to read when I want to be stunned and depressed! But you convinced me, and I just got a Nook, so I may be getting Glamorama...

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  3. Coffee & Book Chick - I hadn't heard of it either until the author started popping up in various articles because of his upcoming release of a new book. And yes, if any book ever belonged in the "wtf?" category, this one is it!

    bibliophiliac - Congrats on your nook! How exciting. Waiting until you want to be depressed to read this book is a good idea. Also make sure you have a happy novel waiting for you after you're finished with this one.

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  4. I'm tempted to make this my introduction to Ellis. I've been meaning to read him for ages but never really knew where to start.

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  5. Nymeth - I thought this was a nice introduction. I'm not sure I'll read any Ellis for awhile but when I do I'll jump to American Psycho. That may not be a bad place to start either.

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  6. Sounds interesting but not something that I'd like to read if it is geared towards the Palhunak type. I do know someone however that would probably like this so I will pass on the recommendation.

    Fortunately I never got into *models, celebrities, drugs, pop culture, violence, sex and terrorists* so I rarely find myself confused or despaired. :)

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  7. Eric, I've never got into all of those things either, but it's a satire so it basically just makes fun of them. I know you're just joking though... your comment made me laugh.

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  8. This book sounds fascinating. I have nearly finished Cosmopolis by Don DeLillo. It also paints a dark picture of the modern world, but here the main protagonist is a billionaire financial market trader, who is well and truly going over the edge. I am intrigued by these types of stories when they are well written, even though they can leave one feeling a bit depressed, or relieved I guess :) I will make a note to check out Glomorama.

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  9. Mel - I haven't read that DeLillo yet but I loved White Noise and Cosmopolis sounds right up my alley. I too am intrigued but these stories and I'll add Cosmopolis to my TBR list. Thanks :)

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  10. I've read a lot of Ellis and wrote about American Psycho in graduate school. If you want a gentle introduction to Ellis, Rules of Attraction, or his first novel, Less Than Zero are a bit tamer. American Psycho is very difficult to read for lots of reasons, even more so than Glamorama in my opinion. I think his best book is Lunar Park, but to really appreciate it, you need to have read Psycho.

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  11. Laura, Thanks for that advice! It probably would be better to ease my way into him. I'm a little nervous to delve into American Psycho, but feel like it's one of those books I should read eventually. Maybe if I get used to his earlier work and understand his pov I won't be so intimidated. Thanks, Laura.

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