Re: Brett Easton Ellis NJC

[Tamsin Lucas]

Hi Vince,
your last paragraph made me think "Exactly"!!! I too would be concerned that 
if I recommended AP to someone they would think i was disturbed at best :) 
but I guess it depends on who you recommend these things too.
I think much of AP makes for VERY uncomfortable reading and that can often 
put people off - it's sometimes difficult when we're confronted with main 
characters who are difficult/impossible to sympathise with, it's all to easy 
to dismiss the book (or film, whatever) itself rather than looking beyond 
the surface.
AP is probably fairly extreme in this (at least in my experience) and I 
think it must have taken a considerable amount of bravery to write something 
like this but I do find it interesting to read novels etc with what might at 
first seem to be very unattractive characters - RoA is a good example of 
this I think though the book is far less shocking on the surface.
I'm also thinking of many of Fassbinder's films - some of his characters are 
grotesque but he takes you into their emotional life and I find that deeply 
affecting. As you say this can hold a mirror up to ourselves - it might not 
be comfortable but it surely is interesting and it might even be rewarding.
I think maybe you could put Eminem in that bracket too - ? Some of his stuff 
makes me uncomfortable but it cerainly makes me think.

And yes! I remember now that in RoA Sean refers to his older brother 
Patrick.
I haven't read Glamorama either but I really think I must now.
tamsin



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