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92nd out of 1,297 books
—
10,683 voters
Tell-All
The hyperactive love child of Page Six and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? caught in a tawdry love triangle with The Fan. Even Kitty Kelly will blush.
Soaked, nay, marinated in the world of vintage Hollywood, Tell-All is a Sunset Boulevard–inflected homage to Old Hollywood when Bette Davis and Joan Crawford ruled the roost; a veritable Tourette’s syndrome of rat-tat-tat na...more
Soaked, nay, marinated in the world of vintage Hollywood, Tell-All is a Sunset Boulevard–inflected homage to Old Hollywood when Bette Davis and Joan Crawford ruled the roost; a veritable Tourette’s syndrome of rat-tat-tat na...more
Hardcover, 179 pages
Published
May 4th 2010
by Doubleday
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March 2010, before: What's this? A fictional biography of a real-life celebrity (Lillian Hellman), reimagining her as a larger-than-life/legendary character? And it's by Chuck Palahniuk? And it's the length of an average novel? Oh, my! What could go wrong?
Oh, hell, I think I just jinxed it.
May 2010, after: But wait! It’s really just a tired, by-the-numbers Palahniuk novel, starring a bunch of tired, by-the-numbers Stock Palahniuk Characters, and lazily disguised as The Ultimate Hollywood Novel...more
Oh, hell, I think I just jinxed it.
May 2010, after: But wait! It’s really just a tired, by-the-numbers Palahniuk novel, starring a bunch of tired, by-the-numbers Stock Palahniuk Characters, and lazily disguised as The Ultimate Hollywood Novel...more
20 likes · like · see review
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Say what you will about Chuck Palahniuk, no one can claim that he’s scared of experimenting with different ways to tell a story.
In Rant, we got multiple character viewpoints as though they were reminiscences for a documentary. Haunted had a variety of characters telling fictional sort stories. Pygmy was written completely in the mutated broken English of the main character. And now in Tell-All Palahniuk is again playing with how the story is told. It’s like a hybrid between a screenplay and a go...more
In Rant, we got multiple character viewpoints as though they were reminiscences for a documentary. Haunted had a variety of characters telling fictional sort stories. Pygmy was written completely in the mutated broken English of the main character. And now in Tell-All Palahniuk is again playing with how the story is told. It’s like a hybrid between a screenplay and a go...more
12 likes · like · see review
This book only has 179 pages and yet i see that 13 of my magnetic clips ( thank you waterstones) cling to, self-evidently, 13 of the pages. They normally serve to mark things that I find particularly insightful or dates and details to remember but in this case they mark, to a large extent, places in this short book in which i have gasped in a none too controlled way over something particularly outrageous but funny.
Do not fear gentle reader, I have no intention of quoting them all but they do poi...more
Do not fear gentle reader, I have no intention of quoting them all but they do poi...more
11 likes · like · see review
Oh man. I am in love. I know I say this with almost every Palahniuk book I read but I definitely mean it this time: THIS is my favorite Chuck book. No doubt about it. It is literally everything that I want from a book. It has the best characters I've ever read (Chuck wasn't kidding when he said in an interview that he loves Hazie. I know she's my favorite character. She seems like she's the good one and she's only doing things to help others but she's really not. She's cunning and devious and so...more
Okay, not my favorite Chuck Palahniuk book. I'm a pretty big fan, read ALL of his books and have seen him speak twice, which is a blast if you ever get the chance.
Like always, he delivers in terms of a quick read, some social commentary, and a little bit of humor thrown in the mix (see: anything attributed to Walter Winchell in this book).
That said, the story is so-so. The book really hits its stride about a hundred pages in, which is over halfway.
If you're going to read this book, here are som...more
Like always, he delivers in terms of a quick read, some social commentary, and a little bit of humor thrown in the mix (see: anything attributed to Walter Winchell in this book).
That said, the story is so-so. The book really hits its stride about a hundred pages in, which is over halfway.
If you're going to read this book, here are som...more
13 likes · like · see review
After the disappointment of Pygmy, I was pleased to find Tell-All a coherent and entertaining novel. Chuck’s novels have progressively become more stylized, from the perspective changes of Snuff to the inarticulate voice of Pygmy. Tell-All is no exception with its scene-by-scene narrative complete with set up shots, voiceovers and flashbacks. As told by Hazie, she narrates her relationship with Liz Taylor-esque Hollywood diva Katherine Kenton, which includes multiple marriages, addictions, surge...more
Feb 09, 2012
Kevin E.
added it
It was inevitable that Chuck Palahniuk, who's last handful of novels have become increasingly reliant on attitude alone, would write a complete failure (he's been skirting the line since 'Haunted' which ended with Palahniuk's best writing, a hopeful sign that he'd be more along the lines of Vonnegut rather than a lazy, smarmier Jacqueline Susann (whom he name-drops, of course, in his latest)) and 'Tell-All' is the worst work yet of writer spiraling into irrelevance. [return][return]The story of...more
SUMMARY: Tell-All is many things: a Sunset Boulevard-inflected homage to Old Hollywood when grand dames like Bette Davis and Joan Crawford ruled the roost. A Douglas Sirk-inspired melodrama full of big gestures and muted psychic torment. A veritable Tourettes Syndrome of rat-tat-tat name-dropping, from the A-list to the Z-list. A merciless send-up of of Lillian Hellmans habit of butchering the truth that will have Mary McCarthy cheering from the beyond.Our narrator is Hazie Coogan, who for decad...more
Que el autor estadounidense Chuck Palahniuk escriba una novela ya es motivo de euforia, pero que se publique en castellano y se convierta ya casi en una cita anual lo es todavía más.
Quería evitar obviedades pero… del conocido autor de El club de la lucha, Nana o de la reciente Snuff llega Al desnudo, un sentido homenaje al cine clásico de Hollywood, y en particular a las divas, estrellas del ayer, del hoy y del mañana. A través de Hazie Coogan, quién se autoproclama responsable del éxito de su “...more
Quería evitar obviedades pero… del conocido autor de El club de la lucha, Nana o de la reciente Snuff llega Al desnudo, un sentido homenaje al cine clásico de Hollywood, y en particular a las divas, estrellas del ayer, del hoy y del mañana. A través de Hazie Coogan, quién se autoproclama responsable del éxito de su “...more
SUMMARY: Tell-All is many things: a Sunset Boulevard-inflected homage to Old Hollywood when grand dames like Bette Davis and Joan Crawford ruled the roost. A Douglas Sirk-inspired melodrama full of big gestures and muted psychic torment. A veritable Tourettes Syndrome of rat-tat-tat name-dropping, from the A-list to the Z-list. A merciless send-up of of Lillian Hellmans habit of butchering the truth that will have Mary McCarthy cheering from the beyond.Our narrator is Hazie Coogan, who for decad...more
May 14, 2012
Mariano Hortal
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
north-american-literature,
genre-contemporary
"Tell-all" de Chuck Palahniuk. El antiguamente transgresor Chuck se nos ha acomodado definitivamente en este nuevo estilo de novelas cortas, mucho más comedido que en anteriores. En definitiva aquí tenemos la historia de una estrella del cine de Hollywood en el ocaso de su carrera, una Liz Taylor al uso, con todo lo que rodea al cine y sobre todo sus "Was-bands" que constituyen todos los maridos que ha tenido, en una trama que se mete de lleno en la novela policíaca, por los intentos de su actua...more
I am really not into this author.
Maybe because I am not American,
Maybe because I am not male.
Maybe because of the cultural and social, as well as economical differences between the two of us, but his art does not move me. His work does not ignite my interest or enthusiasm, it's just like American psycho, cult, which I understand, but does not touch me, sort of "meh" as an after taste. I didn't like Fight Club very much, though I understand its appeal, I was kind of uninterested in "Choke" and no...more
Maybe because I am not American,
Maybe because I am not male.
Maybe because of the cultural and social, as well as economical differences between the two of us, but his art does not move me. His work does not ignite my interest or enthusiasm, it's just like American psycho, cult, which I understand, but does not touch me, sort of "meh" as an after taste. I didn't like Fight Club very much, though I understand its appeal, I was kind of uninterested in "Choke" and no...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Parts of this book made me laugh out loud, which is a rare thing for me.
I stayed up late reading the book.
Chuck Palahniuk appears to be a man of bold, deep curiosity. I saw the movie "Fight Club," based on a novel of his, and now I've read this. In both he seems to give the viewer or reader plenty of warning that things are not as they appear. In both works, they are not. In neither one did he lull me into thinking that things were as they appeared, which weakens the surprise of the endings.
He t...more
I stayed up late reading the book.
Chuck Palahniuk appears to be a man of bold, deep curiosity. I saw the movie "Fight Club," based on a novel of his, and now I've read this. In both he seems to give the viewer or reader plenty of warning that things are not as they appear. In both works, they are not. In neither one did he lull me into thinking that things were as they appeared, which weakens the surprise of the endings.
He t...more
Palahniuk's 'Tell-All' wasn't nearly as bad as some reviews had suggested. I am by no means recommending it to any friends but I wouldn't label it as awful either.
I had very much enjoyed several of his previous novel's and am not sure whether I have simply grown tired of his quirky traits or that he has lost motivation to create enthralling stories. It took no more than the first chapter for me to grow annoyed with the tourettes syndrome of celebrity names. In order to hurry this slow paced st...more
I had very much enjoyed several of his previous novel's and am not sure whether I have simply grown tired of his quirky traits or that he has lost motivation to create enthralling stories. It took no more than the first chapter for me to grow annoyed with the tourettes syndrome of celebrity names. In order to hurry this slow paced st...more
So, living on the East Coast and in a busy area, I can and do indulge my love of shellfish: mussels every way imaginable, lobster and paella at great Portuguese places, Manila and Little neck clams, crabs fresh from my uncle's dock at the Jersey shore. The one thing I've waited on? Oysters.
Last month, on a trip to Prince Edward Island, I had my first intro to the fabled delicacy: I waited to get the best, the Malpeque, and I got it raw. I wanted to be transported. I wanted to go to the next le...more
Last month, on a trip to Prince Edward Island, I had my first intro to the fabled delicacy: I waited to get the best, the Malpeque, and I got it raw. I wanted to be transported. I wanted to go to the next le...more
Jul 28, 2011
Peter Coleman
added it
Beneath the thin gold leaf of a lifetime’s achievement,
A cheap tin form stands, bearing its gilded skin.
Careful not to let tarnish come to its shine
Or to polish through to the dullness within;
The image of the statuette must be guarded.
For what will Kenton’s life be remembered?
Who she was, or what she did,
Or who she was presented to be?
Perched on the pedestal our expectations,
Collecting dust, the legacy.
Who will tell her story,
And whom will we see?
Gold or Tin?
Kenton’s legacy.
Katharine Kenton is i...more
A cheap tin form stands, bearing its gilded skin.
Careful not to let tarnish come to its shine
Or to polish through to the dullness within;
The image of the statuette must be guarded.
For what will Kenton’s life be remembered?
Who she was, or what she did,
Or who she was presented to be?
Perched on the pedestal our expectations,
Collecting dust, the legacy.
Who will tell her story,
And whom will we see?
Gold or Tin?
Kenton’s legacy.
Katharine Kenton is i...more
this kinda reads like a sequel to INVISIBLE MONSTERS. maybe a prequel. about halfway through, i was reading Hazie as Manus' mother. i'm not saying it was WRITTEN like that, but the two novels share similar themes of fame, beauty and sabotage to such an extent that it'd be hard to say chuck.p didn't have a flashback or two during the writing.
all in all, i liked it. it actually gets to be a fun experiment in reading while waiting for that classic palahniuk twist. and while i don't want to give aw...more
all in all, i liked it. it actually gets to be a fun experiment in reading while waiting for that classic palahniuk twist. and while i don't want to give aw...more
Pahlahniuk has a dirty finger on the pulse of our celebrity-obsessed culture with this slim tome, which details the formerly-illustrious career and (numerous) loves of screen Katherine Kenton. As told by her friend and confidante Hazie Coogan, the book is framed by Lillian Hellman's (fictional) magnum opus in which the author of "Little Foxes" and other seminal works does her best to kick Nazi ass, thwart Lee Harvey Oswald, and defeat the Japanese at Pearl Harbor. As Miss Kathie inches toward ye...more
I've been a fan of Palahniuk's work for a while, so I know how strange his work can get. This book really is no exception.
Tell-All is told from the viewpoint of Hazie Coogan, a woman who has been taking care of actress Katherine "Miss Kathie" Kenton for ages. She's faithfully cleaned every spot in the house, watched every would be lover, polished every flaw in Miss Kathie's appearance. When a new man steps up to claim Kenton's love, Hazie just knows that he's out to use the aging starlet in som...more
Tell-All is told from the viewpoint of Hazie Coogan, a woman who has been taking care of actress Katherine "Miss Kathie" Kenton for ages. She's faithfully cleaned every spot in the house, watched every would be lover, polished every flaw in Miss Kathie's appearance. When a new man steps up to claim Kenton's love, Hazie just knows that he's out to use the aging starlet in som...more
What I like about CP is how he is willing to experiment with different ways of telling a story. Rant is an example of a successful experiment. Tell All is an example of an unsuccessful experiment.
One major problem with the book is voice. The first person protagonist is just not fun to read. It is possible to write unlikable people as good narrators, and CP has done it before; he did this especially well in Choke. In this case, the voice was annoying, grating, nearly unreadable for the first hal...more
One major problem with the book is voice. The first person protagonist is just not fun to read. It is possible to write unlikable people as good narrators, and CP has done it before; he did this especially well in Choke. In this case, the voice was annoying, grating, nearly unreadable for the first hal...more
6 likes · like · see review
I have been a fan of Chuck Palahniuk from the first book, Fight Club to his present novel. In his next comedic gore and gross gem is a nasty bit of Hollywood tale told in snippets and snappets of technical film terms, insisting on being the director of our vision of this novelette.
Twisted and plot twisted, it is about a maid who narrates as a voice over, the hilarity of a film star self absorbed to portray the female version of every history greats from Napoleon to Ms. Leonardo Da Vinci in a mo...more
While voice performer Hillary Huber records for a number of major publishers this listener is delighted that Blackstone signed her on for TELL-ALL. She delivers a controlled, easy listening narration - "controlled" is not easy to do when the author is Chuck Palahniuk Those who have read or heard his previous works (Pygmy, Fight Club, Invisible Monsters, to mention a few) know he's one of the most inventive authors working today - unpredictable, ambitious in subject matter, funny, and impossible...more
Chuck's new book follows in the overly stylized vein used in Pygmy and Rant. I have to admit that while I love Chuck, I wasn't crazy about either Pygmy or Rant. Luckily, the uber-stylization works for not against Tell-All. I found this send-up of Hollywood insider biographies to be very funny, exceedingly clever, and downright witty. Sure it was overly repetitive at some points, but it was a fun ride nonetheless.
I'm curious to see how Tell-All goes over with typical Chuck fans. As a bookseller,...more
I'm curious to see how Tell-All goes over with typical Chuck fans. As a bookseller,...more
3 likes · like · see review
You can think of this as a vintage Hollywood version of "Glamorama" by Bret Easton Ellis. It's a constant barrage of celebrity name-dropping (and in bold print, no less) with a slew of camera directions and editing room speak. Instead of Christian Bale we get Mickey Rooney. Kate Moss is replaced with women like Monroe, Garbo, and Joan Crawford. So if you enjoyed that aspect of machine gun pop-culture in "Glamorama," then "Tell All" delivers the same thing in a nostalgic, grainy reel.
As if to bui...more
As if to bui...more
Sigh. Oh Chuck. You're just convinced that you've found the magic formula, and you can churn out a book every year or two indefinitely, aren't you? I mean, this isn't as bad as Pygmy, or even Snuff, but it's on the same level as them. Ugh. First, it is barely a book; if we acknowledge that every new chapter has half a blank page to mark it, this is like a 150-page book. Second, why is the repetetive verbal tick in this book (they are in all of your books, Chuck) some random three-animal-noise bl...more
11 likes · like · see review
Hollywood is a cheap target for satire, and it has been done to death far better than this on numerous occasions. Palahnluk picks usual topics to skewer in his own way, but it is unclear why he chose this one and why he chose the method that he did. Told by a "Thelma Ritter like caretaker," Tell-All relates the story of Kathy Kenton, a film icon looking for a comeback and for true love. Kenton is an amalgamation of recognizable stars of Hollywood's earlier years, but anachronistic pairings of na...more
2 likes · like · see review
C'è una sindrome che mi attanaglia: se uno scrittore mi piace, se almeno due romanzi mi sono piaciuti, io devo avere tutti i suoi lavori successivi. Parliamone... Chuck, mio Dio! Uno legge Fight Club e dice wow! Poi leggi Survivor, ok non è come il primo ma notevolissimo, Invisible Monster, idem, beh, non proprio come i primi due... Ed e come quando cominci a correre giù per un prato in discesa: fermarsi è difficile, cappero! Così libro dopo libro tu aspetti la ripresa, e ti piace sempre meno, m...more
If you like quirky (and I DO like quirky) you can't seem to go wrong with books by Chuck Palahniuk. This latest effort is satirical, farcical romp through Hollywood and its culture of fame: real, imagined and faded. It turns "name dropping" into a high art. The story is a first person narrative told by a wannabe actress (Hazie Coogan) who turns out to be the Ms. Everything (maid, cook, secretary, protector, companion, etc.) to a highly acclaimed A-List actress (Katherine Keaton) who is now many...more
Ok. So I finished this book this morning and I really don't know what to say other than I feel very empty.
The first act of this novel was absolutely boring, pointless and overall crap. The name drops are so overused that I zoned out over and over again, hoping there was a point to the madness. There was no point. It's invisible monsters part two with shitty characters and no plot.
The story really picks up at the start of act two. Unfortunately, it took more than half of the book to get there a...more
The first act of this novel was absolutely boring, pointless and overall crap. The name drops are so overused that I zoned out over and over again, hoping there was a point to the madness. There was no point. It's invisible monsters part two with shitty characters and no plot.
The story really picks up at the start of act two. Unfortunately, it took more than half of the book to get there a...more
1 like · like · see review
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Charles Michael "Chuck" Palahniuk is an American Transgressional fiction novelist and freelance journalist of Ukrainian ancestry born in Pasco, Washington. The press release for his book, Rant, states he is now living in Vancouver, Washington. He is best known for the award-winning novel Fight Club, which was later made into a film directed by David Fincher.
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“This woman is Pocahontas. She is Athena and Hera. Lying in this messy, unmade bed, eyes closed, this is Juliet Capulet. Blanche DuBois. Scarlett O'Hara. With ministrations of lipstick and eyeliner I give birth to Ophelia. To Marie Antoinette. Over the next trip of the larger hand around the face of the bedside clock, I give form to Lucrezia Borgia. Taking shape at my fingertips, my touches of foundation and blush, here is Jocasta. Lying here, Lady Windermere. Opening her eyes, Cleopatra. Given flesh, a smile, swinging her sculpted legs off one side of the bed, this is Helen of Troy. Yawning and stretching, here is every beautiful woman across history.”
—
80 people liked it
“All human beings search for either reasons to be good, or excuses to be bad.”
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49 people liked it
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