Name some books.

[[deleted user]]

Read a transgressive fiction book? Mention it here so we can enjoy the weirdness, dysfunction, doom, bleakness or whatever other quality stuff is contained within :)

[Transvision Zack]

"Closer" by Dennis Cooper
"Mysterious Skin" by Scott Heim
"Less than Zero" by Bret Easton Ellis

Those are 3 of my favorites.

[[deleted user]]

Cool, tx :) not heard of those first two.

Some I read:

Mark Haddon - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
(autism sufferer pieces together the mystery of a dead dog)

Iain Banks - The Wasp Factory
(island dweller declares war on the animals)

Jonny Glynn - The Seven Days of Peter Crumb
(Hackney based nutter chronicles his daily routine)

Joel Rose - Kill Kill Faster Faster
(sex, violence and other activities for the recently paroled)

Laura J Hird - Born Free
(dysfunctional family tale of an alcoholic mum, spineless dad and their 2 smeggy kids)

[Transvision Zack]

Ah, thanks for the recommendations. I haven't heard of ANY of those, except The Wasp Factory, so I say we're more than even.

I was reading about Peter Sotos last night but I keep hearing mixed things about him. He almost seems like he's reached a point where he's actually TOO transgressive.

[Juls]

Some classics include:

Lolita - Nabokov
Catcher in the Rye - Salinger
Perfume - Suskind

[Transvision Zack]

When I was 15, reading "Lost Souls" by Poppy Z. Brite and "Invisible Monsters" by Chuck Palahniuk really flipped my perception of things, but I'm not sure how they'd hold up now. I'm almost afraid to revisit "Lost Souls" cause I loved it so much as a teenage wannabe-goth. I do have Brite's "Exquisite Corpse" still to read, though.

[[deleted user]]

D. B. C. Pierre - Vernon God Little
(Texas teenager is accused of murder)

Hunter S. Thompson - The Rum Diary
(alcoholic journalists in Puerto Rico)

Will Self - Cock and Bull
(2 strange stories: "Cock" - Over time, a woman grows a penis. "Bull" - A man wakes up to find a vagina in the back of his knee.)

Irvine Welsh
- Trainspotting (drug users' perspectives on life)
- The Acid House (mostly weird short stories but also contains the novella 'A Smart Cunt' about a heroin addict)
- Marabou Stork Nightmares (man in a coma recounts his life)
- Ecstasy (3 stories based around ecstasy use - characters include a necrophile and revenge-plotting thalidomide abnormality sufferer)
- Filth (story of a corrupt policeman and his tapeworm)
- Glue (not read this yet but apparently should be read before Porno since one of the main characters is in Porno a fair bit)
- Porno (Sick Boy from Trainspotting wants to make a porno video)
That's all I read so far but I think most if not all of Welsh's stuff is transgressive.
NB - best to read all of these in order I think, as most contain recurring characters.

I dunno if you'd count stories about people resisting oppressive regimes as transgressive fiction but if you did then I'd include George Orwell's '1984' and Markus Zusak's 'The Book Thief' as well.

[Rhiannon]

I'm not sure if this would fit the criteria but I really enjoyed Martin Amis' "Dead Babies".

[David]

Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson. It can be read in a couple of hours, and the narrator's words often turn into great prose.

[alasdair yo]

The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton
Hawkes Harbor - also S.E. Hinton

Anything by Kerouac would probably fall into all this shananigan as well. I think that even some Cormac McCarthy would fit the bill since The Border trilogy has a theme of dysfunction and discontent in society. :)

[Ashleigh]

I just read a book called in the miso soup by ryu murakami which was compared to a japanese version of american psycho but I think it lacks the obsessive descriptive side of things that Brett Easton Ellis conveys so well in his novel. It was still pretty enjoyable though. I also loved american psycho and less than zero by Brett Easton Ellis. Haunted, diary and fight club by Chuck Palahniuk. Generation X and J-Pod by Douglas Coupland.

[[deleted user]]

I've not read them yet but does anyone know if Nietzsche, Sartre or Camus wrote any transgressive-style novels? Apparently they address nihilism/absurdism/existentialism in their writings and I think Camus wrote novels... Futility, amorality, etc seem to crop up in TF so I was wondering about a possible connection there?

[Nina-Marie]

All the Future Fiction London titles- most notably:

JET SET DESOLATE Andrea Lambert
THRILLKILLVILLE Daniel Morris
I LOVE LORD BUDDHA Hillary Raphael
(also BACKPACKERS & XIMENA by Hillary Raphael, she's amazing)

BRASS by Helen Walsh

Stephen Elliot's books - MY GIRLFRIEND COMES TO THE CITY & BEATS ME UP
ADDERALL DIARIES
HAPPY BABY

Chris Kraus's I LOVE DICK rocks

[Nick]

Lexovator wrote: "Voices of the Repatriated Wonderland

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail...

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/95..."

Camus wrote The Stranger, which is beautifully written from the perspective of a man who everyone thinks is an evil sociopath. He also wrote The Fall which is a monolouge from a character who might not be too appealing but I wouldn't say it's transgressional fiction.

Sartre wrote similar novels but they are steeped in his philosophy.

Hope that helped.

[Nick]

surely the work of the beats would be appropriate
such as:
"The Naked Lunch", "Junky" and "Queer" by William Burroughs
"On The Road" Kerouac
Anything by Ginsberg etc.

[Timothy]

Geek Love definitely !!

[Corey]

Kiss Me, Judas by Will Christopher Baer
Hell's Half Acre by Will Christopher Baer

I have read The Contortionist's Handbook and Dermaphoria, I thought they were both good books. I like Clevenger's writing style.

Not sure if it would be transgressive but It Came From Del Rio by Stephen Graham Jones is a good book.

[Layla]

What's up with the posting hiatus, where are all my fellow freaks at? I need my peoples!

[Timothy]

Corey wrote: "Kiss Me, Judas by Will Christopher Baer
Hell's Half Acre by Will Christopher Baer

I have read The Contortionist's Handbook and Dermaphoria, I thought they were both good books. I like Clevenger..."

Just started 'Kiss me Judas'...been lookin forward to it

[Anne]

'H' by Stefan Bourque. Definitely has a Chuck Palahniuk feel to it.

This tale of obsession sets its roots in the corporate office, where what appears as harmless flirting leads to dark desires. The author shows us clearly where avenues of unchecked appetite lead … and it isn’t pretty.

Says Bourque, “I wrote this with a sliver of bitter humor that seems to skip along, hand in hand, with the unnerving downward spiral of the main character.”

That “bitter humor” is certainly present, even during the bathroom scene that most readers will likely never forget, though many will wish they could.

[Peter]

Just finished Gemma Files' A Book of Tongues, a weird western that features a couple of twisted gay cowboys who are into some kinky sex, Aztec gods that want to destroy the world, various nasty outlaws, and a whole lotta victims. I would definitely call it transgressive.

I'm also a fan of Derek McCormack, particularly his book The Haunted Hillbilly, about a gay vampire who torments Hank Williams -- and makes him a star.

[Jaselyn]

Leonard Cohen - Beautiful LosersBeautiful Losers

My favourite book.

[Ellie]

The Crooked Beat by Drew Gates. Came upon this novel when it was free on Smashwords. It's only available on www.punkbooks.com now. Worth a read! I'm all about supporting this guy.

[Levi]

you should try The Death of Bunny Munro- it would tick all of the boxes from above

[Lorenzo]

Favorites: "Crash" by J.G. Ballard, "Trainspotting" by Welsh, "Naked Lunch" by Burroughs, "American Psycho" by Bret Easton Ellis.

Transgressive novels I thought were utterly terrible: "Twelve" by Nick McDonnell, "Digging the Vein" by Tony O'Neil, "Watch Out" by Joseph Suglia.

I liked some of the ideas and useless information in "Fight Club" by Palahniuk, but I felt it was poorly written. Like for example, a lot of the similes seemed forced.

[Ashley]

Snuff!!!!

[Almeta]

Geek Love first comes to mind.

How about Pluto, Animal Lover

Okay...now I have to go add these others to my "To Read" list.

[Gertie]

I was mentioning this book in another group recently...

Others



"Nicholas has only one eye and is short, lame and hunchbacked; he finds himself living daily with the hatred a society obsessed with normality dishes out to those who cannot conform."

[Gertie]

Any of you read anything by Donald Ray Pollock? His characters are always a little... off. Makes for some pretty interesting reading. He wrote Knockemstiff first, which is a collection of short stories about some pretty messed up people. The novel The Devil All the Time is newer, his first book. Lots of damaged people in his writing. Although they aren't bucking the norm so much, since almost everyone else seems to be just as messed up.

[Redroc]

I've just got a copy of Kill Your Friends on readitswapit. The synopsis looks great. I'm also after Apathy and Other Small Victories, the kindle version looks pricey for a short book & there's only one copy on readit!

Just read Post Office. It was a good quick read, it's the semi-autobiographical meandering tale of an alcoholic with a mundane job...something I can relate to quite well!

Gertie, I'll add DR Pollock to my TBR.

[Gertie]

I hope you like him... dismal but fascinating.

Post Office, when I first saw that I thought you meant the Going Postal book by Terry Pratchett and was thinking "huh?". :-P

[P.A.]

I enjoyed Knockemstiff. An older transgressive story I read not long ago is The Demon by Hubert Selby Jr. One of the most disturbing books I've read in recent years.

[Gertie]

Paul do you think The Demon is something that would fit on the bookshelves of an apocalypse Goodreads group? The description uses the word apocalypse but I don't know if it is meant as something more metaphorical, would like to add it to http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/9... if it makes sense to.

[P.A.]

Gertie wrote: "Paul do you think The Demon is something that would fit on the bookshelves of an apocalypse Goodreads group? The description uses the word apocalypse but I don't know if it is meant a..."

Definitely metaphorical, not a literal apocalypse.

[Timothy]

Corey wrote: "Kiss Me, Judas by Will Christopher Baer
Hell's Half Acre by Will Christopher Baer

I have read The Contortionist's Handbook and Dermaphoria, I thought they were both good books. I like Clevenger..."

Love Clevenger....How did you read "Kiss Me Judas" and "Hell's Half Acre" and skip "Penny Dreadful"...it goes right in between those two, you'll love it : )

[Redroc]

Prolemodel wrote: "Hi All! I'm new.

I recommend an obscure but underrated writer: Buddy Giovinazzo..."

Another one to add to my TBR, doubt I'll find any on readitswapit but I'll give it a go.

By the way, I've started to add the above suggestions to the bookshelf as its looking a bit bare.

Pity there isn't a transgressive or postmodern search genre on either RISI or Amazon.

[[deleted user]]

Doing a search for "Rebel Inc" on amazon yielded quite a few promising looking titles, e.g.

Snowblind: A Brief Career in the Cocaine Trade
A Walk on the Wild Side
Scar Culture

[[deleted user]]

Behind the Hood by Marita A. Hansen. I think it's transgressive. I'll use the words in the intro to this group. It has "controversial subject matter (very much in New Zealand), repulsive characters (Tama and his aunty), antisocial behaviours (Tama and his aunty), grim storylines (yes), bizarre settings (not really, it's set in New Zealand) and other stuff that the normals don't like (not sure about this. But Tama is very offensive). And the chapters are structured unusually in the way it gives you loads of different viewpoints.

I'll cut and copy this and put it in the new section too.

[Julian]

You make Behind the Hood sound fascinating, Angela.

I second Ashleigh about Ryu Murakami, especially In the Miso Soup and Popular Hits of the Showa Era: A Novel. Both are brilliant, and the latter is wild stuff.

Of course, Lolita, Bret Easton Ellis, and Chuck Palahniuk are essentials.

[[deleted user]]

Julian wrote: "You make Behind the Hood sound fascinating, Angela.

I second Ashleigh about Ryu Murakami, especially In the Miso Soup and Popular Hits of the Showa Era: A Novel. Both a..."

Thanks, I loved the book.

I wouldn't mind trying Ryu Murakami's writing.

[Wesley]

Redroc wrote: "I've just got a copy of Kill Your Friends on readitswapit. The synopsis looks great. I'm also after Apathy and Other Small Victories, the kindle version looks pricey f..."

Apathy and Other Small Victories is brilliant, so funny. If you are after a book so funny you will bleed and shockingly dark, as I've mentioned before, get 'Malice in Blunderland' it is amazing - trust me. It's on promo on amazon at the moment too:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Malice-in-Blu...

If considering Apathy - you NEED this book in your life!

[Marita]

Behind the Hood is free for the next few hours on Amazon, so go grab a copy and see if you think it's transgressive or not.

http://www.amazon.com/Behind-Hood-Liv...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behind-Hood-L...

Either way, hope you like it.

[Jack]

Hi folks. I'm Jack Lutz. Seems like an interesting group, and I look forward to returning to it. I'm pretty new to Goodreads. I've been trying to figure out the best genre to market my book in - I call it a conspiracy horror but it's adventure, fantasy, historic fiction, extreme horror,dystopian fiction, occult horror, black comedy, satire, all in almost equal measures, with a bit of sci-fi and bizarro. I think it may have one of the most controversial chapters in a book ever written.

Anyway, I'm learning more about the term "transgressive," and I think it is a term that might best describe what I like to write. Check out my profile if you'd like, by the way.

Wouldn't Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five be considered transgressive? Probably a no-brainer. Excuse me now, as I must concentrate....I'm on my i-phone walking the tightwire at a circus.

TTYL! :)

Jack Lutz

[Jack]

I own it....Haven't read it, yet, but has anyone read "Killer In Drag" by Ed Wood Jr.?

[Julian]

Is that THE Ed Wood, Jack? Who was indeed a drag queen... I'd love to read it, if yes.

[[deleted user]]

Marita wrote: "Behind the Hood is free for the next few hours on Amazon, so go grab a copy and see if you think it's transgressive or not.

http://www.amazon.com/Behind-Hood-Liv......"

Saw Behind the Hood is free today, Marita. Why wasn't it free when I bought it! No worries, just being a trouble maker again :) It was worth more than what I paid anyway. Though, you made me late to bed. 3am that time as I couldn't stop reading it.

[Marita]

Angela wrote: "Marita wrote: "Behind the Hood is free for the next few hours on Amazon, so go grab a copy and see if you think it's transgressive or not.

http://www.amazon.com/Behind-Hood-Lives-..."

Yeah, I'm having a special promotion for Behind the Hood. If anyone else wants it for free today here's the link http://www.amazon.com/Behind-Hood-Liv...

[Jack]

Julian wrote: "Is that THE Ed Wood, Jack? Who was indeed a drag queen... I'd love to read it, if yes."

Yes, Julian, as Mike says. Has a cool pulp cover too. Feels cool just owning it. :)

[Julian]

Thanks, Mike and Jack. I had no idea! Now I'll have to track these books down!

[Redroc]

Marita wrote:"Behind the Hood is free for the next few hours on Amazon, so go grab a copy and see if you think it's transgressive or not."

Marita, downloaded it from Amazon, so will give it a read at some point this year (my kindle is straining under the weight of my TBR!) thanks

Anyway, I'll let you know what I think...not that my opinion matters!