The Rough Guide to Cult Fiction discussion
What Books Have You Read?
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I love Hubert Selby Jr., as depressing as that might sound. I recently read Last Exit to Brooklyn & Requiem for a Dream. I think Hubert is the last true realist. His books are gritty, engaging, and heartbreaking all at the same time.
I haven't read anything by Selby yet, but in the last week his name has come up at least three times so I figure it's a sign that I should get on that. I've been researching his work and thinking Last Exit to Brooklyn probably sounds like the best place to start.On a side note, maybe if we could get a few more people posting in this group we could get together a group read?
Yeah, that would be great but this group has had some trouble getting off a the ground, although I'm not sure why.
Hi. Glad to see a little movement in this group. Casey-I just reread Hell's Angels a couple weeks ago. I read it 20-25 years ago. I forgot aboyt some of the great character studies/ descriptions. Just a terrific read. I'm going to read Rum Diary soon...hopefully before the movie comes out. I didn't want to see the Las Vegas movie with Depp. Saw some bits of it...looked real bad. Very Hokey. I did see the other adaptation with Bill Murray...which wasn't that good.
Stefani-I just read Selby's Song of the Silent Snow. I'm sorry, but it was just OK. It was written in 1986; so perhaps he had mellowed over the years? Maybe I'll try his classics.
I'm trying to reread the books of two of my favs--Bukowski and Vonnegut.
I also have an old copy of the rough guide. I'm just picking out authors I've never read before. A lot of pulp..crime, booze, drugs, etc...
Try the books I mentioned-hopefully you won't be disappointed. I'd like to try some other cult, non-Selby authors to try and expand my horizons a little. Any suggestions?
Thanks I will. Try Bukowski--hilarious, sweet, brutal, thought provoking...Camus is great. Sartre as well. Salinger..but you've probably already read the cult classics...let's see...how about Burroughs' Junkie (or Junky) or Huncke's Guilty of Everything. These are like Selby...Old New York...crime...heroin, etc...gosh, so many great authors and books.
Fear and Loathing with Johnny Depp sucked, at least I thought so. Overall I was greatly disappointed with the movie. The book is so much better, your imagination takes you a lot further than they are capable of getting on film. I read Rum Diary as well, although it wasn't my favorite, I was a little bored by it.
Hated that movie Casey-thought it was fairly gross and pointless. Thanks for all the good suggestions...not sure where I will start.
Stefani...Bukowski's poetry may be a good easy place to start. If you don't like it; then you probably won't like his stories or novels.
I will be starting Camus's The Stranger hopefully at the end of next week, I've never read him before but I heard that it's supposed to be a good book. Hopefully it turns out to be true.
It's one of my favorite books. I hope you like it.
I'm reading some HST right now. The Rum Dairy. It's boring but pretty deep. I'll post my thoughts on the book once I'm finished. BTW I thought that the Fear and Loathing movie was excellent. I'm sure it was hard to visualize Thompson's stream of consciousness. At the very least it gave Thompson fans something to watch besides "Where the Buffalo Roam," which was a truly horrible movie.
Rum Diary is by far my least favorite HST book. I thought it was pretty boring.I just finished Kingdom of Fear, and i really enjoyed it. It's now probably my second favorite by him after Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
I enjoyed Fear and Loathing. I started my first Bukowski this week and i think i will be reading more in the future!
I love Fear and Loathing and wish I had read it before going to Vegas a few years back. It's hard to compare a classic book with it's resultant film as by definition the book should almost inevitably be far better. But I thought the film was a good representation. Particularly Benicio del Toro's efforts.Of Salinger's books, I prefer Franny and Zooey. I think it's Franny's frailties that I find interesting and cause me to reread the series regularly.
My favourite Beat novel is Desolation Angels. It was the first I came across and nothing that followed was as compelling. I could scarcely look at a mountain for years afterwards without whispering to myself " Hozomeen, Hozomeen, most beautiful mountain I ever seen".
I love Thompson's Fear and Loathing. Favorite Kerouac is "Dharma Bums". Junky is a great book too. I read these once a year probably. "Slaughterhouse Five" is another favorite
Im pretty new to cult fiction and would like to know a good starting point? I have read most of Brett Easton Ellis', Chuck Palahniuk & Douglas Couplands books but when it comes to more "Classic" Cult authors I get a bit lost. Anyone have any suggestions?
I'm very partial to Herbert Selby Jr.-he's got kind of a rambling, stream-of-conciousness style of writing that takes some getting used to and might be a little off-putting. Well worth the effort to adjust though. Mary Gaitskill, author of the short story that inspired the movie "Secretary", writes skillfully about outwardly normal people having very unconventional secret lives-Bad Behavior is a good place to start.
Oh I loved secretary so I will definately look into reading some of her work! Thanks. I will also check out Herbert Selby Jr next time I go to the library. Is there one of his that is a good place to start?
Ham on Rye, by Bukowski, is my favorite book. I've been reading a lot of Bizarro stuff. Oh, and Harry Crews. Has anyone ever heard of him? He's amazing.
Have you read the new book with all of his letters to and From Rolling stone? Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone? It's incredible. Casey wrote: "OK, so in an attempt to try and bring this group back to life, I'm going to start a new discussion since hardly anything has been posted. What books or authors have you read? What are your favorite..."
Scott wrote: "Hi. Glad to see a little movement in this group.
Casey-I just reread Hell's Angels a couple weeks ago. I read it 20-25 years ago. I forgot aboyt some of the great character studies/ description..."
John Fante, guys. Never forget to pay homage to Bukowskis fave author...
Casey wrote: "I will be starting Camus's The Stranger hopefully at the end of next week, I've never read him before but I heard that it's supposed to be a good book. Hopefully it turns out to be true."Just taught it to my AP lit class
Number one Hunter loved Fear and Loathing with Depp. The Rum Diary was the first book he tried to write but he never got it published, in fact he never really finished it. You know how they are after an author eats a gun. The book AND the movie we're pushed out very fast and they were a horrible last hurrah to the founder of Gonzo Journalism. Read them all, you won't be sorry.
I like the chapter when he ruminates on the ideology of the sixties, almost seeing the energy of that time "crest" Quite poignant
Mine personally is Hunter Thompson, I really love his writing style. The last book I finished by him was Hell's Angels and will hopefully be starting Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 72 soon , and rereading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.