Operation Chuck: Fight Club

Lemuria Books, Jackson, MS

Chuck Palahniuk has a new novel coming in October, a delightful book called Damned.  Better, Mr. Palahniuk is touring to one of my bookstores, Lemuria Books in Jackson, Mississippi.  Lemuria has never hosted Chuck before and to say the least, they are a wee bit excited.  The store has made t-shirts and posters promoting the event.  They are planning a party with a band, and an art show, and they blog about Chuck every three days or so.  Their enthusiasm is what makes my job fun.  Nothing, seriously NOTHING, is better than an excited bookseller telling people about books they have to read (and buy).  Okay, so maybe chocolate is as good....and I'm sure that Gianna can suggest a few things to do with inmates, but occupationally, book excitement is the best.

I'm still not going to date a convict.  Moving on.

Bookseller Zita sporting
a Damned t-shirt.

So Lisa, the terrific bookseller and editor for Lemuria's blog, emailed me two days ago and asked if I'd write a Chuck-related blog piece for Lemuria since I'm such a big fan.  While I want to support my stores in any way possible, I was confused.  I actually had only ever read about a few samples of Chuck Palahniuk books (reps are supposed to read excerpts of books in order to obtain a taste of the writing and story).  I'm a little crazy, though, and sometimes I suggest ideas without thinking them through completely.  For example, let's say that I suggest that I read all of Chuck Palahniuk's books between now and the Lemuria event on October 20th and then I could write authoritatively about the man's writing.  Never mind that we're talking about, like, a dozen books in 22 days and I have a full time job.  (I don't have a social life...but no, I'm still not going to date a convict.)

I am Liz's Mental Illness and Blurry Eyes.

Chuck Palahniuk

One book down, started this morning, finished tonight.  I started with Fight Club because I saw the movie long, long ago...and I admit I didn't really like the movie much.  I'm not a Brad Pitt fan and the Marla character was one dimensional and the only sympathetic female character (Bob with the man boobs) is killed.

I appreciate that the book Fight Club is slightly different from the movie.  Marla is significantly more compelling in the book, for one thing.  The "twist" is more transparent and far more believable.  And while the idea of Fight Club is about male bonding and the definition of masculinity, there's enough satire to keep me from throwing the book across the room.

I am Liz's outraged Intro to Women's Studies curriculum.

Fight Club is juvenile.  It glories in the vulgar practical jokes and tiny acts of anarchy that pervade the service industries.  It shouldn't be taken as a textbook.  It's one of those books where I think most of the readers take it too seriously and consider it The Catcher in the Rye of the 90's.  The afterward is testament to the ridiculous responses this book has produced, and actually makes me think I might like this Chuck Palahniuk guy.  We'll see.  I have quite a few books to go.

I am Liz's inability to sleep.

I realize that I'm going to be reading a Chuck Palahniuk book about every day and a half for a couple of weeks, and that's on top of the reading I need to do to prepare for my next sales conference.  And that full time job.  (Still no to the convicts, though.)  I don't sleep much.  Filling my time and brain with the unladylike lit of Chuck Palahniuk could rot my brain, but I'll try to chronicle my mental collapse properly.

Next up: Survivor