BUY HERE (paid link): amzn.to/2CQc4fv Support / Patreon: / booksarebetterthanfood MUG www.zazzle.com/z/oir8l?rf=238... Why Modern Men Can Identify With Patrick Bateman www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinki...
Likewise: I need to check back in at the Clinique counter. I think I need to purchase a slightly more intense scruffing cleanser. I highlights my tan particularly after a session with my deep pore cleanser lotion.
I love the sentence structure variation in this book. The way Batemen goes on for lines without adding a full stop just makes him seem even more inhuman.
That’s Ellis’ signature stream-of-consciousness style, I believe. He’s used it since Less Than Zero. I find it very clever, however, in American Psycho when the narration of the book suddenly shifts from first-person to third-person to convey Patrick’s dissociation. I found that to be both very inventive and also really effective and unsettling.
@@BareBandSubscriptionthose were the moments that I read the book for. I feel I slogged through the damn near traumatizing scenes of murder, so I could get those moments of real psychopathy illustrated in the between moments. Some very interesting literary devices and motifs established and executed well. It’s a unique book, but I’m not sure if I’ll ever read it again. I read over the course of 3 days and I was very captivated, so who knows. I also wish I was more cultured to understand the nuances of designer wear, music from that time, or themes that I don’t fully understand having never lived in that time period. Definitely a book one would enjoy better if they lived in those Wall Street times.
@@carlosdiaz4322 I don’t think you necessarily need to understand the different references to clothing, music, pop culture, etc. The idea, as I’ve come to understand it, is that Patrick keeps up with this endless sea of brands, trends, media, etc just for the sake of fitting in, and yet the tedium and emptiness of it is driving him mad and, combined with his decadent lifestyle, causes him to seek out stimulation is the form of murder, and I think that’s very much how the book is supposed to feel at times. It often feels like a tediously detailed list of things that don’t matter and it wears you down until you’re practically begging for some kind of stimulation, which the murder and torture sequences most certainly overfulfill. One of the most troubling sequences in the book to get through for me, believe it or not, was the chapter of Patrick very meticulously describing his home stereo set-up in the most excruciating detail imaginable. It was so absolutely mind-numbing to read, it actually got under my skin a bit and had me actually yearning for another over-the-top sequence of awful violence just for the sake of something cathartic happening, and I was so relieved once that stereo chapter was over. That book can really get to you in a way that I find very interesting and, as you said, captivating. It’s hard not to read it even when it feels like too much. And like I said, it’s just inventive in a way I enjoy. Ellis has another book called The Rules of Attraction that isn’t as refined, I don’t think, but is probably the most inventive and playfully constructed book he ever wrote, and like American Psycho, those ideas serve a purpose. It’s worth checking out purely for those elements alone. It’s also nowhere near as depraved or violent as AP, so it’s easier reading despite having its own fair share of darker content.
The film didn't make much of an impression on me. I'm glad I took the time to read the novel. It is the most hilarious satire and, simultaneously, the most sickeningly gory book I've ever read. I loved it.
The movie doesn’t make much sense because, as Ellis puts it, American Psycho is a literary experience. It’s not about plot or character development, things that usually make a movie work.
@@kanava1119 in my humble opinion, the movie doesnt need those things to me awesome. I personally love it. But honestly I didnt read the book so I can't talk that much.
@@BTBAM819 The film has its value, Bale is perfect cast, funny moments, it’s well shot (love the celluloid from that period), so it’s not all bad. In fact, long time ago i used to like the film, then i read the book and came back to it and it didn’t work. To each their own, but i highly recommend the novel, it tests your patience but it’s certainly an experience you don’t get from the film.
@@kanava1119 yes luckly I found a copy of the book online so I will def read it. They say it's pretty gory and gruesome, way more than the movie, so I'm curious about it.
@@BTBAM819 Yes, but only a few pages in total include violence. Most of it is him going crazy, which Bret shows well through his numbing prose, very Hemingway -type stuff.
This book is a mood. I love getting wrapped up in his routine of brands, pointless banking work, dinner and bars with friends , phone calls the gym. I always find something new each re read. I love the passage where they have a group call and constantly put each other on hold
The absolute best way to 'read' this book is to listen to the audiobook . The rhythm of the internal monologues and the otherwise dull sounding lists of Bateman really come alive and resonate brilliantly as you start to hear them the way they were intended to sound. AP is one of my all time favourite books (if the scene with the jellyfish doesn't have you equally grossed out and dying with laughter, then sure, it probably isn't for you) but most people come to it wanting to read about the gruesome, grisly stuff - which of course they'll find - but the process of reading (listening to) it provides as much of a release to the reader as the action seems to help Bateman. It's like the violence that acts as valve of pressure to allow Bateman to make it through another desperately mundane, depressingly materialistic day, becomes an outlet for us the reader and our frustratingly mundane days. Love, love LOVE this book.
@@brianrunyon266 Pablo Schreiber of Den of Theives and American Gods fame is the narrator, and, I think, is pretty damn good at bringing the book to life. This is the best version I could find: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fng29MgqSNc.html&ab_channel=MichaelScarborough
The book opens on April Fools day, which I think is a wink from Ellis that it's not real. That and the fact that the violence is taken to cartoonish lengths. Bateman seems the be the embodiment of a psychotic male fantasy from someone working a vacuous office job around people they hate.
Top tier intro. Also, would absolutely love another Bolano review sometime in the future! Your 2666 review kick started me reading again and Bolano has become my all time favorite author because of it. Keep up the great work Cliff!
Great analysis. Just finished the book recently myself; many different feelings about it. However, the passage where it flips from 1st person to 3rd person mid-sentence completely threw me off for a few moments. Keep the books coming man.
Yes, but I was thinking his mind was cracking right there and seeing himself from a distance. Also, it threw me at the start of the book in the mind of Tim then at the first party we are now in the mind of Pat!
I highly recommend listening to the audio book. There are two videos on RU-vid with all eight hours. Definitely helped me considering I probably can't pronouce most of the high dollar swag that Pat describes in detail so much throughout.
@@AdaraFukuchiif I can remember correctly there apparently was some existential play that takes place in hell or something of that nature to illustrate like Frederick Nietzsche said, "Hell is other people" and to illustrate the corrupt nature of humanity all around. In the play there was a sign that read "This is not an exit." Well, if hell is other people and if hell is inescapable this checks out since you can't get away from people. Even if one were to successfully get off the planet to another planet, he, she, would still need food and water to live. Meaning they need the rest of the human race to survive. "This is not an exit" is a reference to the existential play.
Wow great intro, and great review. Recommendation: Growth of the soil by Knut Hamsun. It's my favorite book, but I haven't seen a review of it on YT. You already enjoyed Hunger, and I'm certain you would love this one.
I enjoyed the book. I found myself wanting to come across the violence as the first half is a slow burn. Then when it gets into the torture and killing finding myself wanting to get passed them as they are pretty disturbing but as soon as they were over wanting the next one haha. Film was great as well, saw that first so was interested in checking out the book.
Apart from the really gruesome and sadistic bits, which made me want to vomit, I found this book very interesting and unique. It's an accurate reflection of our materialistic world and how certain wealthy people live. I also found the book hilarious (like the fact he always needs to return videotapes and uses it as an excuse to leave). I like the fact that we don't know if Patrick actually committed all these crimes or if they were just figments of his imagination.
Something that really stuck with me in the book is at the end of a chapter where he's trying to turn girls into sausages, he breaks down and admits he's never cooked before. 27 and has never cooked, owns plenty of kitchen equipment which he lists but never uses... Maybe used a microwave once. Several other men in my life have praised me for the fact that I can cook (not well, good enough to feed me), and expressed shame in not knowing or learning how to cook. I learnt because I used to help my parents cook when I was a young girl. Although I can't say for certain, maybe there was something misogynistic going on with the fact that I helped with cooking more often than my older brother. I can say for certain that now I've been a transsexual man for several years: The gender expectations on me have changed. While I still help with cooking more than my brother (something which I would now put to me having more cooking experience than him), I am not expected to. I'm not pressured to be a presentable young woman anymore, I am expected to be an emotionless and empty man. This manhood is expected to be insufferable for men, this gender has to be a prison. Below here I'm gonna get on my political correctness soapbox for a sec so maybe stop reading if it's gonna make you seethe all day: The kind of man Bateman is exists. He's the guy who my sex worker friend met once, locked out of his car naked and reluctantly agreed to have sex in a hidden but public area, he was violent when they voiced their distress. He's the brothers of my bisexual femboy friend, pretending to not be related at all because that's somehow better than having a queer brother. He's the guy who hollers and gropes my femme friend, just because they're the only black person in that group of girls. He's the reason why someone homeless is crying in pain. He's the guy who raped and murdered Brandon Teena. He's the kind of man I fear because he blindly hates me for what I am. This is not a man to idolize.
As much as the book disturbs me and put me off at certain parts, I have to kind of say I love it. There’s something about Bateman that’s almost mythical. Like this vessel of a human being, completely occupied by the bleakest darkest part of human nature. The scene in particular where he’s at the zoo before he kills the child and mentions that he sees a woman breast-feeding her baby and it brings out something horrible in him. It’s like he witnesses something beautiful but he’s the complete antithesis of this and he feels this irresistible need to destroy human innocence. Hard to stomach but completely fascinating
@@BetterThanFoodBookReviews ''Why modern men can identify with Bateman'' This is another attack on male character. And men take it by saying to themselves - ''yeah, it's the new generation who is like this. This has nothing to do with me''. This is an inevitable outcome when men validate their existence by getting the girl. The standard is to increase your social status beyond other men, get the attractive partner, then lie back in the ''greatness achieved''. There is no great war to bind this generation of young men together. No villain. No ''other'' to fight.
what a great review good job, i think i liked the movie better but i did watch the movie before reading many times and i love christian bale as an actor so its hard to see past the great job bale did to portray bateman. But the extra depth the book shows of bateman makes it a tough choice both so good
Thanks for the awesome review Cliff! I too do love the film of course and bought the book a few months ago. Which one would you recommend more, American Psycho or Less Than Zero? Also on a different note what is your opinion on Michel Foucault? I think you've mentioned him once briefly. Jordan Peterson obviously hates him :D
I have a question when you're reading Novels is it necessary to read the details with concentration? like theres a lot of details like the color of the suit or the shape of characters face? I am reading american psycho and i tend to get fed up when reading too much detail like what type of suit someones wearing :/
This was PERFECT. Everything was just spot on. Good job. You look smack like Christian Bale too. Well with the facial hair. But wow that was very pleasing to listen too.
Nice Review! I needed the sobering thoughts after finishing this book just some minutes ago. One thing that irked me about your video was the extremely frequent cutting mid sentence. I get that this is a very common video editing style on the tubes, but I don't think it fits very well with your kind of content.
I wish I could buy one of these mugs, but I live in Brazil and that's is just sad :( Keep the awesome channel Cliff! And if I may suggest, there's a book I think you ought to read, it's called Anguish by Graciliano Ramos
I randomly picked this book up a month ago and finished it. Some of the killing parts were so hard to read lmaooooo but I can’t lie it makes the book quite interesting. I never watched the movie or anything so I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. Interesting is an understatement
I found it a little off-putting how many Clothing brands at strange types of garments I recognized throughout the novel. Perhaps being raised in Manhattan has its downsides along with the convenience and luxury.
Greetings from Mexico, I would love your review about "women" of Bukowski and hopefully read "The King of Havana" by Pedro Juan Guitierrez. I love your videos
Hey Cliff, I was wondering if you have read any of Thomas Pynchon's works and ,if you have, what is your opinion on the author? Does he fall, in the same pitfall as DFW, that it doesn't resonate with you? Would be very interesting to hear your thoughts on both Pynchon's early works, especially Gravity's Rainbow, as well as his later works, like Mason and Dixon, Bleeding Edge, Vineland. Thank you very much for the time you put into this, it is truly a pleasure to watch and listen to you.
I had to stop the audiobook version of the novel several times. To get the right mind set, to be shocked or mind blown. Listening to it for a second time, now..
Read AP with the opening quotes in mind. I never really noticed them before I read it for like the 15th time. When you have all the long reviews of stuff like Huey Lewis or food, you can tell they are not his opinions but things he read in magazine. One thing I just considered, is are the sex scenes real? I treat them the same as the murder scenes. Is this real? Great book.
Read the book for a challenge of the mind and literature skills put to the test Watch the movie to be entertained the John Milton - Paradise Lost comparison is absolutely mind blowing. You need to claim that idea if it is not already claimed through articles or peer reviewed works. It's a really tough read for people without strong stomachs, but I honestly think the book is better (completely over looked) and in some ways should not have been a movie (still glad it happened for memes). I'm pretty sure people are trying to copy the movie adaptation more for visual reasons. Yeah the parts when hes just repeating the stuff over n over is so difficult to read past (reminded me of bartleby the scrivener for its slow pacing and repetitive approach) , but I'm still glad it made it in because the emotion you feel is kind of meta and breaking the 4th wall. I'm sick of reading this same thing, buying into the same brands/ watching the same shows /listening to the same music. That blending of fiction with real life things makes it all the more important for what the book is trying to comment on our lives overall. Took me awhile to read as well, but I think that is how everyone should read this book (books these days are mostly about drawing the reading in so you are reading it all in one day). I'm not saying that books that are entertaining enough to read in one day are bad, I just like to switch it up sometimes read, reflect what I read and then pick it up again when I am ready. This book almost forces the reader to do so.
I actually loved American Psycho, very messed up but I really enjoyed it. Is Less Than Zero also good, for those who have read it? Great review as always
A good critical analysis, too many people on RU-vid seem to think critically reviewing a film/book is telling you the plot. You don't do that, I appreciate it.
Thanks for your review, couldn't have put it better. It's sad that it's still so applicable today. I've met quite a few guys who are unironically the very essence of Pat Bateman and his pals and it's depressing af to see.
" this confession has meant nothing " I heard the book is so violent that even the squeamish had to put the book down. I think the movie is a masterpiece and bale is brilliant in it for a relatively young actor at 26. Three of his books take on a theme of apathy depravity. He starts with less than zero about high school kids going into freshman year. Then he wrote rules of attraction based in a small liberal arts college who are all spoiled depraved kids. Then to after college American psycho . He takes the self absorption and not caring to the next level. Less than zero Ellis hates bc he said the 3 leads were supposed to be beachy blondes. He also said the only think the movie has in common with the book is their names. I heard he spends pages just to his apt layout .
Thanks i was reading some of the comments and it seems pretty intense and your video describes mature themes I might not understand. However, once im old enough i will definitely get this book, you've sold me enough.
I JUST finished the book. I came here to see if there was an explanation about the ending wich im not surr i understood. Did he remmain forever unpunished?
@@aidencurl2532 sure. but there's no concrete proof. personally, i think he murdered SOME ppl. not EVERYONE he says he did. like that higher up that when to europe he didn't kill.
I've seen many of your videos (but not all). It seems like you often discuss books by male authors and with male main characters. So I'm really curious if you can recommend any female authors.
Please do a horror novel, like true horror,not vampire and shit, I haven’t read any horror other than hp lovecraft, would love to read what you are reading
I wrote a book report on banned books. I must say that those people put an emphasis on the violent scenes. This novel was more than that. It was about his insanity due to his way of living.
Even the my other three class mates that were in my group did not really understand the point of the book. When it came to the presentation, it sounded like they took everything from one perspective.
coldplay261021 it takes about 150 pages to get to the excessive brutality so it’s obvious none of them read the book because if you had you’ll know there’s a great deal of fucked up comedy
