1215 The Exorcist, by William Peter Blatty (read 24 Apr 1973) Words fail me! It is a horrid and horrifying book and utterly absorbing, also images unspeakably revolting. Regan Teresa McNeil is an 11-year-old girl possessed by the devil. The novel reminds me of Begone Satan, the pamphlet of the Earling possession case, but in this book all the obscenity--blasphemous in the extreme at times--is disgustingly spelled out. It is the most compelling book, I forced myself to go to bed about 11 P.M.last night. I slept poorly and finally got up at 5 A.M. to read the last section, when Father Merrin, S.J., comes to the exorcism. One wishes it were longer. It is so absorbing, so interesting, one is so dismayed it ends. There is one thing: the calmness (relatively) of the persons who know in the face of the overwhelming madness and strangeness--you know by this it is fiction. How could Clare (the mother), Sharon (the secretary), Karl & Willie (the housekeepers) go on--and not believe? They couldn't. St Joseph Convent, Earling, was a far better place for an exorcism, for the reasons Father Theophilus gave out at the beginning as the reason for bringing the possessed woman to Earling. I would like to read true studies of demonic possession. Sadly, the language and the incredible obscenity of this book make it non-recommendable to many. But gripping is a totally inadequate word for it. ( )

This is simply one of the best horror books of all time. It ranks with Dracula. ( )

Very, very amusing ( )

Quite interesting ( )

Very interesting ( )