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Loading... Choke (original 2001; edition 2002)by Chuck Palahniuk
Work InformationChoke by Chuck Palahniuk (2001)
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I'm going to admit the fact that at first this book bothered me. Not because of what was written, but because at times it felt overwhelming. But like most things, after a while I became desensitized and it wasn't so bad. And then...the ending came and it blew me the fuck away! Very rarely do I find books where the ending blows me away and I will say that this book actually surprised me in a every way. It's one of those books that you have finish and appreciate after the fact. I do like that the author exposes human flaws and downfalls in a way that is entirely plausible. It was humorous in a some ways and slightly depressing in others. But overall I feel that Choke did it's job and it's definitely one that I'll be thinking about more often that I would want to admit. In a word..RAW For those familiar with Chuck's writing, Fight Club in particular, a story about Vincent Mancini, a sexaholic who seeks the meaning of his institutionalized mother's diary while jousting with his demented sidekick Denny, its obtuse as are most of his stories. I found it difficult not to think of the Big Lebowski, aka Dude when reading this due to how Denny always refers to him as 'dude'. Chuck pulls no punches when pointing out the dysfunctions of human kind and his characters all embody them. Tongue in cheek humor combined with unadulterated bashing is what Chuck is known for. There's no rhyme or reason, moral or happy ending here. Just the creative genius of an author named Chuck. In his own right books of this sort should qualify for the Upchuck genre since they don't fit anywhere else!
Choke seizes the dirty truth disguised beneath our modern glamours and screams it loudly into your ear. You may find yourself feeling unusually militant after reading Choke – consider this a warning. In Chuck Palahniuk's 1996 cult novel ''Fight Club,'' a young man escapes the emasculating boredom of modern life by indulging his violent, antisocial impulses. Victor Mancini, the narrator of Palahniuk's energetic, exasperating new book, also keeps in close touch with his inner bad boy, though what it is he's trying to escape is less clear. His operating principle is ''What would Jesus NOT do?'' ''If you're going to read this, don't bother.'' So Chuck Palahniuk introduces the reader to Choke, showcasing the punkish style of his fourth novel from line one. The narrator, Victor Mancini, continues: ''After a couple pages, you won't want to be here,'' he warns. ''Save yourself.'' The hero's warning is the author's awkward wink, and there, in the third paragraph, you have the story's over-worked theme: salvation. So ''Choke'' is an uneven but still raw and vital book, punctuated with outrageous, off-the-wall moments that work as often as not. Belongs to Publisher SeriesIs contained inHas the adaptationInspiredAwardsDistinctionsNotable Lists
Victor Mancini, a medical-school dropout, is an antihero for our deranged times. Needing to pay elder care for his mother, Victor has devised an ingenious scam: he pretends to choke on pieces of food while dining in upscale restaurants. He then allows himself to be “saved” by fellow patrons who, feeling responsible for Victor’s life, go on to send checks to support him. When he’s not pulling this stunt, Victor cruises sexual addiction recovery workshops for action, visits his addled mom, and spends his days working at a colonial theme park. His creator, Chuck Palahniuk, is the visionary we need and the satirist we deserve. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.54Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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It shows the most un-sexy depiction of sexual encounters i have ever read. ( )