I enjoyed this, the length, the stylized reporting style. It made me appreciate Bret Easton Ellis as a human being rather than a cultural device. I wish him more silly fun in life.
I didn't much care for the book "Less Than Zero" (perhaps I am of the wrong generation) and don't remember much about the movie (although I agree that the Bangles' cover of "Hazy Shade of Winter" is truly remarkable) but I absolutely was captivated by this article and read it through to the end in one sitting. Congratulations and good luck to Mr Sorondo.
Well done with this. Very readable and fascinating. I’ll admit I did not read all of it, but that is only because I am a BEE podcast listener so I knew most of the highlights already.
Not that it matters to anyone but me, but my first interaction with American Psycho was finding the novel in a Waldenbooks in a mall, opening it up to a random page in the middle, and reading about Patrick attaching a girl’s hands to his hardwood floor using nails (plural) from a nail gun and was admittedly horrified. I have since come to appreciate the work.
Thanks for taking the time! (And hello to a fellow listener!)
That’s a rough way to discover it, but I had a similar experience, at fourteen, when I brought the book home, expecting it to be a Stephen King-ish horror thing, but found some of the sex scenes and panicked, thinking my parents would find it. So I hid it in my closet and went back to Borders for Less Than Zero, then Rules of Attraction…
Didn’t read American Psycho all the way through for another couple years.
I'd never read any B.E.E. I was on beautiful Tioman Island, Malaysia, sat down with some German backpackers I knew at a shaded picnic table one aft. One of them had it. Asked if I could look. Opened the page when he's at the zoo, slits a boy's throat and acts all shocked. I thought, "Jeez, I go away for a year and Western culture's slid into butcherous ruin. How does this get published? Who's it for?" I read a few more gross passages for maybe a half hour, set it down, thought, "Yup, never going back." I stayed in Asia-Pacific for the next 10 years, till my parents began aging out, needing help, returned to Toronto. Never did touch the book again. Saw the film, thought it was too disturbing to finish.
I didn't know till reading this article that AS was meant to be arch 'n' funny, in that insider hypercynical NYC way. Still don't feel a need to return to it. Witnessed more than enough human garbage and awfulness via my eyes. Guess I like to have different thoughts in my head these days. But good to finally know what all the noise was about. I guess...
I read the Zoo chapter of AMERICAN PSYCHO to a group of bibliographers, abstractors, and librarians at a Banned Books Week gathering in Santa Barbara, CA (of all places). Not sure how much they were in tune with it, but they didn't murder me. Great study of Ellis and his work by Mr. Sorondo, BTW.
Alexander, this deep dive into Bret Easton Ellis's career is fascinating, particularly his early resistance to promotion and the editorial friction around American Psycho. It highlights the enduring tension between an author's singular vision and the business of publishing. I often find that writing the visceral, sensory-focused prose for my biopunk narratives demands a similar uncompromising approach, letting the story dictate its own unglamorous brutality rather than conforming to easier expectations.
Thank you for this! BEE super fan here. Well written, great flow and style. You both are inspirations to me. Keep stacking words until you don’t need to stack shelves 😁🙏
I think you’ll enjoy it! There are some interviews where he’s a little more engaged than others; the best are when he’s talking to somebody with whom he’s already got a pre-existing rapport, and their conversation is free to deviate from whatever’s being promoted.
The girls at the nail salon asked me several times what I was laughing or shaking my head at while reading this, had to read some parts outloud to them.
I enjoyed this, the length, the stylized reporting style. It made me appreciate Bret Easton Ellis as a human being rather than a cultural device. I wish him more silly fun in life.
this is how to write about an artist
I didn't much care for the book "Less Than Zero" (perhaps I am of the wrong generation) and don't remember much about the movie (although I agree that the Bangles' cover of "Hazy Shade of Winter" is truly remarkable) but I absolutely was captivated by this article and read it through to the end in one sitting. Congratulations and good luck to Mr Sorondo.
Really well done. Fantastic piece. Lovely rhythm.
Reading this great article about an interesting person almost made me forget how much I hated American Psycho
Well done with this. Very readable and fascinating. I’ll admit I did not read all of it, but that is only because I am a BEE podcast listener so I knew most of the highlights already.
Not that it matters to anyone but me, but my first interaction with American Psycho was finding the novel in a Waldenbooks in a mall, opening it up to a random page in the middle, and reading about Patrick attaching a girl’s hands to his hardwood floor using nails (plural) from a nail gun and was admittedly horrified. I have since come to appreciate the work.
Thanks for taking the time! (And hello to a fellow listener!)
That’s a rough way to discover it, but I had a similar experience, at fourteen, when I brought the book home, expecting it to be a Stephen King-ish horror thing, but found some of the sex scenes and panicked, thinking my parents would find it. So I hid it in my closet and went back to Borders for Less Than Zero, then Rules of Attraction…
Didn’t read American Psycho all the way through for another couple years.
I too had a strange intro to it.
I'd never read any B.E.E. I was on beautiful Tioman Island, Malaysia, sat down with some German backpackers I knew at a shaded picnic table one aft. One of them had it. Asked if I could look. Opened the page when he's at the zoo, slits a boy's throat and acts all shocked. I thought, "Jeez, I go away for a year and Western culture's slid into butcherous ruin. How does this get published? Who's it for?" I read a few more gross passages for maybe a half hour, set it down, thought, "Yup, never going back." I stayed in Asia-Pacific for the next 10 years, till my parents began aging out, needing help, returned to Toronto. Never did touch the book again. Saw the film, thought it was too disturbing to finish.
I didn't know till reading this article that AS was meant to be arch 'n' funny, in that insider hypercynical NYC way. Still don't feel a need to return to it. Witnessed more than enough human garbage and awfulness via my eyes. Guess I like to have different thoughts in my head these days. But good to finally know what all the noise was about. I guess...
I read the Zoo chapter of AMERICAN PSYCHO to a group of bibliographers, abstractors, and librarians at a Banned Books Week gathering in Santa Barbara, CA (of all places). Not sure how much they were in tune with it, but they didn't murder me. Great study of Ellis and his work by Mr. Sorondo, BTW.
This is fantastic—well done!
Alexander, this deep dive into Bret Easton Ellis's career is fascinating, particularly his early resistance to promotion and the editorial friction around American Psycho. It highlights the enduring tension between an author's singular vision and the business of publishing. I often find that writing the visceral, sensory-focused prose for my biopunk narratives demands a similar uncompromising approach, letting the story dictate its own unglamorous brutality rather than conforming to easier expectations.
Love it. That's the joy of honest writing.
I have never read a BEE novel, and don’t have much interest, but I devoured this.
I’m a huge fan of Bret’s fiction and just finished my final book of his, Glamorama, last week — really enjoyed this profile!
BEE is great. His nonfiction book WHITE is also good. 👍
Thank you for this! BEE super fan here. Well written, great flow and style. You both are inspirations to me. Keep stacking words until you don’t need to stack shelves 😁🙏
Oh! I found the older episodes of the BEE podcast, so I am going to eventually give some of it a listen.
I think you’ll enjoy it! There are some interviews where he’s a little more engaged than others; the best are when he’s talking to somebody with whom he’s already got a pre-existing rapport, and their conversation is free to deviate from whatever’s being promoted.
The girls at the nail salon asked me several times what I was laughing or shaking my head at while reading this, had to read some parts outloud to them.
Too long; didn't mind.
This was a delight to read ( over 3 days as a toddler mum)!
That's a profound and humbling affirmation that the piece is engrossing, thank you!
Barry Lyndon (1975) also took 3 twilights; you’re in good company.