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I have tried, valiantly, to keep up with Chuck Palahniuk. Upon moving here in 2005 he was one of my favorite contemporary authors. I worked at Barnes & Noble in Lloyd Center where we were all thrilled when he strolled in, unassuming, polite, clad in cargo shorts and running shoes, to sign copies of Haunted, which I had read and loved. He worked at a steady clip and never failed to be creative, provocative, and hilarious. The following year, when he put out Rant, I was eager to read it. I picked the novel up in its first week of release and read the first five pages or so. Then I put it down for about a week, picked it up again and read the first five pages or so. Then I put it down for a month.

After that I decided to get off my ass and read the book. I made it about twenty pages in before giving up. The book then made its way to the bottom of my shelf, and eventually I gave it to a friend.

And so it has gone with every subsequent Palahniuk novel. I don’t want to go so far as to say Chuck’s lost it, but the last three novels have not grabbed me. I was optimistic reading the liner notes for his newly released Tell-All, but a sampling of the first chapter and Paul Constant’s brutal take down at The Stranger have me doubtful. Have I simply read too many of his books? HAS he lost it? Or am I just waiting for another polished, sprawling work like Haunted? Let me know so I don’t have to wait for the Mercury review next week.

All that said, the synopsis of next year’s release Damned, posted on his website, does sound pretty cool.

4 replies on “<i>Tell-All</i>”

  1. I liked “Rant” but haven’t picked up anything since. I had just read “Riddley Walker” when “Pygmy” came out and I didn’t want to totally lose my ability to spell.

  2. He’s reached a point similar to Anne Rice after Lasher where he’s cranking out one a year and totally unconcerned with their quality. He began to lose it with Haunted, which had its moments. Rant had its moments but wasn’t very good. Snuff was just awful and pointless. Pygmy, I literally could not get through four pages of it was so awful. Tell-All I will give a day in court to but I’m not holding my breath. Still I love Invisible Monsters and Lullaby.

  3. Chuck mentioned that he wrote three or four books while caring for his sick mother. This was one of them.

    So Sean if you are worried about him spewing books out, the spew shall begin here with a (most likely) steady stream to follow.

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