Fight Club: The Book by Chuck Palaniuk
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Did you love Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk? Find similar books here.
Since the movie of Fight Club came out in 1999, hipsters and rebels across America have been hungry for books by transgressive fiction author Chuck Palahniuk... and some of his fans aren't reading much else. If you liked Fight Club or any of Chuck Palahniuk's other books, here are some suggestions for similar transgressive literature you might enjoy.
These are science fiction, cross-genre, horror, literary fiction and creative non-fiction books that challenge traditional values and subvert the conventional narrative structure of realistic fiction. The fascinating characters, innovative literary techniques and unconventional plots of these books will mess with your head in the best way. I've included selections from a variety of cultures, time periods and topics, but all of the books on this page have two things in common: I've read them, and I think they're better than anything Chuck Palahniuk has written.
My Take on Chuck Palahniuk and Fight Club
I like Fight Club better than Chuck Palahniuk's other books.
I've read the following books by Chuck Palahniuk: Fight Club, Haunted, Choke, Survivor, and the autobiographical Stranger Than Fiction. I thought Fight Club was the best of the lot. Haunted and Choke both struck me as heavy on style and weak on substance. The characters in Chuck Palahniuk's books are certainly unusual, but that doesn't make them interesting; for the most part I find them to be superficial, one-dimensional caricatures. Chuck Palahniuk: Brilliant Author or Overrated Literary Shock Jock?
Condemn or defend the author of Fight Club.
If you disagree with my criticism of Chuck Palahniuk as an author, you may use the comment space below to defend the Fight Club craze or argue in favor of Palahniuk as a literary genius. Or you can use it to back me up, and maybe we'll form a counter-counterculture anti-fight fight club... if I can ever I figure out what that means.
What do you think of Chuck Palahniuk and Fight Club?
Chuck Palahniuk is a master author of experimental and transgressive fiction. Quit ragging on him.
reagan says:
fuck off and die. What have you ever done?
dannystaple says:
I loved the film, but yes "The first rule" has now become an over quoted cliche. That is not the fault of the author, people do that with anything that become popular. I know people who annoy me intensely by talking in Star Wars quotes for whole discussions. I will be honest and say that I've yet to read the book though. I am also noting that it is not just about shock - he explores a mental condition that leads to the protagonists very unusual behaviour - he was not subversive completely through deliberation, but through expression of a psychopathic side.
MikLint says:
Don't know about his book, only know the movie and it's one of my favorites!
Jack's Utter Lack of Surprise says:
Chucky P. took the alienation of consumption culture and created a wonderful work of art that contrasts the experience of alienation with the world that we live in. The desire for emotion, emotional release and the eventual ability to rest is amazing. Literally, alienation drove insomnia, and connection brought peace. The dude took the experience of American culture, the copy of a copy of a copy and brought back connection between individuals through emotional release. Kick ass ideas and metaphors. Fuck fight club as an entity, but the message was truly awesome. People just like the rules fight club and focus on that message. If you get stuck there, go back to Harry Potter. A superficial understanding of the work leaves me as: Jack's Utter Lack of Surprise.
cjsysreform says:
Dear whoever wrote this, you're annoying. love, Travis
Chuck Palahniuk's books are overrated, and I'm tired of hearing people quote the rules of Fight Club.
cjsysreform says:
The rules of Fight Club were interesting when I first read the book, but at this point I'm sick to death of them. The first rule of this page is, you do not quote the rules of Fight Club to me unless you want a big old smack upside the head.
Fight Club (The Book)
Books Like Fight Club
Below are a few books like Fight Club that address existential questions about truth, identity, sanity, the unconscious mind, and the human condition. The Double, Notes from Underground and My Sister's Continent are fiction, while Lauren Slater's Lying is creative non-fiction. All three books feature tortured protagonists weaving unpredictable, often dark tales of pathology, isolation and disorientation. Transgressive Literary Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction
More Books Like Fight Club
The following stories take place in alternative realities where the usual conventions of civilized life do not apply. These experimental novels explore political and cultural themes of social control, oppression, revolution, and dystopia.Naked Lunch is generally considered science fiction. The Long Walk and A Clockwork Orange are both what I would consider cross-genre novels and could be classified as horror, speculative fiction, or literary fiction.
Cross-Genre and Speculative Fiction
Enough fighting about Fight Club.
Leave feedback and book recommendations here.
Have you read a book you think Fight Club fans might like? Tell us about it.
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cffutah
Mar 23, 2012 @ 7:19 am | delete
- Enjoyed reading this subject, it reminded me of the movie again.
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dannystaple Oct 9, 2010 @ 4:25 am | delete
- I read a lot, but I've not read this, ad also not read Trainspotting. Hopefully, there are Kindle versions of these that I can consume on the tube...
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MikLint
Jul 15, 2010 @ 2:13 pm | delete
- I read Trainspotting years ago and, as so often happens, I didn't like the movie that much because the book is genius. Maybe that's why I should read Palaniuk's book, it could possibly surpass the quality of the movie (which I liked a lot!).
Curious what you think, did you see the movie, and which did you prefer?
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Kyecerulian
May 13, 2010 @ 11:09 am | delete
- I've always felt that the examination of literature requires taking bold stances! *grin*
Palahniuk is a breath of fresh air in best selling fiction. He manages to break from many of the norms without becoming completely unreadable. Too often experiments in fiction create frankenstein stories.
I liked your lens and I've lensrolled it on my Palahniuk book reviews. Cheers!
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cjsysreform
Aug 4, 2009 @ 5:19 am | in reply to Ramkitten | delete
- Middle ground? What, you want me to be rational now? Please... this is literature, not logic. ;)
All right, so Palahniuk's books are better than most bestselling fiction... but I'm not sure that's even saying much. I just bought two paperbacks at the drugstore, both bestselling novels. One is The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which I have high hopes for. The other is called Devil Bones or something equally silly... oh well, at least I'm not a book snob.
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by cjsysreform
I am Amanda Sage, and I'm an insomniac Kindle addict. I live in Somerville, MA with my boyfriend and our very spoiled cat.
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