Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Anyone read Chuck Palahniuk's Haunted?

This is topic Anyone read Chuck Palahniuk's Haunted? in forum Discussing Published Hooks & Books at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/writers/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=30;t=000086

Posted by RagDoll (Member # 2757) on :

A stunning piece of fiction. Remarkably descriptive, well researched, plausible, and quite possibly one of my favorite books.

No description I could give would ever do it justice. (trust me, I've written and deleted at least three paragraphs from this box because its an insult to the complexity of the story). It does tend to be a touch graphic, but I'd recommend it to anyone.

Posted by onepktjoe (Member # 2352) on :

Haunted is the only one of his fictional works (I think he recently published a collection of non-fiction essays)that I haven't read, but I plan on reading it soon. I love this guy's style. I recently finished his novel, "Diary." It was a good read. Just for kicks (and for the oddity of this hook), I'm including Chapter One from that book here...this is all of it:

JUNE 21--THE THREE-QUARTER MOON

TODAY, A MAN CALLED from Long Beach. He left a long message on the answering machine, mumbling and shouting, talking fast and slow, swearing and threatening to call the police, to have you arrested.

Today is the longest day of the year--but anymore, every day is.

The weather today is increasing concern followed by full-blown dread.

The man calling from Long Beach, he says his bathroom is missing.

Posted by maria102182 (Member # 2829) on :

Haven't read it, maybe I should.

Posted by Gnomeinclaychair (Member # 2926) on :

This is also the guy who wrote Fight Club, for those who didn't already know. I haven't read that one yet, but I've read his Lullaby and his non-fiction book Stranger than Fiction.

That Stranger than Fiction book has an introduction containing interesting insights into writing and how he, in particular, does it. Haven't read Haunted yet, but I hear it's making a splash. I think his stuff's pretty good.

Posted by tchernabyelo (Member # 2651) on :

I didn't realise he wrote Fight Club.

One of my favourite movies, but I never read the book. Guess maybe I should.

Posted by AaronAndy (Member # 2763) on :

Kind of funny to see this here today. I found this email in my inbox when I got up this morning...

>Monday, October 17, 2005

>"1ST OVERDUE NOTICE"

>The following Library materials are overdue. >Please return them
>as soon as possible and pay the associated >fines.

> 1 call number:FICTION PALAHNIUK >ID:ILOG000278897Y
> Haunted : a novel of stories / Chuck >Palahniuk.
> Palahniuk, Chuck.
> due:10/8/2005,23:59

Ironically, I never read it. I checked it out and then forgot about it, and my wonderful library decided not to remind me about that until ten days after it was due back. Why they couldn't have sent that email two days before it was due I will never know...

Posted by Gnomeinclaychair (Member # 2926) on :

Anybody know how to pronounce his frickin' name??

Uh, he does make reference, in his non-fiction book, to a new type of fiction. To whit, Trangressive Fiction. Fight Club is an example. So is American Psycho (which they also made into a move, but written by another author). I guess the idea is the main character transgresses against something (the establishment in Fight Club, or shallowness in American Psycho) in order to teach the reader something about it.

Interesting idea.