n  "That's the big goal," she said. "To find a cure for knowledge."
For education. For living in our heads.n

Palahniuk'un yazım tarzına hastayım.

I just loved this. Brilliant and funny. Kind of gross in places, but there you go.
Vincent is a recovering (failed) sexaholic currently stuck on the fourth step in the Twelve Step program. His mother is a former felon and in an aged care facility with diminishing capacity. Vincent ekes out the money for her care, and his living, by working in an historical tourism village called Colonial Dunsboro, and by faking choking in restaurants in order to create a binding relationship between savior and victim, one that sees his saviors send regular checks towards his welfare.
Vincent is an endearing, complex and bewildering character and those characters around him are equally endearing, complex and bewildering. The prose is tight, funny and the plot rocks along in crazy directions.
This novel features the most hilarious consensual rape scene I've ever read (not that I've read many, I grant you), and whilst that may not appeal to some, this scene alone was worth the price of admission. I belly ached over it.
I know Palahniuk is an acquired taste for some. This is the second novel I've read of his (previously read Diary), but I found this even more impressive and much funnier; I loved it. It's one of those novels that when I put it aside for the last time, I immediately wondered who in my acquaintance I could compel to read it, just so we could talk about it. Highly recommended.

"If you're going to read this, don't bother.
After a couple pages, you won't want to be here. So forget it. Go away. Get out while you're still in one piece.
Save yourself.
...
What happens here is first going to piss you off. After that it just gets worse and worse."

I always feel a little stupid reviewing a Chuck Palahniuk book. It always seems like a futile effort. Especially with Choke, which opens with the above quote. How can you review a book like that? If you like it, you're an idiot who's too easily amused, and if you hate it, Chuck Palahniuk is just laughing at you, going, "Dude, I told you." You can't win.
Chuck Palahniuk seems like the type of author who thrives on negative responses. The man's probably wallpapered his bathroom with all the reviews trashing his books, and every morning he looks at them and cackles maniacally while he takes a shit. He doesn't write books for entertainment, or to make you think, or to (god forbid!) preach a moral or a message. Chuck Palahniuk is that kid on the playground who dug up bugs and shoved them in girls' faces just to see them run away screaming. His goal is to offend people, shock them, and just plain gross them out. Not much else.
Choke is a little more disgusting than Fight Club, and much, much less disgusting than Haunted. That's pretty much all I can say.

So why am I giving this book four stars?
Good question. I'm kind of wondering that myself.

I liked this book because I was supposed to hate it.

I still vividly remember the face of the librarian telling me she couldn't believe I liked "such a disgusting book" lol

Wow! A book about a suburban white boy with low self-esteem and mommy issues! How novel! I've been told time and again by friends I otherwise respect to read Chuck Palahniuk. Well, I finally did, and it made me realize I've got too many friends. Choke is deeply funny in places, but at times it very much does not feel like it has any kind of natural rhythm, and it often seems contrived purely for the sake of the sick laugh. I haven't lost faith in Palahniuk and will probably read something else by him, but this was not the book to convince me of his genius. The main character - Victor Mancini - is fascinating and complex. The stories he's a part of, however, aren't very complex at all, and even seem a little too orchestrated. As a result, the entire book comes off as a mouthpiece for Palahniuk's eccentricities. Given more of a playground to rough it up in, Mancini's exploits could have carried an entirely hilarious novel. But Palahniuk lets the ball drop and the novel itself comes off as one prolonged attempt at a joke. Sex addiction is funny for a page. For a significant topic of entire work of fiction, it comes off as a rather juvenile placation of angsty, adolescent dickery. If that's what you look for in fiction, this book is probably right up your alley. Otherwise, do what I probably should have done, and let your first Palahniuk book come with a different title.

NC

Dear Mister Charles Bukowski,

As you are always blunt, allow me to be blunt once. Is Chuck Palahniuk your son? Not necessarily legitimate one or loved one, but son nevertheless.

Why I am asking this? Because in "Choke" C.Palahniuk chooses this style, that can be described as realism (real life, everyday based writing), but it's quite familiar to your own style, Mr. C.Bukowski. And while you describe your everyday life and surroundings with "this life sucks" manner, I guess Mr. Palahniuk wanted to reach a Guinness world record of most people vomiting while reading a book. I know, it's a style, free speech and etc., but some scenes are too nasty, even if we are warned way before falling face first into it.



I heard American Psycho had quite similar detailed yuck stuff description scenes, and not everybody can stomach that. And well, in this book mister-might-be-your-son Chuck, writes about this character, that well, we all can relate somehow, but we aren't that sympathetic to him. It's like listening to someones confession, but you serve just like a bucket - but you just want the poor person to shut up. His mom is another matter - she is batshit crazy all the time.



I guess his book was supposed to be about redemption, even coming of age one, but even if I finished reading this, I didn't get any sense of relief (more like thousand crows shit on me). I don't know if it's a good or a bad feeling. I guess bad.

So, Mister Charles, take some DNR tests soon. You might be surprised.

Always somewhere around,

SadSunday.

“Soffocare” è stata una vera scoperta. Lo acquistai perché mi venne consigliato da una vecchia amica come suo libro preferito e a distanza di tempo riesco a capirne la ragione. Lo stile di Chuck Palahniuk è diverso, meno asciutto, maturato; allo stesso tempo, però, tocca i giusti nervi e vibra nella testa del lettore senza giri di parole: sa dove colpire e batte come un martello pneumatico.
Questa è la storia di Victor Mancini, un medico fallito, o più precisamente uno studente di medicina fallito che di medico non ha nulla se non le conoscenze che lo portano sul confine dell’ipocondria. Spesso sa scorgere la verità dietro la sua paranoia, altre volte prende degli abbàgli… Ma è anche la storia di un sesso dipendente che non riesce a superare le fasi della disintossicazione, di un figlio che cerca di sostenere le cure di una madre anoressica, la quale si sta lasciando morire di fame in una clinica, di un giovane che si ridicolizza in un parco tematico con indosso i vestiti del periodo coloniale: Victor è un amico, un bambino cresciuto, un credulone, un dipendente, e ha bisogno d’affetto.cerca delle risposte, e loro sono lì, sotto il suo naso, solo che non può accedervi, perché sono scritte in italiano nel diario di sua madre. Lei ormai non lo riconosce, crede sia un avvocato e non ha intenzione di vuotare il sacco. Una dottoressa sostiene di sapere la verità… ma le cose sono davvero come appaiono? Un romanzo disturbante, psicologico, e in una parola semplicemente bellissimo!

" Ύστερα ανοίγει την τηλεόραση, μια σαπουνόπερα, ξέρετε, αληθινοί άνθρωποι που προσποιούνται πως είναι ψεύτικοι άνθρωποι με επινοημένα προβλήματα, τους οποίους παρακολουθούν αληθινοί άνθρωποι για να ξεχάσουν τ' αληθινά τους προβλήματα"
_________

"Λέει: Έχεις κάνα νέο απ΄τον γιο μου τον Βίκτορ; Τον θυμάσαι;
Εγώ είμαι ο Βίκτορ.
Σταματάω. Αισθάνομαι έναν πόνο στη�� καρδιά μου, αλλά έχω ξεχάσει τι σημαίνει αυτό το συναίσθημα"

"Η μητρότητα είναι το όπιο του λαού"

Ο συγγραφέας του Fight Club κανιβαλίζει ο,τι πίστευες ως τώρα.
Αποδομεί θεούς και δαίμονες, πεποιθήσεις που τις είχες βαθιά ριζωμένες ως να πέσει στα χέρια σου αυτό το γεμάτο αφορισμούς αιρετικό βιβλίο.

[Ο Βικτορ είναι γιατρός, παρακολουθεί συνεδρίες σεξομανών με 12 βήματα απεξάρτησης (απ' τα οποια κυρίως παιρνει ιδέες και βρίσκει νυμφομανείς συντρόφους) έχει κολλήσει στο τέταρτο βήμα όπου πρέπει να καταγράψει από που ξεκίνησαν όλα (γιατί τελικά λίγη σημασία έχει, έτσι δεν είναι;) Εργάζεται σ΄ένα γελοίο θεματικό πάρκο του 18ου αιώνα, η μαμά του βρίσκεται σε ίδρυμα γιατί ξεχνάει να καταπίνει · ο ίδιος πηγαίνει κάθε τόσο σε κάποιο εστιατόριο - διαφορετικό κάθε φορά- και πνίγεται στ' αλήθεια με φαγητό για να του κεράσουν τη μερίδα και να κάνει τους άλλους ήρωες και σπόνσορές του για το υπόλοιπο της τρισάθλιας ζωής του. Γιατί:
"Αν κάποιος σου σώσει τη ζωή, μετά θα σ' αγαπάει για πάντα"
Στην δυσλειτουργική προσωπική ζωή του μπορεί να κάνει σεξ μόνο μ' αυτές που δεν θέλει, μ' αυτές που θέλει δεν μπορεί.
Ο κολλητός του προσπαθώντας ν απεξαρτηθεί απ το σεξ, κουβαλάει κάθε μέρα πέτρες στο σπίτι, τις οποίες τυλίγει σε μια ροζ κουβερτούλα να φαίνονται στον δρόμο σαν μωρά. Το σπίτι όπου συγκατοικούν μοιάζει να έχει υποστεί κατολίσθηση.
Κάποτε τον πείθουν ότι είναι ο ίδιος ο Υιός του Θεού. Προσπαθώντας σπασμωδικά ν αντιδράσει σ' αυτό, όπως ο διάολος στο λιβάνι, αναρωτιέται μανιωδώς " Τι δεν θα έκανε ο Ιησούς;" ]

"Βλασφημία" δεν είναι η κατάλληλη λέξη αλλά είναι η πρώτη που έρχεται στον νου.

Σύμβολα παντού. Ο Τσακ Πολάνικ παίρνει το πιο μικρο, το πιο ασήμαντο, το πιο ντροπιαστικό που μπορείς να βάλεις στο μυαλό σου και το αναγάγει στην θρησκεία, στην κοινωνία, στην ζωή σου.

Γίνεται όσο πιο χυδαίος μπορείς ν' αντέξεις -ή και όχι- μόλις του ξεφύγει μια μικρή ακτίνα συναισθήματος.
Ο μηδενισμός του χτίζει μια ολόκληρη νέα κοσμοθεωρία.

Και σ' έχει προειδοποιήσει γι' αυτό από τις πρώτες-πρώτες του λέξεις:

"ΑΝ ΕΧΕΤΕ ΣΚΟΠΟ ΝΑ ΔΙΑΒΑΣΕΤΕ ΑΥΤΟ ΤΟ ΒΙΒΛΙΟ, ΜΗΝ ΜΠΕΙΤΕ ΣΤΟΝ ΚΟΠΟ
Ύστερα από μια-δυο σελίδες δεν θα θέλετε να είστε εδώ. Ξεχάστε το. Απομακρυνθείτε. Φύγετε τώρα που είστε σώοι και αβλαβείς
Τρέξτε να σωθείτε
Όλο και κάτι καλύτερο θα παίζει η τηλεόραση"

Θεέ μου θα μπορούσα να quotαρω ολόκληρο το βιβλίο! Αν πήρατε τη ζωή σας λάθος, βρείτε αυτό το βιβλίο. Θ' αλλάξετε ζωή.

Σε ο,τι πιο κυνικό έπεσα τελευταία, σε μια εποχή που χρειαζόμουν πραγματικά μια αλλαγή ρότας.

(Και νομίζω ότι επιτέλους βρήκα τον αγαπημένο μου συγγραφέα.)

[*πολλά εύσημα στην ντόμπρα μετάφραση από τις Εκδόσεις Οξύ, που βρίθει βλαστήμιας και αργκό, όπως θα την ήθελε, νομίζω ο συγγραφέας. Καθώς είναι εξαντλημένο, μπορώ μόνο να ευχηθώ ότι ο Αίολος που το επανεκδίδει κράτησε το ίδιο ύφος και δεν "ωραιοποίησε" ή αυτολογοκρίθηκε στην γλώσσα του Πολάνικ που κυριολεκτικά τσακίζει κόκαλα]

[**αν κάποιος ξέρει που θα μπορούσα ίσως να βρω άλλα αντίτυπα των εκδόσεων Οξύ γι' αυτό και για άλλα βιβλία του, ας μου στείλει ένα μήνυμα, σας παρακαλώ!]

[4.5]

Inaspettato. È l’aggettivo giusto, perché credevo che avrei letto una storia totalmente diversa da quella che mi sono trovata davanti, e non potrei esserne più felice perché è stato un viaggio bellissimo.

Infatti qui il tema è la terribile inadeguatezza dell’essere umano di fronte alla vita. Il protagonista “soffoca” per sentirsi amato, per sentirsi necessario, per superare le sue insicurezze, ma questo “soffocamento” è solo una delle innumerevoli manifestazioni del suo disagio.

Quello che mi è piaciuto moltissimo è lo stile di Palahniuk, che nonostante ci stia raccontando una storia dalla tristezza indicibile, riesce a dosare la malinconia con un’ironia talmente affilata che ci impedisce di sprofondare, oltre al fatto che i personaggi di questo racconto, che sono tutti quanto meno bizzarri, non vengono mai giudicati dall’autore, e di conseguenza neanche dal lettore che si trova di fronte un’umanità abbastanza truce ma empatizza per forza di cose, perché Palahniuk ti porta a farlo.

Questo libro mi ha ricordato molto Wallace, nelle uniche parti che mi sono piaciute di IJ, quelle che trattano la dipendenza, ma anche Ellis, nel modo che ha di raccontare un certo tipo ti esperienze.

È stato il mio primo approccio con questo autore, ma sicuramente non sarà l’ultimo.

"What would Jesus NOT do?"
A sex addict who has fake-choked in so many restaurants that he has to start browsing the phone book for new material. A delusional mother, delusional doctor, delusional friends in a delusional life. There are so many great one liners throughout this book that if I highlighted, there would be more yellow than white within these covers.
Chuck Palahniuk has a unique way of taking down the curtains we erect in our own minds to escape the cruel, stinking, insane realities of our everyday lives. I can see why some people can't stand reading his work...because They probably can't handle having that curtain ripped down.
I have found his work to be humorous, painfully realistic, thought provoking, grotesque, and what we all want as readers...down right entertaining.
So choke on that, beeotches!

En “Asfixia” nada es lo que parece. Pero su protagonista, Victor Mancini, cae en un torbellino de locura empeñado por darle sentido a su vida, dilucidar su origen y aguantar sus problemas financieros cargados por el sanatorio en que pasa sus últimos días Ida Mancini, su anárquica figura materna. La constante contradicción de la vida de Victor se va haciendo patente con la presencia de seres marginales que se mantienen a flote lidiando con sus adicciones y su locura desprovista de dramatismo fingido; tan solo encaran el día a día con sus simples victorias.

El título de la cuarta novela de Palahniuk señala directamente hacia la sensación permanente de ahogo que vivimos todos los días a costa de las convenciones, el postureo moral y el enmascaramiento de las pasiones. ¿Quién saca mayor provecho del ahogo a que nos sometemos bajo esas demandas existenciales por tener la mejor casa, el mejor carro, el mejor disfraz con que nos adaptamos? ¿Estamos tan asfixiados, tan necesitados de salvación, que ni nos damos cuenta de quiénes sacan los más enriquecedores réditos de nuestras profundas pasiones, nuestras pesadas frustraciones y nuestros envejecidos miedos?

Το βιβλιο αυτο λοιπον μιλα για...δεν ειμαι τοσο σιγουρη τελικα.ξεκινα απο τη σκιαγραφηση ενος περα για περα προβληματικου χαρακτηρα και θιγει ενα σωρο πραγματα και θεματα κοινωνικα "εμπλουτισμενα" με πολλη βωμολοχία και σεξ..στα σημεια που ελεγα οτι , ναι, τελικα μου αρεσει αυτο το βιβλιο, ερχοταν ενα τελειως κουλο κεφαλαιο που με πεταγε εκτος . μου αρεσε οταν εθιγε καποια θεματα ψυχολογικα ή κοινωνικα ακομη και με ωμο ρεαλισμο, ωστοσο αυτο δεν ηταν αρκετο.η βαθμολογια μου ειναι καπου στη μεση μεταξυ καλου και κακου..