Guts by Chuck Palahinouk - Writers Forum

Jaime Lannister · 03-31-2006, 04:39 AM

Words can't begin to describe the absolute rawness of this story. It's extremely graphic but sucks you in like I can't begin to describe. Check it out:

http://www.seizureandy.com/stuff/guts.html

WARNING: Extremely, extremely, extremely graphic. Did i mention it's very graphic? Seriously, kiddies turn hit the back button and go read e.b. white

A_MacLaren · 03-31-2006, 06:46 AM

See, this is why I don't really like Palahniuk. I know people will tell you it's the artists job to push the limits, but Jesus Fucking Christ.

I don't understand. It's very clever, it's very graphic, yes, I am shocked/disgusted/horrified, but there are some things I can't handle and refuse to handle, and this is one of them.

It seems that he's a bit of a one-trick pony. I know he has a lively sense of the grotesque, but I don't see the difference between this and any other idiotic urban legend other than a punchy style filled with one-liners.

I read Lullaby, and I liked it, but for the love of god, Chuck, cheer the fuck up. I know your Dad was murdered, but that was a long time ago. Maybe you can let yourself feel good about something. Buy a puppy or some shit, I don't know.

strangedaze · 03-31-2006, 08:56 AM

Quote:

It seems that he's a bit of a one-trick pony.

Too bad someone said it before I did

I'm not a fan of Chuck, but in a way I am. I like the space he's opened up in the writing game, and I like his creative dark humor and whatnot, but I intensely dislike the way he writes. Meh.

Avarice · 03-31-2006, 10:59 AM

ya its interesting but its graphic, i prefer ellis for graphic, palaniuk just seems like a geek.

A_MacLaren · 03-31-2006, 08:52 PM

I never understood the comparisons made between Ellis and Palahniuk. Ellis seems a lot...well, smarter.

'I am so smart! I am so smart! S-M-R-T! I mean S-M-A-R-T!

Bobochanti · 04-01-2006, 12:48 AM

I don't know what you guys are talking about, Palahniuk is an awsome writer. Yes his past few novels have been pretty bland (especialy "Haunted"). As far as the short story "Guts" goes that was probably one of the few highlights of "Haunted". It's really (to me at least) darkly funny. That's why I love his work, he has my sense of humor.

ButteredKazoo · 04-01-2006, 05:37 AM

I loved it. It's pretty disgusting, but I've read worse. I didn't know this was in Haunted. I have the book on my shelf, untouched, but I'm finishing up another book right now, so I'll probably pick it up afterwards. Personally, I like Chuck and his style, and I think he's a great writer.

Worlds · 04-02-2006, 11:25 AM

Im a fan of Chuck. But yeah, I can understand why some of you dont like him. He isnt the most talented writer, sure. His style doesnt lend to that, and maybe he cant write like bradbury or whatever. Still, I find his style interesting and I like his stories and some of the ideas he presents. In my opinion though, he hasnt and probably never will top Fight Club. I love that book. On a side note, I also love Ellis, but after reading Less Than Zero, American Psycho, Rules Of Atrraction, And the Informers, I found them mostly to be the same thing. With the exception of Psycho(which I think is a continuation and the future of the types of people he presents in his other books) his books are essentially the same thing. Teenagers and young people bored shitless so they do drugs and sleep around and sometimes get violent. So I guess Chuck and ellis are both one trick ponies, but they are good ones.

Avarice · 04-02-2006, 08:12 PM

ya ellis gets boring, all the mentioning of designer suits that fades into nothing. I hate chucks writing style, find it rubbish, but I've just watched fight club and feel very nihilistic so I'll prob buy the book off amazon, mainly because his story lines are perfect for the mood of society.

strangedaze · 04-02-2006, 09:55 PM

I pretended that Less than Zero and the Informers were the same books. AP was different, but still sort of the same. I find his writing style very palatable, unlike Chuck's.

Hodge · 04-02-2006, 09:58 PM

"Guts" is a disgusting story, but fortunately very unrealistic. Losing that much colon would probably kill you, and it wouldn't leave you unable to digest foods like pot roast (the stomach and small intestines do that), but it would make you have to crap every five minutes and it would be like diarrhea every time since the large intestine removes water from your waste product.

blademasterzzz · 04-03-2006, 11:55 AM

Trust me, if you think he has a unique gift of writing dark, horrendous stories... go read some fanfiction. Any fanfiction.

Anarachysjustpeachy · 04-06-2006, 10:19 PM

I've already read this. It's raw; gritty. I don't really care for it that much, even though it's a well presented essay. I have Diary in my bookbag right now. It's an amazing piece of writing if you ask me, but hey, what do I know? I've always been a King fan myself.

deftdelivery · 04-25-2006, 02:09 AM

I love Chuck Palahniuk. And I love him because of his accessibility and refusal to indulge himself with page after page of trivial details. He pulls you into the reading because he is a minimalist writer; he gets INTRIGUING images into your head instead of 48 paragraphs about the smell of the grass in Kansas. Sure, he's not nearly as gifted with syntax and sentence structure as other writers, but his ideas prove that he doesn't have to be.

I would much rather read about something that disgusts me and chills me to the bone than something I can't get into because the writing style is so pretentious and over-my-head that I would never understand it anyways.

Long live Palahniuk.

strangedaze · 04-25-2006, 09:25 AM

Quote:

...his accessibility and refusal to indulge himself with page after page of trivial details.

- maybe its just me, but i find his novels packed with page after page of trivial details, 'research' that is semi-interesting some of the time that gets tedious and crutch-like as his novels go on. it feels like instead of actually writing a novel he is constantly bombarding us with ridiculous facts. just my thoughts on that.

Quote:

I would much rather read about something that disgusts me and chills me to the bone than something I can't get into because the writing style is so pretentious and over-my-head that I would never understand it anyways.

- you know, i think i agree with you here. i always say it when chuck comes up, but i love his dark humor and creativity. i just cant stand the way he writes. i had a decent time with fight club, but some of his other books disappointed me. have you read all of Haunted, or just Guts? I didn't even bother looking into it, since it got some poor reviews. im looking forward to his next major work, because thats where hes either going to win me (and his critics), or solidify himself as someone perpetually on a decline.

cheers,

sd