Chuck Palahniuk, author of the contemporary cult classic Fight Club, released his latest novel last Tuesday, SNUFF. The story is that of small town gal, turned biggest porn star in the business, her relationships, lost child and her final act of grandeur; an attempt to set the record for the world’s largest gang-bang film â sweet Cassie Wright (porn queen) tries to service 600 men in one continuous sex act. Beautiful in its conception, but SNUFF mostly takes place in the disgusting green room, a holding pen for “pud pullers” that go to the set three at a time.
SNUFF is a wild, jaw-dropping ride that mixes beauty and disgust, tits and trivia, penises and vagina’s, but is so well crafted it as brilliant as any of his novels (eleven to date). The story flashes back on Miss. Wright’s life through her rise in the adult film industry, her fractured relationships, and her (unknown) child. The story, told through a few of the 600 men that eat corn chips, power bars, doughnuts, and soda while they wait for their minute. To some the story is gross, rude, (to me - funny) and as significant in its theme as any other novel out there today. As Chuck often does, he examines life, and society, and we see the wild character’s unique and pure motives. The story highlights the things we do (to our self and others) and the repercussions of our actions. In the words of the banger known as Mr. 137 says “It can only take a moment to waste the rest of your life.”
However, SNUFF, is as unique, cutting edge its delivery as anything he has ever written considering the graphic examination of human sexuality, the porn industry, relationships, men and women, Parent & Child, stardom, and consequences of human nature. Chuck often mixes well-researched trivia about the adult and mainstream film business while injecting some that seem to wild and might be his own twisted fiction. Every thing in the book seems factual enough as it’s told with through such compelling, gritty characters. The truth just seems to push the piece, no matter how rough the subject matter is Chuck’s words ease us through, or push us along. It is like the line, spoken by Mr. 137, about parents and their offspring, “Father’s. Mother’s. With all their caring and attention, they will fuck you up every time.”
Chuck Palahniuk has a cult following and is wildly popular, even if you have never heard of him. After fight Club his books really started to take off, as he speaks to a whole young generation of reader’s and inspires them to write their own story. 
Chuck, when on his book tour, is the most accessible author in the literary game, usually staying until one, or two in the morning making sure he signs as many books (for his fans) as possible. As the characters unfold, introduced by the number on their arm equaling their position in the line, we slowly get inside the head’s of a few of the Mister’s. Like Mr. 72, Mr. 137, Mr.600.
Rest assured, SNUFF is a five-star book, and trust me your jaw will drop as you learn the back story, mistakes and gaffes, but you will wonder if they set out to make a gang-bang flick, or a snuff film and one of the mister’s says “Didn’t one of us on purpose, set out to make a snuff movie.”
Chuck even has a (fan) website that he offer contributes too, “The Cult,” or Chuck Palahniuk.net is the Palahniuk universe, and where he (is now) posting monthly essays on writing as he has vowed (unfortunately) to stop writing after his next book (PYGMY) and focus on writing a book, on the craft of writing - with long-time friend Tom Spanbauer. Snuff’s one wild ride, and a hell of a read, it was all I could do to stretch out the book, I read it in 72 hours, but all of Palahniuk’s work is literary crack, page after page, hour after hour zoom by as the work leaves the reader in awe. Chuck is one of the twenty-first century’s preeminent writer’s, but he has been called a ’shock writer’, but the world, and people living in that world are an unsympathetic look at humanity, making Chuck Palahniuk, a story-teller extraordinaire.
Chuck is currently on his book tour, dates and more SNUFF information
For all things Chuck visit: http://www.chuckpalahniuk.net
Snuff book & cover art: RANDOM HOUSE
Chuck interviews Cassie Wright
Chuck Palahniuk signing photo Terry Fucking Smith and www.myspace.com/chuckcult
Chuck Palahniuk interviews (fictitious) porn star Cassie Wright parts (1-3)
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1 response so far ↓
1 Jimbo Jr. // May 29, 2008 at 4:00 am
“Chuck Palahniuk has a cult following and is wildly popular…”
So which is it? A cult following infers a small but devoted group of admirers. Chuck gets his books on best seller lists, optioned for films, has hundreds of thousands of people show up to his readings, and is pretty well the biggest living American writer next to Stephen King. Yeah, I’d stick with just wildly popular.
“…he has vowed (unfortunately) to stop writing after his next book (PYGMY) and focus on writing a book…”
OK, makes sense. He’s going to stop writing books to free up time to write a book (on how to write a book). But eventually that vow shall be broken. Soon rather than later. He’s already set dates for the sequels to RANT: 2011 and 2013, respectively.
“Chuck is one of the twenty-first centuryâs preeminent writerâs, but he has been called a âshock writerâ, but the world, and people living in that world are an unsympathetic look at humanity, making Chuck Palahniuk, a story-teller extraordinaire.”
I’m confused. And not just because of your loopy sentence structure. Are you saying that Palahniuk’s ability to create such a level of detachment from his characters that the reader has zero sympathy for them and their situations is what makes him a great storyteller? Offering an unsympathetic view of humanity…that sounds pretty pessimistic. Not to mention nihilistic. A big part of being a great storyteller is the ability to draw out meaning from even the most out-there of scenerios. Chuck even says that all his stories, when you get right down to it, are about alienated people trying to connect with others.
All that shock stuff they talk about is just there to drum up interest in his books in an age of anything-goes, nothing-is-sacred, shallow entertainment. At least he goes to the trouble of developing deeper themes and ideas underneath the “shocky” surface content — even if most of those deeper meanings are lost on the average reader of his work.
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