Glamorama is such an awesome cultural time capsule. Honestly one of the most stylish and immersive books I've ever read. I also love the fact that its second half is so dark, it gives new meaning to everything that came before it in the book, kind of like Don Quixote.
Thay was the only one I didn't finish. Quit after the first two chapters because it was so boring. And I couldn't get 20 minutes into that horrendous movie.
Glamorama is my alm time favorite. There is such a bibe to it and a feeling, i first went through it in five days on a camping trip and i loved it. The description is godly and adding a “real” plot to his book is a nice addition
Apparently when BEE met christian bale and the director before the movie, christian bale met him as patric bateman. BEE got so uncomfortably by his acting he actually had to ask him to stop. When you meet your own character and the actor is so good it freaks you out.
I read Lunar Park last month per your recommendation and honestly it was so good. I’m honestly still thinking about it. The audiobook was also good! Idk what to read next of his!
im about to finish glamorama and i got to the point where i couldnt describe what was happening to my partner because it would disturb him too much and I didnt even want to say those things out loud. ive never read anything like this
Getting to the end feels like going to war or something. No one will understand how you are feeling, no one will understand the vibrance of the horror… I feel you fr. I hope it has been “enjoyable” though!!
I find Bret grating sometimes but when he's on, he can be one of the funniest, most acerbic chroniclers of American culture. Glamorama is probably my favorite. Great ranking!
You should read the cipher by Kathe Koja and also between two fires by Christopher Bhuelman. I’ve only finished Lunar Park but it was great. And so far rules of attraction is nice to get through lots of characters tho.
damn. the ending of the video was brutal for short story collections 😂 and i feel like with all the hard to read/torture/gore/stuff we're probably just trying to get to know our amygdalas or something. 20th century art i think was mostly about dissociating but these days i feel it's more common to expect to get some emotional self-understanding and aren't just looking for a way out. p.s. my first thought about the ray bans was that you were high 😅😊
My first intro to BEE was the film The Rules of Attraction, when I was 13. I thought it was so warped, disturbing, yet fascinating. Absolutely loved it. Took me years later that it was actually adapted from his book and read it. The rest is history.
I wish I had seen the film at a young age....everything about it leads me to believe it would have been etched in my memory forever. Love this BEE journey you've had!
Haha thank you. I definitely didn’t hate the informers as much as it seems but I can’t remember anything about it except for the crazy number of Mai tai’s ingested by the guy and his dad
Great recap! I’m on a BEE binge I’ve read LTZ, Imperial Bedrooms and just recently finished Informers. It didn’t seem anymore like a collection of short stories then LTZ since all the characters were connected. I ended up really enjoying it and watching the movie too. I’m to old for college but I love the RoA movie and after your review I’m convinced I need to check it out. Cool videos! I’ll have to connect with you on Goodreads
Yes connect with me! I adore the RoA movie so much too. I hope you read his other books too because they’re great, especially lunar park and glamorama 🤓🤓
@@bookpogo Random recommendation but the quincunx by charles palliser is one of my all time favs ..also the unburied by the same other..very gothic and atmospheric..possibly more october/november vibes...
Really dug the video. Had a hard time getting through Lunar Park for some reason though. It felt different than all his other books-more sophisticated. And it’s him stepping away from youth culture which is something he does so well. The Informers has always been a personal favorite of mine because it’s Ellis’ version of a soap opera, or at least that’s how it feels to me. And you have this large cast of characters who are indistinguishable from one another, much like a soap opera, and everything’s melodramatic. My personal rankings would be: 1. The Shards, 2. The Informers, 3. Less Than Zero, 4. The Rules Of Attraction, 5. American Psycho, 6. Glamorama, 7. Imperial Bedrooms, 8. Lunar Park , 9. White
Wow, I felt the need to read american psycho in october of last year. I'm feeling the need to read either the shards or less than zero this year. What is it about BEE books that just feel like they fit in october?
I’m reading American Psycho now, my first Ellis book, and he feels like a modern F. Scott Fitzgerald except much darker. I saw the movie a long time ago so it’s cool to get into this book fresh. Top notch.
I finished Glamorama last night and cannot stop thinking about it. I had to look up a few podcasts to get other people's reactions. I think I liked it more than American Psycho yet I wouldn't recommend Glamorama right off the bat. I think people should read Rules of Attraction first, then American Psycho and finally dive into Glam. The book really made my stomach sick during multiple parts...absurd writing. Up next for me is Lunar Park and then The Shards when I get the chance.
lol yes I swear rules is his only non-violent novel so it’s the safest recommendation. Honestly reading his books in order is the move. Let me know what you think of lunar park and the shards as they’re my absolute favorites 🙌 I also highly recommend the shards audio book narrated by Bret
@@bookpogo Update on my BEE journey: Over the past few months I've read Less Than Zero, Lunar Park and The Shards. So far I've read everything except for Imperial Bedrooms. I enjoyed Lunar Park for its "silliness" and appreciate his twist on Stephen King novels. I definitely liked the father/son multi-relationship angle and how Bret was trying to cope with his own personal family demons. As for The Shards...I completely devoured that book. I didn't realize that HBO is making it into a mini series so it'll be interesting to see how that translates on screen. The ending of the book is captivating and Bret's ability to depict violence is truly a sick--yet mesmerizing gift. I can't imagine being 17 in early 1980's L.A....no rules.
They’re so different it’s reallllly hard to say. If you haven’t ready any BEE I’d say the SHARDS is a great way to start. Glamorama is a masterpiece too but the paranoia and horror and blurring between the real and imagined is 1000x more intense. Both are big too. I hope this helped even without a clear answer haha. I think everybody should read all of his books regardless of order
yes! this was so straight to the point no bs loved this so much. just subbed! i plan to read both Glamorama and The Shards to pop off the new year. loved how you described Glamorama and it has me excited to jump into it! also, loved your note about transgressive lit! have you done any Dennis Cooper?
I have not! Lmk what you recommend and l will check it out. I also highly recommend listening to the Shards audiobook, even if you prefer to read it because Bret’s narration takes it to a different place. I lived inside that book for the 21 hours I spent listening to it… it was so perfectly eerie and sinister and disorienting and Bret’s voice makes it play out all the better.
@@bookpogo yes! i listened to a bit of it because he used to feature it on his podcast a while back. i love the way he reads! he has a very particular rhythm!
Interesting list! I’ve only read American Psycho, Rules of attraction, Glamorama and am currently reading The Shards. For me the cornerstone will always be AP and it is what brought me in to reading more of his works! I’m only 130 pages in to The Shards, and I feel like it’s his masterpiece! Then again I loved the first half of Glamorama it felt like a sane version of American Psycho and I could relate to it much more. But the second half just made my head spin 🤔😄 I was standing between Less then Zero and Lunar Park as my next read. Thanks to you I will probably read Lunar Park 😎
That’s a great way to describe Glamorama… the second half had me sick to my stomach fr. I’m glad you are enjoying The Shards, I definitely agree it’s his masterpiece. Enjoy lunar park!!
For me, 1. Glamorama (his most fun book) 2. American Psycho (his best work) 3. Less Than Zero 4. Lunar Park 5. The Shards 6. The Informers (read only about half the stories, most of which were dull - The Secrets of Summer was by far the best, read it multiple times) 7. Imperial Bedrooms quit Rules of Attraction after two or three chapters because it was sooo boring.
I thought Shards seemed like a phone in compared to less than zero and American psycho. I hate to say it but it felt very drug store drama compared to the other two
I can see that but hearing Bret talk about this book as way to remember 1980s LA, a time so significant to him, since there’s almost nothing left of it anymore made me like it so much more
Lunar Park sounds good. I saw the American Psycho film and thought it was a really good performance by Christian Bale, maybe the book is quite different...he seems (BEE) to like to shock people with gory details, is the recurring theme I'm gathering!
Although American psycho (the novel) has no real plot, therefore differing from the film, nearly all of the dialogue and actions are straight from the book. The last shot of the movie matches perfectly with the last page of the book too. If you can stomach the gore I definitely recommend reading it. Everything by BEE is definitely shocking, although rules of attraction and the informers are a bit tamer!
Ok, may give it a go some time. Have you read Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney, that's an interesting read and written in second person I think.@@bookpogo
If they had some fucking balls theyd make a Glamorama movie. Theres so much they can do with it, whether they keep it in the 1990s or set it in modern times. The ending chapters are so depressing and beautifully bleak.
Actually in the middle of the rules of attraction movie there’s a victor in Europe montage filmed with just the actor and cameraman. They didn’t tell anyone what it was for and captured real authentic debauchery and the crazed energy of Glamorama!! I think you can find it online without having to watch the rules of attraction. However I agree, it totally merits its own film
The Informers is a collection of short stories but most of them are linked. It's a decent read for people looking to dip their toe into this author's prose. Each story, in its own way, shows the emptiness and moral corruption created primarily by the characters being spoiled by privilege. It's a bit harsh to have it last on your list just because they're short stories. It was a very ballsy move to release such a collection after AP.
I happen to like every book he has put out more than a collection of short stories, I don’t feel that is harsh. Every book shows the emptiness and moral corruption of privileged characters in a way far more moving and impactful to me than the Informers. Bret has even said it was a collection he had to write to meet a requirement in his contract. It’s also just my opinion
i read american psycho and i hated it so much. i loved the concept and the movie is one of my favorite movies of all time and i enjoyed several of the scenes but the gory descriptions and the monotonous, chapter long ramblings he went on in the book completely turned me off to it. i’m currently reading the shards and it is so much better in my opinion!!!! i’m a sucker for a book with 80’s nostalgia and the entire book has this specific atmosphere that’s so uncomfortable, yet gripping to read about. when there are gory scenes in the book, i feel as if they seem more necessary and interesting to revealing more about robert and what our main character knows. all that to say, the shards is amazing. it also has made me very paranoid lol edit: i’d also like to mention that i love all the songs mentioned throughout the book and even curated a playlist of every song mentioned
Glamorama is such an awesome cultural time capsule. Honestly one of the most stylish and immersive books I've ever read. I also love the fact that its second half is so dark, it gives new meaning to everything that came before it in the book, kind of like Don Quixote.
rules of attraction is like, a top tier book ever for me. it's so fun, it's like Ellis trying to do a romcom
No literally. Yearning, drugs, and miscommunication. I loveee the movie too
@@bookpogo the movie was so good! perfectly captured the vibes of the novel.
Thay was the only one I didn't finish. Quit after the first two chapters because it was so boring. And I couldn't get 20 minutes into that horrendous movie.
@@bookpogo"No one will ever know anyone...you're never gonna know me."
The last sentence of this video literally made me lol. Great job!
This is a great compliment thank you 🙌
She just doesn't like collections of short stories.
Glamorama is my alm time favorite. There is such a bibe to it and a feeling, i first went through it in five days on a camping trip and i loved it. The description is godly and adding a “real” plot to his book is a nice addition
the abrupt end is so real😭
Shoutout to you for watching start to finish
Lmao just ended
Apparently when BEE met christian bale and the director before the movie, christian bale met him as patric bateman. BEE got so uncomfortably by his acting he actually had to ask him to stop. When you meet your own character and the actor is so good it freaks you out.
I read Lunar Park last month per your recommendation and honestly it was so good. I’m honestly still thinking about it. The audiobook was also good! Idk what to read next of his!
Amazing!! I’d either do LTZ and go chronologically or the shards maybe
Glamorama for me its my all time favorite book
im about to finish glamorama and i got to the point where i couldnt describe what was happening to my partner because it would disturb him too much and I didnt even want to say those things out loud. ive never read anything like this
Getting to the end feels like going to war or something. No one will understand how you are feeling, no one will understand the vibrance of the horror… I feel you fr. I hope it has been “enjoyable” though!!
@@bookpogo lmao so true. and yes it has been!
I find Bret grating sometimes but when he's on, he can be one of the funniest, most acerbic chroniclers of American culture. Glamorama is probably my favorite. Great ranking!
Excellent to see Lunar Park at number one. Last five pages are maybe my favorite things he's written.
You should read the cipher by Kathe Koja and also between two fires by Christopher Bhuelman. I’ve only finished Lunar Park but it was great. And so far rules of attraction is nice to get through lots of characters tho.
Thank u for the recommendations!! I’m dying to reread Lunar Park
damn. the ending of the video was brutal for short story collections 😂
and i feel like with all the hard to read/torture/gore/stuff we're probably just trying to get to know our amygdalas or something. 20th century art i think was mostly about dissociating but these days i feel it's more common to expect to get some emotional self-understanding and aren't just looking for a way out.
p.s. my first thought about the ray bans was that you were high 😅😊
LOLL that’s usually the case when I’m wearing them inside but alas… aesthetics 😭
I thought it was for Patrick bateman.
" and, I just don't like collections of short stories"
I was reminded of someone I used to know
My first intro to BEE was the film The Rules of Attraction, when I was 13. I thought it was so warped, disturbing, yet fascinating. Absolutely loved it. Took me years later that it was actually adapted from his book and read it. The rest is history.
I wish I had seen the film at a young age....everything about it leads me to believe it would have been etched in my memory forever. Love this BEE journey you've had!
Your Wayfarers are up there with Paul Allen’s business card. I loved The Informers though.
Haha thank you. I definitely didn’t hate the informers as much as it seems but I can’t remember anything about it except for the crazy number of Mai tai’s ingested by the guy and his dad
@@bookpogo Strong Joan Didion influence all through his stuff.
Great recap! I’m on a BEE binge I’ve read LTZ, Imperial Bedrooms and just recently finished Informers. It didn’t seem anymore like a collection of short stories then LTZ since all the characters were connected. I ended up really enjoying it and watching the movie too. I’m to old for college but I love the RoA movie and after your review I’m convinced I need to check it out. Cool videos! I’ll have to connect with you on Goodreads
Yes connect with me! I adore the RoA movie so much too. I hope you read his other books too because they’re great, especially lunar park and glamorama 🤓🤓
Have you read the secret history by donna tartt...another campus novel...loved the shards..all the back door shenanigans not my thing but whatever..
Yes, four times actually haha
@@bookpogo Random recommendation but the quincunx by charles palliser is one of my all time favs ..also the unburied by the same other..very gothic and atmospheric..possibly more october/november vibes...
Really dug the video. Had a hard time getting through Lunar Park for some reason though. It felt different than all his other books-more sophisticated. And it’s him stepping away from youth culture which is something he does so well.
The Informers has always been a personal favorite of mine because it’s Ellis’ version of a soap opera, or at least that’s how it feels to me. And you have this large cast of characters who are indistinguishable from one another, much like a soap opera, and everything’s melodramatic.
My personal rankings would be: 1. The Shards, 2. The Informers, 3. Less Than Zero, 4. The Rules Of Attraction,
5. American Psycho, 6. Glamorama, 7. Imperial Bedrooms,
8. Lunar Park , 9. White
Wow inverted list but I still love the ranking bc all of these books are so great. I’m itching for my annual rereads
Wow, I felt the need to read american psycho in october of last year. I'm feeling the need to read either the shards or less than zero this year. What is it about BEE books that just feel like they fit in october?
100% agree
Lmao that abrupt ending is kind of iconic 😂
my fav author!! Great Video!!
Mine too!! Thank you :)
I’m reading American Psycho now, my first Ellis book, and he feels like a modern F. Scott Fitzgerald except much darker. I saw the movie a long time ago so it’s cool to get into this book fresh. Top notch.
🙌🙌
I finished Glamorama last night and cannot stop thinking about it. I had to look up a few podcasts to get other people's reactions. I think I liked it more than American Psycho yet I wouldn't recommend Glamorama right off the bat. I think people should read Rules of Attraction first, then American Psycho and finally dive into Glam. The book really made my stomach sick during multiple parts...absurd writing. Up next for me is Lunar Park and then The Shards when I get the chance.
lol yes I swear rules is his only non-violent novel so it’s the safest recommendation. Honestly reading his books in order is the move. Let me know what you think of lunar park and the shards as they’re my absolute favorites 🙌 I also highly recommend the shards audio book narrated by Bret
Just like me omg 😅 a month ago I finished Glamorama and I can’t stop thinking abt it I need answers I keep watching reviews of it lol
@@bookpogo Update on my BEE journey: Over the past few months I've read Less Than Zero, Lunar Park and The Shards. So far I've read everything except for Imperial Bedrooms. I enjoyed Lunar Park for its "silliness" and appreciate his twist on Stephen King novels. I definitely liked the father/son multi-relationship angle and how Bret was trying to cope with his own personal family demons. As for The Shards...I completely devoured that book. I didn't realize that HBO is making it into a mini series so it'll be interesting to see how that translates on screen. The ending of the book is captivating and Bret's ability to depict violence is truly a sick--yet mesmerizing gift. I can't imagine being 17 in early 1980's L.A....no rules.
that's what I like to hear. I believe The Shards is his magnum opus. Im looking forward to the HBO adaptation as bret will be directing too! @@njd107
Which Ellis book do you rate higher- The Shards or Glamorama? Trying to decide what to get next. Thanks!
They’re so different it’s reallllly hard to say. If you haven’t ready any BEE I’d say the SHARDS is a great way to start. Glamorama is a masterpiece too but the paranoia and horror and blurring between the real and imagined is 1000x more intense. Both are big too. I hope this helped even without a clear answer haha. I think everybody should read all of his books regardless of order
@@bookpogoThank you! I’m reading Lunar Park right now and am a good ways through it. I’m really enjoying it so thinking about one of those two next
@@davidhowe4972 ooooo… honestly my gut says Glamorama
@@bookpogoI was leaning that way myself so I’ll definitely give it a try! Thanks for your feedback, definitely helps!
yes! this was so straight to the point no bs loved this so much. just subbed!
i plan to read both Glamorama and The Shards to pop off the new year. loved how you described Glamorama and it has me excited to jump into it!
also, loved your note about transgressive lit! have you done any Dennis Cooper?
I have not! Lmk what you recommend and l will check it out. I also highly recommend listening to the Shards audiobook, even if you prefer to read it because Bret’s narration takes it to a different place. I lived inside that book for the 21 hours I spent listening to it… it was so perfectly eerie and sinister and disorienting and Bret’s voice makes it play out all the better.
@@bookpogo yes! i listened to a bit of it because he used to feature it on his podcast a while back. i love the way he reads! he has a very particular rhythm!
Interesting list! I’ve only read American Psycho, Rules of attraction, Glamorama and am currently reading The Shards. For me the cornerstone will always be AP and it is what brought me in to reading more of his works! I’m only 130 pages in to The Shards, and I feel like it’s his masterpiece! Then again I loved the first half of Glamorama it felt like a sane version of American Psycho and I could relate to it much more. But the second half just made my head spin 🤔😄
I was standing between Less then Zero and Lunar Park as my next read. Thanks to you I will probably read Lunar Park 😎
That’s a great way to describe Glamorama… the second half had me sick to my stomach fr. I’m glad you are enjoying The Shards, I definitely agree it’s his masterpiece. Enjoy lunar park!!
Impressive....... Very nice
Just finished American psycho and I had to take a shower after reading it. At times it was an uneasy feeling
I’d have to look away from the page bc it was so nasty sometimes
For me,
1. Glamorama (his most fun book)
2. American Psycho (his best work)
3. Less Than Zero
4. Lunar Park
5. The Shards
6. The Informers (read only about half the stories, most of which were dull - The Secrets of Summer was by far the best, read it multiple times)
7. Imperial Bedrooms
quit Rules of Attraction after two or three chapters because it was sooo boring.
BEE THE GOAT
I love Imperial Bedrooms for some reason. Not as good as most of his other work but something about the noir vibes hits for me.
Honestly after hearing Bret talk about the three years spent writing it to deal with hardship in his life I appreciate it much more. Just pure pain
Sin duda me leí Less than Zero, voy por Imperial Bedrooms y Lunar Park.😅
Un trío súper bueno 🙌
fire video.
I thought Shards seemed like a phone in compared to less than zero and American psycho. I hate to say it but it felt very drug store drama compared to the other two
I can see that but hearing Bret talk about this book as way to remember 1980s LA, a time so significant to him, since there’s almost nothing left of it anymore made me like it so much more
@ I see, I found LTZ so eerie, I loved how simple it was. Shards was just a bit more zaney to me
I’m halfway through the shares and need it injected into my arteries
Rereading bc same
Lunar Park sounds good. I saw the American Psycho film and thought it was a really good performance by Christian Bale, maybe the book is quite different...he seems (BEE) to like to shock people with gory details, is the recurring theme I'm gathering!
Although American psycho (the novel) has no real plot, therefore differing from the film, nearly all of the dialogue and actions are straight from the book. The last shot of the movie matches perfectly with the last page of the book too. If you can stomach the gore I definitely recommend reading it. Everything by BEE is definitely shocking, although rules of attraction and the informers are a bit tamer!
Ok, may give it a go some time. Have you read Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney, that's an interesting read and written in second person I think.@@bookpogo
@@AuthorJgDowI have not but I’ve been meaning to! Jay is interviewed in that podcast about Bennington I keep mentioning. I need to get my hands on it
Yeah, it's only short as well, worth checking out.@@bookpogo
If they had some fucking balls theyd make a Glamorama movie. Theres so much they can do with it, whether they keep it in the 1990s or set it in modern times. The ending chapters are so depressing and beautifully bleak.
Actually in the middle of the rules of attraction movie there’s a victor in Europe montage filmed with just the actor and cameraman. They didn’t tell anyone what it was for and captured real authentic debauchery and the crazed energy of Glamorama!! I think you can find it online without having to watch the rules of attraction. However I agree, it totally merits its own film
Im reading lunar park rn
The Informers is a collection of short stories but most of them are linked. It's a decent read for people looking to dip their toe into this author's prose. Each story, in its own way, shows the emptiness and moral corruption created primarily by the characters being spoiled by privilege. It's a bit harsh to have it last on your list just because they're short stories. It was a very ballsy move to release such a collection after AP.
I happen to like every book he has put out more than a collection of short stories, I don’t feel that is harsh. Every book shows the emptiness and moral corruption of privileged characters in a way far more moving and impactful to me than the Informers. Bret has even said it was a collection he had to write to meet a requirement in his contract. It’s also just my opinion
i read american psycho and i hated it so much. i loved the concept and the movie is one of my favorite movies of all time and i enjoyed several of the scenes but the gory descriptions and the monotonous, chapter long ramblings he went on in the book completely turned me off to it. i’m currently reading the shards and it is so much better in my opinion!!!! i’m a sucker for a book with 80’s nostalgia and the entire book has this specific atmosphere that’s so uncomfortable, yet gripping to read about. when there are gory scenes in the book, i feel as if they seem more necessary and interesting to revealing more about robert and what our main character knows. all that to say, the shards is amazing. it also has made me very paranoid lol
edit: i’d also like to mention that i love all the songs mentioned throughout the book and even curated a playlist of every song mentioned
i definitely am thinking about reading less than zero next!!!
I highly recommend listening to the audiobook narrated by Bret. It really paints a picture of
@@bookpogo YESSSS that’s exactly how i experienced the book!!! i listened while i read and it was so good
Hi.
Lunar park is one of the most amazing book ever written
Big facts
Reading rn
American psycho is a masterpiece. Top 10 book ever for me. Rules of attraction is the second best of his that I read.