Product Description

Every weekend, in basements and parking lots across the country, young men with good white-collar jobs and absent fathers take off their shoes and shirts and fight each other barehanded for as long as they have to. Then they go back to those jobs with blackened eyes and loosened teeth and the sense that they can handle anything. Fight Club is the invention of Tyler Durden, projectionist, waiter and dark, anarchic genius. And it's only the beginning of his plans for revenge on a world where cancer support groups have the corner on human warmth.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1456 in Books
• Published on: 1998-01-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Bret Easton Ellis
‘A great début…Hypnotic, pitiless and told brilliantly’

Big Issue
'Wonderfully unpleasant’

Glasgow Herald
‘Short, sharp and savage..the most impressive US fiction début I can remember in years’

Customer Reviews

Beyond great
I would venture to say that years from now critics and everyone else will place Chuck Palahniuk along with other greats. He's really come up with a new genre, and one that is far edgier than anything that has come before. While he probably owes a debt of gratitude to William Burroughs, Hunter Thompson, and even Vonnegut, he's really in a class by himself.

A few things make this book like no other: First, it is extremely violent (think CLOCKWORK ORANGE) only with more focus and drive. Also a different type of violence. Second, it has one heck of a plot--something a lot of "new age" books don't, or even classics for that matter. The idea for the novel is mind-bending on so many levels that there's simply not enough space to go into it here. Suffice it to say that if you read if for the surface story you won't be disappointed, but if you want to dig more and really get into the psychological implications that this book proposes, subtly, then you have quite a lot to ponder.

Our protagonist in this first-rate book is named Jack and he's a sort of everyman, though with a new twist. He hates his job (who doesn't?) and is one messed up guy. Jack meets Tyler (Durden), who makes soap and a lot more, if you know what I mean. Between these two guys, they develop a "fight club" so that other frustrated men can be the heck out of each other, releasing their tensions, macho-bonding, and just about everything else you could throw into the mix. The novel develops a little slowly at first, but by two thirds of the way into it, you'll be hooked and wanting to know what happens to the characters. The ending is like no other and no spoilers will be placed here--you'll just have to read it.

One other notable point is that the movie follows the book pretty much on cue. The book does illuminate side stories and makes clear some of the things the movie left murky. It's a rare thing for a movie to respect a book to this extent, but obviously the film makers really liked the work and wanted to preserve it in its purest form. They did a heck of a job, but even if you've seen the film, you should read the book.

Weird and fast-paced,I was reminded of either "Slaughterhouse Five" or "Clockwork Orange" in places with their twisted plots and characterizations. All of Palahniuk's books are great, but this is his best by far. Also try "Invisible Monsters" and "Lullaby" for another trip entirely.

Fighting mad
I would never want to make Chuck Palahniuk mad. Man, this guy has one heck of a mind when it comes to book plots. Like Christopher Moore or Jackson McCrae he knows how to twist a tale. "Fight Club" is one riveting novel and a great movie too. But what's so absolutely amazing is that the author makes this unbelievable story so believable! Truly, it's like you're "right there" in the moment and everything is plausable. Even the ending, which it probably the most bizarre I've come across since McCrae's "Katzenjammer" is believable--and it's pretty weird. A+++++ for this story and the way the author puts it together.

"This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time..."
Like many, I had heard of the book "Fight Club" after seeing the movie. As soon as I found out that it was based on a novel, I remember thinking to myself;

How could this be a book?

Is that even possible?

The movie alone was so unbelievable that if it were done wrong, it would've been a horrible mess. But it was done just right, and the results were amazing.

One of my friends had read the book and told me on many occasions, "You've got to read the book." I told him that I've already seen the movie, and again, he says to me, "You've got to read the book. It's great, and it's actually different from the movie in a lot of parts."

That worried me, because I absolutely LOVED the movie. It's one of my favorites. I remember trying to read a book that another one of my favourite movies, "The Fan," was based on, and it was not an enjoyable experience. The book was COMPLETELY different from the movie, and not in a good way. I ended up never finishing it.

So, I was hesitant at first, but about a year or two ago I decided to give it a shot. And am I ever glad that I did. "Fight Club" is an outstanding novel. The writing is so refreshing and shows us the mind of a promising new author, Chuck Palahniuk. This was his very first novel, and I found that so amazing. Because this was one incredible debut. I have read plenty of novels all from different kinds of authors, but I have NEVER read a debut as incredible or impressive as this.

To give you a brief idea of what the book is about without giving away too much is it revolves around the narrator, an insomniac who can't get a grip on his life. With insomnia everything is a distraction. He can't focus on his job, he can't focus on people, and most of all, he can't focus on his life. Soon enough, he meets a slippery soap salesman, Tyler Durden, who is about to show our narrator a new outlook on life. And this is where they invent "Fight Club." It doesn't take long before everything starts to get out of control....WAY out of control, to one shocking climax and finale. (Don't think you have the answers because you've seen the movie. TRUST me on this one.)

This is a humorous novel with some darkness to it. It is both funny and thrilling at the same time. The book is filled with some of the most memorable lines; some that were used in the movie, others that were not. This is dark satire at its finest.

Know this; reading the book and watching the movie are two different experiences. Yes, there are similarities and there are differences. The only thing is that unlike "The Fan," the differences in the novel "Fight Club" really work and doesn't take away anything from anyone who was a fan of the film. It still stays true to the idea and story. Chances are you will enjoy the differences. That alone gives you a reason for reading, since you know it's going to be a different ride.

After reading "Fight Club," I knew that Chuck Palahniuk had a unique voice and talent. And I have found myself to be right from reading some of his other novels. (So far I have read this, "Choke," and "Lullaby.") This is a very easy book to read. Not for people who get grossed out easily, though. If you have seen the movie, read the book. If not, still read the book. I can't really say which is better, the movie or the book. To me, they were both different experiences, and I found them both just as enjoyable. But one thing for sure, all the credit should be given to Palahniuk. After all, "Fight Club" came from his mind. A terrific read and one of my favourites.