The Bookhouse Boys discussion

Jim wrote: "And Goodreads recently added the ebook to the editions list, so I just changed it, but for some reason my progress is still measured in pages rather than percentages. Maybe it's because I originally added a hard copy? Eh, not really a big deal, I suppose."

Yeah, since I have Librarian status I just quickly combined the two editions. The power...I am mad with power!

Jason wrote: "Doctor, your special assignment is to act out scenes from the book in your improv shows. We'll chip in for the bail money."

I have a show this Friday, so I think at the very least I'll put on a dress and read some Poe.

Just realized, apologies to Devin! I said on the last recording that only one listener had commented in this thread, but it was 2. Sounds like both you and Jim already have the book, though, Devin, so... maybe I should just leave it in the lobby at the doctor's office for others to enjoy?

Doctorteeth wrote: "I have a show this Friday, so I think at the very least I'll put on a dress and read some Poe. "

Fuck yeah! YouTube link to follow, I hope...?

Dave wrote: "... maybe I should just leave it in the lobby at the doctor's office for others to enjoy? "

Works for me. This word "enjoy," though... I do not think it means what you think it means. ;P

Sorry, I didn't mean doctor's office. I meant playground.

Peripherally related our story:

Nevermore? Mysterious Visits To Edgar Allan Poe's Grave Declared Over
January 19, 2012

For decades, until 2010, someone appeared at Edgar Allan Poe's grave site in Baltimore before dawn on Jan. 19 — his birthday.

The mysterious visitor, who was never identified, would leave behind three roses and a half-filled bottle of cognac as a tribute to the man who wrote The Raven, The Fall of the House of Usher and other classic poems and tales.

Last night, there was no visit.

So, as the Baltimore Sun tells us, early today:

"A tired Jeff Jerome, curator of the city's Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, 'officially' pronounced the Poe-toasting tradition over. Having spent the night inside Westminster Hall [on the burial grounds], awaiting the toaster's arrival, Jerome declared that the furtive stranger's poignant tribute would be left nevermore."

What happened to the toaster? Who was it? That all sounds like a good mystery to explore.
Copyright 2012 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

My suggested alternate title for this book: "Shitty People Getting What They Deserve."

Dave wrote: "My suggested alternate title for this book: "Shitty People Getting What They Deserve.""

Co-signed.

Jason wrote: "Co-signed."

I will admit that the Coda, despite a start so promising it quickly became my favorite of the novel, ultimately left me wanting. I didn't need everything to tie into a tidy bow or anything, but some sense that the 300+ pages of vile horror I'd just read meant something--anything--might have been nice.

Maybe that's not what Selby was going for, though... I'll be interested to hear what others think Selby was going for. Was this intended as transgressive art? Selby undeniably intended to shock, at least on some level, but what else did this novel do for everyone? Is it saying something true about the time and place to which it's tied? Is it meant to warn people away, or is it a call for help? And just how many objects can you fit in a human rectum, anyway?

On a related note... do you think we should mark our Last Exit show with an "explicit" tag on iTunes?

Dave wrote: "do you think we should mark our Last Exit show with an "explicit" tag on iTunes?"

Due to Jason's constant potty-mouth, we are already "explicit." I was hoping for an "obscene" tag.

Matt wrote: "Due to Jason's constant potty-mouth, we are already "explicit." I was hoping for an "obscene" tag."

Maybe we should do a fun, jokey mock "warning!" at the beginning of the podcast. I vote for something like Edward Van Sloan's speech at the beginning of Frankenstein.

Dave wrote: "Matt wrote: "Due to Jason's constant potty-mouth, we are already "explicit." I was hoping for an "obscene" tag."

Maybe we should do a fun, jokey mock "warning!" at the beginning of the podcast. I ..."


There's also several to choose from out of some early '70s grindhouse films, too. A little more lurid, of course, but that might be in their favor?

Matt wrote: There's also several to choose from out of some early '70s grindhouse films, too. A little more lurid, of course, but that might be in their favor?"

Great idea.

I have a potty mouth? The dick jokes and references to explosive diarrhea are all you guys.

Jason wrote: "I have a potty mouth? ..."

Just joking, champ.

Matt wrote: "Just joking, champ."

How did you know about my triumph at the flower arranging games?

I wish I could give 4 1/2 stars; dropped to four because of what I perceived as the pointlessness of Part III, and the need to scrub my soul with steel wool by the end.

Regarding the Coda, I had the exact opposite reaction to Dave's: I found it so disjointed after the shock of "Strike" that I put the book down for over a week. When I came back to it, I zipped right through.
The coda seems crucial to the book as a whole. The whole continuity of life in this hopeless project is depicted: small children running headlong into whatever stands in their path, heedless of their actions; then teenage gangs fighting with clubs and car antennas. And the adults/parents they will inevitably grow into: mean, self-centered, drunken, abusive, unconscious of anything beyond their own basest needs. Except for poor Ada, who is just broken beyond repair.
I've never seen a more irredeemable bunch of characters in a single book.

Can a story be both transgressive and "slice-of-life" simultaneously? The lives depicted are indeed "nasty, brutish, and short." The word I thought of was desperate, but unlike Thoreau's "lives of quiet desperation," these people are not especially quiet about it.


A warning or a cry for help? I'm going with neither. We're looking at people unable to escape the cycle of poverty and violence due to combinations of the seven deadly sins: sloth, greed, envy, pride, wrath, and lust are well represented. Substitute "addiction" for "gluttony" and you can define most every character in here.

So what was Selby trying to say? I'm still pondering...

Hey ladies and gents,

I guess this is as good a time as any to introduce myself and force my way into the discussion (actually it's better now than ever, since there's allegedly a book on the line).

I'm Jeppe, most of you probably know me from the EOC boards. I've been listening to the podcast since The Third Policeman, but I'm always behind and I never post here, since I'm usually too busy to do anything meaningful. I do enjoy the rants and discussions a whole deal though, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on Last Exit.

Finally, I have two broader comments or requests - start reading some French lit, you uncivilized dégénérés, and bring back Jim B. soon!

Welcome, Jeppe!

Although you are right that I am woefully ignorant of French literature (suggestions for future titles are welcome!)... I do enjoy a good Balzac.

Jeppe, thanks for stopping by. I'm flattered that you enjoy the show and always like to hear your opinions.

We have two friends named Jim (furthering cementing *J* as the only proper letter to kick your name off with.)

Jim N(elson) joined us on the Halloween podcast but is usually too busy trying frantically to meet art deadlines to post here much. We love him.

Jim B(urton) graces us with his presence often here on the forum but hasn't been on the show. I'm told he sounds like Mickey Mouse with Tourette's which, come to think of it, would have made him an ideal guest for LETB. Maybe next time. We love him too.

Yea, Jeppe! (You will have to imagine a "rockhorns" emoticon inserted here.)
If you're reading Last Exit, please post some thoughts. More the merrier and all that.

BTW, the Halloween ep (I think that's what you're referring to) featured the excellent Jim Nelson, not I.

Dave wrote: "I do enjoy a good Balzac."
Teed up!
That's what she said...?
I'll just bet you do...?

Jesus, what a time to draw a blank! Rassafrassin'...

Do you take those extra wrinkly?

That's what I'm talkin' about! Way to pick up my slack, Jason.

Jebus, I really should know the difference between an N. and a B. but all these Jims have got me confused. Regardless, thanks for the welcome!

I'm not reading Last Exit now, but I've read it a few years ago and I'll chime in with some comments soon. It certainly is a filthy book.

Jeppe!
I'd love to talk to Jim N. again.
At any rate, I'd like to have another guest on a book talk soon. Maybe we'll recruit from within. Hmmm...

I think by that Matt means one of his alternate personalities.

Hey all, I've been a bit delinquent with the giveaway part of this thread. Still have the extra copy. It's looked to me like everyone who's commented here already has the book, so I didn't know whether anyone was actually interested. If you are, please let me know here and then PM me your address and I will happily send it along. Otherwise, SHADDUP OR I/LL BREAK YALEG.

Dave, you mentioned the fact that we didn't get into the Biblical aspects of LETB. I hope you'll still share some of those thoughts here. For my part, I can't believe I forgot to bring up the manner of Harry's death and its resemblance to a famous bearded fellow's own demise.

I'm not sure what Selby's own religious beliefs were, but between Tralala and Harry (and possibly others I'm forgetting at the moment), he seems to be saying that people should/do die for their OWN sins. Although Tralala's death doesn't remind me of anything so obvious as Harry's crucifixion, it does superficially resemble any number of the deaths of Saints, which were always grisly and often at the hands of mobs.

I've been kicking myself about not talking about that, too. :(

In case you didn't know, our discussion of this book is now available:
http://bookhouseboyspodcast.podomatic...

So Jason picked this book Last Exit and they all said whatthehell lets do it lets read this fucker and BAM! they went thru it like a houseafire and there was some shit in there Dave still saw it when he pressed his eyelids shut when he slept when he kissed his wife and Matt took them to work and to play with his little daughter and Jason saw their faces on every face and every face was full of hate and fear and there was no escape no place where it did not follow him.

Then waittaminute they said fuckit lets have a ball and get our kicks talk about this pieceofshit together with our friends and there was no power there anymore just another book another good conversation. And ya know you can betcha sweetass they was happy to do it.

At certain points, I felt like this book was raping me, and that I was starting to enjoy it.

Dave wrote: "At certain points, I felt like this book was raping me, and that I was starting to enjoy it."
WHATSAMATTAYOU?!

I'm looking forward to the discussion. I can't say I would *never* have read this book, but it would have been unlikely. So it was a great pick, I really enjoyed it. I must try the film...

Donal wrote: "I'm looking forward to the discussion. I can't say I would *never* have read this book, but it would have been unlikely. So it was a great pick, I really enjoyed it. I must try the film..."

Hey, Donal. Welcome to the forum. I'm glad you enjoyed it, if that's the right word... I'm not sure why I even picked the book, to tell you the truth, but I think it turned out okay. We all got something out of it.

Howdy, Donal,
We'd love to hear your thoughts on the book. As you may see, we left some gaping holes in our discussion. Thanks for reading it with us!

That was an excellent show, fellas. Well done.

Jason, I don't know if you can say Selby was specifically anti-union. Most anything that he wrote about here, he portrayed in the worst possible light. If Selby had gotten it into his head to write about sunshine and flowers, it would've been

fuckin things always makin my eyes hurt an makin the grass look like shit

or something. Sorry, Matt does that way better than I do.
My point is, find me something Selby did like, and try to contrast his treatment of that with his treatment of everything that he didn't like. I wish you godspeed on that one.

Any fans of Crime Story in the house? If so, you remember strait-laced attorney David Abrams, played by Stephen Lang, who played Harry Black -- no idea where these last names came from -- on the LETB film. Also the Terra Nova/Dinosaur Island guy.

And I'm glad you stopped looking for redemption, or a light at the end of the tunnel that wasn't an oncoming train. Matt was clearly much happier after he gave up on that. And Jason appears to have given up on the book for lack of it.
Yet Dave rated it lowest of the three, and seemed to have the fewest negative comments, excepting the coda.
Stray thought: Campbell parody -- "Asshole with a Thousand Faces"?

FWIW, I put "The Queen is Dead" far above the other parts, but "Tralala" (yes, really) and "Landsend" I rate higher than "Strike." Can't explain it; those parts just grabbed me. Maybe it's like the Star Trek movie rule, where the even numbered ones are the best?

And I would definitely read Selby again. Absolutely.

But not soon.

Jim wrote: "FWIW, I put "The Queen is Dead" far above the other parts, but "Tralala" (yes, really) and "Landsend" I rate higher than "Strike." Can't explain it; those parts just grabbed me. Maybe it's like the Star Trek movie rule, where the even numbered ones are the best?"
Isn't IV the one with the whales? Is 4 not an even number anymore? :\

Jim, glad you enjoyed the show. I definitely enjoyed the book more once I realized that the brakes were shot, so I should just enjoy the ride.

Matt wrote: "Isn't IV the one with the whales? Is 4 not an even number anymore? :\"

Call it a guilty pleasure, then. Still beats III and V all hollow, you gotta give me that. :)

Good thoughts as always, Jim. I never gave up on it, per se, but Coda Landsend was like being a kid, pushed around at high speed on a merry-go-round by a sadistic teenager. I grew sick and dizzy and just wanted off.

I wrote the show notes, btw. Matt quoted me/them.

Jason wrote: "I wrote the show notes, btw. Matt quoted me/them."
Talent borrows, genius steals.

"Gave up on" was a poor choice of words. I think both you and Dave said about the coda: "I'm done." There's only so much inhumanity one can stand.

Jason wrote: "I wrote the show notes, btw. Matt quoted me/them. "
You are fabulous.

It's corny as all hell, but I've always liked Star Trek IV, whales and all.

Wait, we have show notes?

Dave wrote: "Wait, we have show notes?"

You bitch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgn1tZ...

Notice the last comment from the V.O. guy: Based on the controversial bestseller by Herbert Shelby!

That looks like it was directed by the same guy who did Band of the Hand... :/

PS: Herbert Shelby = PRICELESS

Excellent discussion, guys! I thoroughly enjoyed the episode, and I'm glad that you generally seemed to appreciate the book.

So, when are you all coming out to visit me in Brooklyn? ;)
(I actually moved from Brooklyn to Manhattan last summer)

I'll totally come for a visit! But you have to promise to lube up the broom handle first.

So...Brooklyn's changed: http://vimeo.com/38732855

I am going to get a little personal here. I read Exit while I was in rehab. I was about 120 pounds and was just beginning to see the world clearly, again. Nothing I had read before came close to capturing the desperation, depravity and depression of the world of poverty and addiction as this book. It haunted me and triggered the hell out of me. I read it cover to cover in less than a day. The people in it were more or less the same cast of characters I'd been living with/around. It helped me to see what I'd become, while at the same time lighting a fire under my ass to get as far away as possible. Almost 8 years later, with a wife, 4 kids, my career back in full swing, and college football on the tube, my life is utterly predictable and blissfully simple...Exit is nightmare for sure, whose architect is a master at sequencing its frightening chaos in the written word...I'm so glad I'm here, writing about it from a metaphysically safe distance.

Sam wrote: "I am going to get a little personal here. I read Exit while I was in rehab. I was about 120 pounds and was just beginning to see the world clearly, again. Nothing I had read before came close to c..."

I'm glad you're in a much better place these days, Sam. Exit, as bad as it was, also felt true. That's by far the most frightening thing about it. I also got that sense from Requiem from a Dream (the film, but of course it was adapted from another of Selby's novels.)

Sam wrote: "I am going to get a little personal here..."

Thanks for your candor in sharing your experience with this book, Sam. Sounds like it should be a part of the program (assigned reading).
I am so proud of the what you've done with yr life since then. You are an incredibly strong person. Glad you're here to be boring and watch football with the rest of us. Go, Ducks!