My personal favourite section was the one which dealt with the old ghosties, being something of a fan of those types of two-paragraph fright-tales. Chuck tells us about the tunnels which run under the city, and also about a haunted photograph to be found in one of the many hotels, and a haunted antique store.
There are also some sections which deal with the autobiographical nature of things, sections slapped between every two or three chapters, little stories from The Life Of Chuck called things like Postcard From 1991 or Postcard From 1989. I'm guessing these are recent compositions, and don't really date from that period at all.
I doubt the validity of these claims of vintage is what I'm insinuating.
Plus, he keeps describing things in present-tense, and to be honest, that'd just be ridiculous to do on a postcard. I mean really. It's like referring to yourself in the third-person or some-such is what The Duke makes of it all. Who writes a postcard in the middle of a riot? Not even Chuck Palahniuk, the man who wrote Ed And Brad Fight A Lot, is what I'm guessing.
Anyway, the result of all this reading about Portland, Oregon, and also the Loretta Lynn track mentioned earlier, is that The Duke now wants to see it for himself, to visit these disgusting cinemas where folks get naked and wankabate and also the hotels where the ghosts of suicidee's roam the halls, not to mention The World's Largest Hair Ball.
I doubt I would have purchased this publication if it had been written by anyone other than Ol' Chuck, and to be honest, quite a lot of it is really only of interest if you have actual intentions of visiting the locations mentioned. But it's much more than just a travel-guide. Rather, it is a witty and surprising delve into an American city which not only nurtured Chuck himself, but seemingly inspired most of his deranged creations as well.
Good work, Chuck Palahniuk.
The Duke resides at Mondo Irlando
Contact The Duke Via Electronical Email
Article comments
1 - Chris Kent
I personally believe any great writer should create at least one ode to his/her hometown, to include recipes, places to masturbate at the movie, sites where sods lost their marbles and began randomly firing uzis, vacant lots where serial killer homes once stood, homes of Presidential assassins, graves of voodoo priestesses, hangouts of Bonnie & Clyde and empty warehouses where Robert Johnson supposedly recorded that lost song.
While I have never been to Oregon, I do have a happy-go-lucky cousin who lives in Portalnd with his girlfriend. They manage an art gallery and undoubtedly head to the great masturbation theatre now and then. If I ever visit them (I rather doubt it), I will have to give Chuck's hometown tribute a read.......
Great authors taking a turn off the familiar path to examine their lives almost always create something fascinating (Ellroy and McMurtry both come to mind). Sounds like Palahniuk's work is more fascinating than most.....
2 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Chris, thanks for the comments.
Yes, i heartily reccommend Chuck without fear of contradiction. He is one of the most original writers i've encountered in years.
And i agree with the sentiments that every great writer should have an ode to their hometown somewhere amongst the canon. I'm planning my own mondo irlando-based jaunt around my hometown as i type, although mine will have less nice paragraphs and great words, and probably more motherfuck's.
Thanks Chris!
3 - Eric Olsen
This is a very fine, almost striaght review - what has befallen you El Duque? If it wasn't for the one "motherfucking" I'd have thought I was reading the NY Times Book Review. In a good way.
4 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Eric! Slander!
Hehe. Thanks for the kind words, and i can only assume that some kind of literary-based witchcraft was hurled in the direction of The Duke whilst typing this here piece about Chuck P.
Who knows, maybe the NY Times Collection Of Recent Writings About The Books will be reading this here and saying, "y'know what, we really could have used a few more motherfuck's in that review of Salmun Rushdie's latest offering. Maybe we should contact The Duke via electrical email."
Thanks Eric.
Thanks NY Times