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White

By: Bret Easton Ellis
Narrated by: Bret Easton Ellis
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Summary

THE CONTROVERSIAL SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER.

Candid, fearless and provocative
the author of American Psycho on who he is and what he thinks is wrong with the world today.

Bret Easton Ellis is most famous for his era-defining novel American Psycho and its terrifying anti-hero, Patrick Bateman. With that book, and many times since, Ellis proved himself to be one of the world’s most fearless and clear-sighted observers of society – the glittering surface and the darkness beneath.

In White, his first work of non-fiction, Ellis offers a wide-ranging exploration of what the hell is going on right now. He tells personal stories from his own life. He writes with razor-sharp precision about the music, movies, books and TV he loves and hates. He examines the ways our culture, politics and relationships have changed over the last four decades. He talks about social media, Hollywood celebrities and Donald Trump.

Ellis considers conflicting positions without flinching and adheres to no status quo. His forthright views are powered by a fervent belief in artistic freedom and freedom of speech. Candid, funny, entertaining and blisteringly honest, he offers opinions that are impossible to ignore and certain to provoke.

What he values above all is the truth. ‘The culture at large seemed to encourage discourse,’ he writes, ‘but what it really wanted to do was shut down the individual.’ Bret Easton Ellis will not be shut down.

Freedom & Security Politics & Government Social Sciences Funny Thought-Provoking
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Critic reviews

The first work of non-fiction from the American Psycho author is very good . . . the best thing he has published for years
A winning mixture of incautious autobiography and caustic polemic, with plenty of sharp social observation thrown in . . . What a timely book this is – bursting with wit and diablerie, shameless, bracing and fun.
A splenetic analysis of the culture of today . . . occasionally brilliant, often thought-provoking
Not everybody is going to like it. He doesn’t care.
For the youthful twitterati, I suppose, he’s just another old white man who hates everything
This attack on political correctness in the Twitter age . . . has all the sound, fury and insignificance of a misguided rant posted at 3am
Ellis will lose friends over this book.
Best described as a provocation . . . it’s up to you, the reader, to choose to what degree you are prepared to allow yourself to be riled.
@BretEastonEllis Your book White is staggeringly good. I’m loving it. Thank you so much for your style, your humour and your honesty. (Eric Idle (on Twitter))
All stars
Most relevant
Absolutely loved this. One thing that repeatedly occurred to me while listening was, "This was published in 2019? Bret, you ain't seen nothin' yet!"

What many of us are thinking

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If you like movies, if contemporary news interest you, if looking behind the curtain of Hollywood is some thing of interest, if you want to spend time with someone that is not part of your echochamber this is a perfectly good book, be prepared to confronted by ideas that are not your own and enjoy the stories of people that you will never meet, this is a monolog by someone who is just himself and we need more of that.
Did I agree with all he had to say? no. did he spout propaganda? no he is just what he is and deliciously self deprecating also he confesses things that most of us would not even tell ourselves.
A good read of someone different.

You do not have to agree, it is his opinion

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I enjoy an honest opinion. Although I didn't agree with everything that was said, I think it's brave to voice yourself as this book has done without being scared of getting cancelled.

option based

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it's Bret Easton Ellis read by Bret Easton Ellis about his life. If you like him or are a fan, this is perfect. I found it interesting, sometimes enlightening, to read about his childhood, writing his first (less than zero) and subsequent books including American Psycho, and how characters such as Patrick Bateman emerged. However, there doesn't seem to be a cohesive narrative; he often jumps from his life to a film to people he met. It finishes off with a long essay about political correctness and the politicisation of society.

stream of consciousness, but good writing

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Ellis articulates, in noninflammatory terms, an alternative view that McMedia tries to drown out. fantastic!

Superb! clear, intelligent overdue perspective

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