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White

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White

By: Bret Easton Ellis
Narrated by: Bret Easton Ellis
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About this listen

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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This book has become even more relevant since its publication, and that is not a good thing! it's frightening in the light of recent events in the big studios, the backlash against people such as Jordan Peterson, Chapelle and innumerable other events as to almost how Orwellian 'WHITE ' could be viewed in it's fear about the future. Bret is courageous to write it, consistent in refusing to put career, money and even personal relationships before his principles. His narrative is compelling and analagies are witty and brilliant, his honesty in self reflection is admirable in this day and age, unfortunate that one should need to admire this quality now...
I think this is a landmark piece of literature and having been a fan since less than zero and American Physco I was delighted to finally read it and it surpassed my hopeful expectations. I was lucky enough to meet him at his Glamorama reading in Glasgow years ago and still laugh at his I initial misunderstanding of my accent and request for him to write "Don't be one of the pr*cks" in my copy, I see how even more relevant that has become decade's later!

Probably most honest and insightful commentary..

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An outstanding work by BEE. Terrifically narrated. I’m bemused by some of the criticism of this first class book. He has such a distinct view and is a completely honest commentator on the Culture.

Don’t miss out.

Totally brilliant.

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BEE is his usual challenging and engaging self. He makes worthwhile points (if in a deliberately challenging way), about freedom of speech in the era of Trump and Identity politics. Basically he’s reminding people that “Sticks and Stones...”, and wondering why people have become so sensitive to criticism or simple comment. He reads his own book, so couldn’t be better as a performance. Book is full of back stage stories from his career but the key points are made a too often. Feels a bit padded...

Interesting and provocative but a bit repetitive

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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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