Bright Lights, Big Ferret
Over my long weekend I managed to read Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney. I usually try to avoid novels set in New York City, because someone has to, but I found it for a dollar and had heard enough buzz that I was intrigued. It's about a 24 yr old who's moping about his runaway supermodel wife and his fact checking job at what I can only assume is meant to be The New Yorker while doing tons of blow and hanging out with a crazy socialite named Tad Allagash. Actually, this sounds like the best fucking time I can imagine, but I digress.
So, this book is written in the second person, or the "you" narrator. You get drunk. You show up at a "loft party". You get fired from the New Yorker and in retaliation show up that night with a ferret and while trying to stick the ferret in a desk drawer it manages to claw you up real good and run amuck through the entire office.
Ha. That was my favorite part.
Things this book reminded me of: Kafka, Dave Eggers, Don DeLillo, the Captain, Johnny Depp, the Violent Femmes.
Hmmm. This is the worst book review I've ever written.
What I need is an exit strategy.
Hey, what's that over there!
Blogagaard Loves to Ponder
About Me
- David Oppegaard
- St. Paul, Minnesota
- I am the author of And the Hills Opened Up, The Suicide Collectors, and Wormwood, Nevada.
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16 comments:
Yeah, I read that book in 1990 about the same time that I read Tama Janowitz' Slaves of New York and Brett Easton Ellis' Less Than Zero. The second person narration is pretty contrived - I think it gets in the way.
Your review is actually quite insightful because in some ways he does show the influence of Kafka and DeLillo.
I'll buy the Violent Femmes because they would have been on the scene as he was writing. Johnny Depp was doing "21 Jump Street" at this time - don't think that was a big influence. If this book reminds you of Johnny Depp generally, though, I must respect that insight.
Dave Eggers was in high school and by all accounts probably smoking pot and burning down garages in Lake Forest, IL, in 1990 - perhaps he read this book by the light of the flames.
The Captain is sui generis, a literary icon without parallel or imitator, a true original whose work sets the bar for pretenders like Jay McInerny. Along with Bloggy and Voix the Captain will soon soar to literary heights.
I will then be left behind in St. Paul, writing crappy reviews of your books.
*sigh*
You are too young to have seen the movie, right? Michael J Fox in a dreary role instead of the perky ones? (Do I have that right?)
I do have that right. 1988, Michael J, Keifer, Phoebe Cates (remember her?), Tracy Pollan...may have to rent that one again (ouch.)
Rand, maybe I was thinking about Depp in "Fear and Loathing in Las vegas", the movie.
Dopn't worry, man, no one's getting left anywhere. Except me, if I go anywhere with Pale Poet and he bolts again.
Michelle, I'll have to check out the movie from my local library. I should have guessed this was made into a movie. A big 80's book, right?
Bright Lights, Big City (1988)
Bright Lights, Big City Directed by
James Bridges
Writing credits (WGA)
Jay McInerney (novel)
Jay McInerney (screenplay)
Plot Summary: A young kid from Kansas moves to New York to work on a magazine. He gets caught up in the world of drink and drugs... (more) (view trailer)
User Comments: Not a bad movie at all (more)
User Rating: *****_____ 5.2/10 (1,789 votes) Vote Here
Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael J. Fox .... Jamie Conway
Kiefer Sutherland .... Tad Allagash
Phoebe Cates .... Amanda
Swoosie Kurtz .... Megan
Frances Sternhagen .... Clara
Tracy Pollan .... Vicky
John Houseman .... Mr. Vogel
Charlie Schlatter .... Michael
David Warrilow .... Rittenhouse
Dianne Wiest .... Mother
Alec Mapa .... Yasu Wade
William Hickey .... Ferret Man
Gina Belafonte .... Kathy
Sam Robards .... Rich Vanier
Bernard Zette .... Stevie (as Zette)
(more)
Runtime: 110 min
Country: USA / Japan
Language: English
Color: Color
Sound Mix: Dolby
Certification: Iceland:L / UK:15 (video re-rating) (2003) / UK:18 (video rating) (1989) / UK:18 (original rating) / Finland:K-16 / USA:R / West Germany:16 / Norway:15
Trivia: The "cocaine" that Michael J. Fox snorted was really powdered milk. (more)
Goofs: Continuity: During Jamie's story of his relationship with Amanda to Megan his wineglass goes from half-full to empty in less than two seconds, while he's speaking. (more)
Quotes: Jamie Conway: There's a certain shabby nobility in failing all by myself. (more)
I never saw that one, I remember it being on HBO all the time for a while.
One thing I wrote that was mildly successful as writing was in 2nd person, it was an ode to happy hour I think it was.
>>>UK:18 (video rating) (1989) / UK:18 (original rating) / Finland:K-16 / USA:R / West Germany:16 / Norway:15
Those Norwegians will let 15-year-olds see anything.
Yeah, and then they're like, "Bop that baby seal on the head with an icepick or you don't get any leftsa, Sven Svenigan!"
"I usually try to avoid novels set in New York City, because someone has to"
The review is worth reading for that line. HA!
Thanks, Clurgy. Sorry to hear about you leaving your bluegrass band.
I think I need to print out the part where Rand says we're soaring to new literary heights.
That is pretty f'ing cool.
Bloggie, you are just fine. Write whatever kind of reviews you want to.
Thanks, Voix! I will.
Yeah! We all had a great time responding to your post, and by many definitions that makes it one excellent book review. We read, we considered, we responded.
Bloggie, I will bring a ferret to our mighty tennis match. He will be part of me, the Captain of ferrets, and he will trash you with his sharpened ferret claws.
I only read novels set in NYC, because I am a wannabe. I also hate myself, but that will not stop me and my ferret from destroying you on the court.
Tracy Pollan was cute.
What the good Captain is referring to, dear sparrows, is our upcoming tennis match on Saturday.
Captain, I will show you fear in a handful of tennis. My serve has been clocked at 180 miles per second. Beware, you Agassi-New Yorker wannabe.
My peeps, it's almost 3 Am again. What the hell. Live a little, eh?
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