Welcome to a new regular entertainment feature. This will be the place to come if you are interested in great books by great authors. I, Kyle Chidester, will be your guide in this fantastic journey through fiction, non-fiction, and even poetry and prose. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Book of the Week!
(Editor’s note: This review contains spoilers. Read at your own discretion.)
A good way to introduce you to this new feature is with an amazing author, Chuck Palahniuk and his premiere book, “Fight Club.” Now, I’m sure you’ve all heard that name, but not have known that it actually was a book before it hit the big screen. And, for those of you who did not know, I strongly urge you to run (don’t walk) to your nearest library and pick it up.
The book follows the same basic plot line as the blockbuster film, but the eloquent language that Palahniuk uses creates a much more detailed, even sinister, story. One of the biggest differences between the book and the film is the way that the philosophies of character Tyler Durden are introduced and explained. Instead of having Tyler lecture and rant a la Brad Pitt, Palahniuk uses the entourage of “space monkeys” to recite what they have been taught. Many of the scenes the movie are multiple chapters in the book, laced with repetitive phrases.
Palahniuk’s writing style is obviously the perfect medium to express the inner monologue of the main character. He really allows you to enter the character’s mind and play inside of it. The description of his actions are mostly referenced in a rather vague way, making it hard to decipher whether you’re looking at things from the main character’s point of view or from Tyler’s. The blurry division between points of view becomes more and more “sludgy” as the story progresses until you reach the biggest twist, when you discover that the two characters are actually the same person.
The climax flows from there, but the book unfolds in a slightly different manner than the film. Certain scenes are approached in a completely different manner, such as the main character’s confession scene.
Another scene completely altered for the movie is the ending. The movie creates a much more sensational and melodramatic closing, where the book ends with an extra chapter.
Even though the “Fight Club” movie was a great psychological thriller, I would recommend the book more. It is much more entertaining and definitely better at approaching the social themes that are being addressed. So, now that you’ve read this article, remember to run, rather than walk, to your local library and start reading, because the book is mightier than the box.
