The Wake

I came to Bret Easton Ellis’s reading at the University of Minnesota Bookstore carrying sizable assumptions. This man wrote an entire novel about a character baring the same namesake as his own, a Wall Street serial killer (American Psycho), and debauchery at all levels. I assumed the drug addled, sexual fervor lore surrounding Ellis would expose itself and make for a memorable reading.

I was right.

But I was also wrong. I assumed these things about the man, about Ellis, and they mainly appeared in his fiction. He did warn the audience about his subject matter saying, “If people are going to freak out, I don’t care.” The sections he chose to read of his new novel, “Lunar Park,” were submerged in pop culture references and sexual folly. A direct quote concerning oral sex: “swallowing is about communication.” Ellis’s wild and charged wit romanced the audience and perhaps Ellis himself. I say this because after reading two truly juicy pages a blush overcame the author!

Ellis was a treat to listen to when he became acclimated (I believe his initial discomfort stemmed from him feeling like he was in a Banana Republic). At first he dashed through his words, running between the sentences, only to sprint to the end of a paragraph. A slight bored tone inflicted his voice and monotone rhythm. Yet as the reading and plot advanced, Ellis slowed down. A dialogue between characters spurred Ellis to intonate and animate the text with tone. Ellis also provided timely asides to keep the audience with him in terms of what was happening in the novel, a very considerate move on his part.

Ellis also gave the audience time for questions. To get things under way, one audience member asked Ellis if his subject matter embarrassed him, as millions read his supposed depravity. Ellis promptly said he finds no discomfort in what he writes because he writes it to make himself laugh. Reading it, on the other hand, is a different story and I sight the blush once again. Ellis also took my question: how do you feel about people questioning the fiction versus nonfiction in your new book? In response Ellis said he asked for it by naming his main character Bret Easton Ellis. He also said he tried to be that “Bret” in his first few interviews after the book’s release, but felt embarrassed and exhausted. Toward the end of the question portion someone asked about his perceived misogyny. In response Ellis said his female characters are the smartest. He also alluded to his own upbringing with a father who abused his mother and his drive to explore the “bad behavior” in men.

Following questions Ellis signed books and to his credit the line was long. No doubt he met many people’s expectations. He met mine and revised the assumptions I originally had. I came away seeing his ability to entertain in person and on the page.