Choke

Rating:
Summary: cool as hell
Review: Although it borrows some things from Fight Club, Choke is original in it's own right and it easily stands out as one of the best books I have read in a while. It's wierd and disgusting, but cool as hell at the same time. A must read for the open minded individual that is sick of Harry Potter.

Rating:
Summary: Choke
Review: A man is raised by a lunatic of a mother, he is a respectable man with dreams and asperations which are not uncommon in young men. He wants to become a doctor, but cannot commit to the work. This is what we know of Victor as the book begins. During the course of the book, he introduces his method of choking on food in restaraunts to gain sympathy money and love from those around him, love he never recieved from his mother. He visits his mother in an assylum, yet it is when he meets doctor Paige Marshall that things begin to change. He learns things about himself that cause him to reevaluate his life only to have his world rocked again by a unrelenting storm of new twists. Choke is extremely unusual, however this is far from a negative quality. In fact I think it was the books curious pattern that drew me into it. It is a true masterpiece of modern literature, vulgar, yet so true to the idea that everyone has their quirks that make them unique, regardless of their outward likeness to the rest of society. Overall, I thought this was a wonderful work of art and recommend it to anyone who wishes to break the sugar-coated norm, and glimpse the unfamiliar.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: There are very few books and very few authors that have hooked me the way i was hooked by Chuck Palahniuk's "Choke." It is a truly original, no-holds-barred novel. When future generations look back on the edgy, forward thinking authors of today, Chuck Palahniuk will surely be atop the list.

Rating:
Summary: A quick read
Review: Choke is a quick and entertaining read, which took me just a couple of days to get through.It was my first book by this author, and I was only aware of him through seeing the film Fight Club (which I didn't really like- I'm just not a Brad Pitt fan) -that being said, I found the book to be worthy of praise because it has an underlying philosophy to it, of basically creating your own reality, and not being programmed into robotic submission by society, or something like that. He is back in the land of 12 step meetings, and strange characters and stranger sex, but the whole book comes together at the end as the protagonist finds some kind of redemption. I am not sure I will read more of his work, but I am open to it - he gets four stars for inventing the term "dog and dice"

Rating:
Summary: Hard-hitting, obscene, and very, very funny
Review: "Choke" may not be Chuck Palahniuk's best novel, but it's certainly his funniest. His previous novels had their moments of humor, but "Choke" really turns it up a notch. This book's graphic, nihilistic prose and Palahniuk's talent for coming up with the perfect sentence had me laughing almost nonstop throughout. Of course, since this is a Chuck Palahniuk novel, there's also a message buried below the strange plot and twisted humor.

"Choke"'s hero, Victor Mancini, isn't really a hero at all. Rather, he's a brilliantly crafted antihero, who seems to represent the cynicism and aimlessness that are often associated (rightly or not) with gen-xers. He's a med school dropout who works a horrific job at a simulated colonial farm, goes to sex-addiction workshops to pick up chicks, feigns choking in restaurants to get people to send him money, and spends time assuaging his guilt by visiting his mentally deteriorating mother in the hospital. Oh, and he just might be the Messiah. To go with Victor, Palahniuk has also assembled a memorable supporting cast: there's Denny, Victor's chronic-masturbator friend; the collection of stoners who work with him at the farm; and Paige Marshall, the "Doctor" who lets Victor in on the secrets contained in his mother's diary. Or does she? In Palahniuk's world, the next big surprise might be just a page away.

"Choke" may also be the easiest of Pahlaniuk's novels to get into. The pacing is quick, and there are enough savagely funny scenes to keep you turning the pages to get to the next one. In between the funny parts, though, there's plenty of Palahniuk's typical examination of identity, perception, and societal roles. I think that's what I like most about Palahniuk's fiction: it's highly funny and eminently readable, but often thought-provoking at the same time. I really don't think you can go wrong with any Palahniuk novel, but I would put "Choke" and "Invisible Monsters" at the top of my list. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Extremely Funny!
Review: This book was an eyeopening trip into Chuck Palahnick's mind.
I thought FightClub was amazing, but this book is right up there also. A quick, frantic read. You won't be able to put it down.

Rating:
Summary: A book for feeling good
Review: This book is the first of Chuck Pahalniuk's novels I have read. The book was interesting enough that I purchased his new release "Lullaby" and "Survivor". Choke was nothing like "Fight Club" the movie(Haven't read the book yet). It took a little bit of patience to get started but I finished with ease and surprise in the end. Choking to get by in life and trying to find out who you really are.

Rating:
Summary: Not quite Fight Club...but still good.
Review: The movie Fight Club got me interested in Palahniuk, and I loved the book. Choke was next on my list, and although it wasn't as good as Fight Club, it still has it's shining moments. Palahniuk has a gift for time and place, and his characters weave through their intricate situations with grace.
I loved the main character, what with his sexual addictions and bizzare, if farfetched scams. I was quite caught up in his trials and tribulations, enjoying his reactions to the insanity surrounding him. Very entertaining!
It's true that Palahniuk is great with sardonic wit and dark irony, and his masterful use of those skills push Choke a step ahead of most modern novels. If you liked Fight Club I think you will like Choke as well.

Rating:
Summary: Jesus Christ Superstar
Review: Like most of his fans, I was turned on to Chuck Palahniuk through Fight Club, the movie not the book. I have seen it over 20 times, possibly over 30. It was a masterpiece to be sure, and made me - like so many others - want to read the book.

So I did.
And loved it.
I wanted more.

So I went to my local library, looking to pick up another Palahniuk book, and Choke was the only one on the shelf - the rest were all checked out. I opened it to the first page, and began reading it right there in the Om-Pl aisle of the fiction section. Upon reading the "do not read this book" opening, I was hooked. I could have stood there reading until the last page. One thing you have to say about Chuck is that he knows how to catch your attention quick.

Less than twenty four hours later, I had finished Choke. That was yesterday. I have to admit, I puzzled over just what to make of it. I unquestionably was entertained. Hell, I could have kept reading through an earthquake. But, I wasn't sure what Chucky was trying to tell us, what his message was, what we should learn from Victor Mancini. If anything. What could you learn from a sex-addicted man whose mother is in an insane asylum, whose best friend is a sex-addict that collects rocks to keep from masturbating? A man who goes to restaurants and pretends to choke in order to make money and who may or may not be the Lord and Savior?

Plenty, as it turns out. I won't tell you what my take on this is, because it will not be the same for you. As in Fight Club, everyone sees a different moral to the story. Some will see none, no redeeming qualities. It's up to you.

Just ask yourself: What would Jesus NOT do?

Rating:
Summary: A rewarding chore
Review: Chuck Palahniuk is a clunky idea stylist. I initially found the writing to be stilted and laborious but later warmed up to it. This is a quick read, even at near 300 pages. While the overall book does have some structure, most of it only becomes apparent after the 150 pages or so. Unfortunately, this makes the beginning feel like you're wallowing in misery along with the apathetic lead character - Victor Mancini.

Victor is like many people in that he's never really live up to his expectations. In fact, he's quit trying. He's a listless sex-addict with an addled mother in the hospital, a poor mindless daily job, a con-artist by evening, who has a friend with even less direction than himself.

Victor is happy to take the blame for other people's misfortune, even when he has nothing to do with it - a real sadomasochist. This story is about what happens when Victor's reality gets pulled out from under him and he has to come clean to everyone he's deluded - especially himself. It's also a story about inspiration and how it can be found in the strangest places. Stick through this one to the end. It's worth it. I would think that fans of Irvine Welsh would really like this book.