American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis is a disturbing and controversial exploration of consumerism, narcissism, and the dark underbelly of 1980s American society. Through the lens of its protagonist, Patrick Bateman, Ellis delves into the depths of a mind consumed by materialism, violence, and moral decay.
One of the most striking aspects of "American Psycho" is its unflinching portrayal of the excesses and depravity of Wall Street culture during the 1980s. Through Bateman's perspective, Ellis exposes the shallow and superficial nature of the world inhabited by the wealthy elite, where status symbols and social hierarchies reign supreme.
Central to the novel is Bateman's descent into madness and violence, as he struggles to maintain his facade of normalcy while grappling with his inner demons. Ellis's prose is both vivid and visceral, painting a chilling portrait of a man teetering on the brink of insanity.
Moreover, "American Psycho" is a deeply satirical work that skewers the hypocrisies and contradictions of contemporary American society. Ellis employs dark humor and irony to critique the culture of consumerism and commodification that pervades every aspect of Bateman's world.
However, it's important to note that "American Psycho" is not for the faint of heart. The novel contains graphic scenes of violence, sexual depravity, and psychological horror that may be disturbing to some readers. Ellis's unflinching portrayal of Bateman's descent into madness is not easy to digest, and readers should approach the book with caution.
In conclusion, "American Psycho" is a challenging and provocative work that offers a disturbing glimpse into the darkest recesses of the human psyche. Ellis's uncompromising exploration of violence, materialism, and moral decay makes for a confronting read that lingers long after the final page is turned.
American Psycho Paperback – 6 March 1991
by
Bret Easton Ellis
(Author)
Get S$5 Off with Mastercard W/WE Cards. Enter code MCAMZ5 at checkout. Discount Provided by Amazon.
1 applicable promotion
-
Get S$5 Off with Mastercard W/WE Cards. Enter code MCAMZ5 at checkout. Discount Provided by Amazon. Terms
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"S$15.13","priceAmount":15.13,"currencySymbol":"S$","integerValue":"15","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"13","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Qhyi40CRESR2Cq9elLymmv%2BNWCSZOyZTfU1%2Ffg9S5awG8Gad0M%2FyYqD4pNj5bQmCjCA4C1CHxllVHnCC7302ngNZkUFr7Qg9DXLBrXTaiGw7G%2F3drBvncVgoVCP9AyXM1akRVCV0ykPZ0%2BuJyt%2FX9EfjqK8PSCZL","locale":"en-SG","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}
Purchase options and add-ons
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this modern classic, the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author explores the incomprehensible depths of madness and captures the insanity of violence in our time or any other.
Patrick Bateman moves among the young and trendy in 1980s Manhattan. Young, handsome, and well educated, Bateman earns his fortune on Wall Street by day while spending his nights in ways we cannot begin to fathom. Expressing his true self through torture and murder, Bateman prefigures an apocalyptic horror that no society could bear to confront.
“A masterful satire and a ferocious, hilarious, ambitious, inspiring piece of writing, which has large elements of Jane Austen at her vitriolic best. An important book.” —Katherine Dunn, bestselling author of Geek Love
Patrick Bateman moves among the young and trendy in 1980s Manhattan. Young, handsome, and well educated, Bateman earns his fortune on Wall Street by day while spending his nights in ways we cannot begin to fathom. Expressing his true self through torture and murder, Bateman prefigures an apocalyptic horror that no society could bear to confront.
“A masterful satire and a ferocious, hilarious, ambitious, inspiring piece of writing, which has large elements of Jane Austen at her vitriolic best. An important book.” —Katherine Dunn, bestselling author of Geek Love
- Print length432 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication date6 March 1991
- ISBN-100679735771
- ISBN-13978-0679735779
Frequently bought together
This item: American Psycho
S$15.13S$15.13
Only 1 left in stock (more on the way).
S$18.62S$18.62
Only 5 left in stock (more on the way).
Total Price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Try again.
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Choose items to buy together.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Product description
Review
“Bret Easton Ellis is a very, very good writer [and] American Psycho is a beautifully controlled, careful, important novel…. The novelist’s function is to keep a running tag on the progress of culture; and he’s done it brilliantly…. A seminal book.” —Fay Weldon, The Washington Post
“A masterful satire and a ferocious, hilarious, ambitious, inspiring piece of writing, which has large elements of Jane Austen at her vitriolic best. An important book.” —Katherine Dunn, bestselling author of Geek Love
“A great novel. What Emerson said about genius, that it’s the return of one’s rejected thoughts with an alienated majesty, holds true for American Psycho…. There is a fever to the life of this book that is, in my reading, unknown in American literature.” —Michael Tolkin
“The first novel to come along in years that takes on deep and Dostoyevskian themes…. [Ellis] is showing older authors where the hands come to on the clock.” —Norman Mailer, Vanity Fair
“A masterful satire and a ferocious, hilarious, ambitious, inspiring piece of writing, which has large elements of Jane Austen at her vitriolic best. An important book.” —Katherine Dunn, bestselling author of Geek Love
“A great novel. What Emerson said about genius, that it’s the return of one’s rejected thoughts with an alienated majesty, holds true for American Psycho…. There is a fever to the life of this book that is, in my reading, unknown in American literature.” —Michael Tolkin
“The first novel to come along in years that takes on deep and Dostoyevskian themes…. [Ellis] is showing older authors where the hands come to on the clock.” —Norman Mailer, Vanity Fair
From the Back Cover
Now a major motion picture from Lion's Gate Films starring Christian Bale (Metroland), Chloe Sevigny (The Last Days of Disco), Jared Leto (My So Called Life), and Reese Witherspoon (Cruel Intentions), and directed by Mary Harron (I Shot Andy Warhol).
In American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis imaginatively explores the incomprehensible depths of madness and captures the insanity of violence in our time or any other. Patrick Bateman moves among the young and trendy in 1980s Manhattan. Young, handsome, and well educated, bateman earns his fortune on Wall Street by day while spending his nights in ways we cannot begin to fathom. Expressing his true self through torture and murder, Bateman prefigures an apocalyptic horror that no society could bear to confront.
In American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis imaginatively explores the incomprehensible depths of madness and captures the insanity of violence in our time or any other. Patrick Bateman moves among the young and trendy in 1980s Manhattan. Young, handsome, and well educated, bateman earns his fortune on Wall Street by day while spending his nights in ways we cannot begin to fathom. Expressing his true self through torture and murder, Bateman prefigures an apocalyptic horror that no society could bear to confront.
About the Author
Bret Easton Ellis is the author of Less Than Zero, The Rules of Attraction, American Psycho, The Informers, Glamorama, Lunar Park, and Imperial Bedrooms. His works have been translated into twenty-seven languages. Less Than Zero, The Rules of Attraction, American Psycho, and The Informers have all been made into films. He lives in Los Angeles.
Product details
- Language : English
- Paperback : 432 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0679735771
- ISBN-13 : 978-0679735779
- Best Sellers Rank: 20,420 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 41 in Satires
- 82 in Horror
- 115 in Humourous Fiction
- Customer reviews:
Customer reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
6,029 global ratings
How are ratings calculated?
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we do not use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Top reviews from other countries
TheErgoProxy
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Disturbing and Satirical Exploration of 1980s Excess and Moral Decay
Reviewed in Canada on 1 March 2024Verified Purchase
TheErgoProxy
Reviewed in Canada on 1 March 2024
One of the most striking aspects of "American Psycho" is its unflinching portrayal of the excesses and depravity of Wall Street culture during the 1980s. Through Bateman's perspective, Ellis exposes the shallow and superficial nature of the world inhabited by the wealthy elite, where status symbols and social hierarchies reign supreme.
Central to the novel is Bateman's descent into madness and violence, as he struggles to maintain his facade of normalcy while grappling with his inner demons. Ellis's prose is both vivid and visceral, painting a chilling portrait of a man teetering on the brink of insanity.
Moreover, "American Psycho" is a deeply satirical work that skewers the hypocrisies and contradictions of contemporary American society. Ellis employs dark humor and irony to critique the culture of consumerism and commodification that pervades every aspect of Bateman's world.
However, it's important to note that "American Psycho" is not for the faint of heart. The novel contains graphic scenes of violence, sexual depravity, and psychological horror that may be disturbing to some readers. Ellis's unflinching portrayal of Bateman's descent into madness is not easy to digest, and readers should approach the book with caution.
In conclusion, "American Psycho" is a challenging and provocative work that offers a disturbing glimpse into the darkest recesses of the human psyche. Ellis's uncompromising exploration of violence, materialism, and moral decay makes for a confronting read that lingers long after the final page is turned.
Images in this review
José Antonio
5.0 out of 5 stars
A masterpiece!
Reviewed in Mexico on 10 December 2021Verified Purchase
It’s a powerful, brilliant and fierce deep look into a psycopath’s mind
José Antonio
Reviewed in Mexico on 10 December 2021
Images in this review
xenofillia
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolute Gold
Reviewed in India on 7 March 2024Verified Purchase
It's a must read to understand the darker side of humanity
xenofillia
Reviewed in India on 7 March 2024
Images in this review