Jerzy Kosiński (1933–1991)

If I rated this solely off writing, I would rate it much higher. It is well written, and even written without great emotion, which I appreciate around horrific events. However, this book ruined my day, so it gets 2 stars. I wish I hadn't read this, the graphic assaults described here just never needed to enter my brain. I get that this is showing the horrors of war, and how that leaves everyone very alone. But I hate it.

Entertaining series of strange and surprising vignettes. Most involve an anonymous narrator in a vaguely fascist society drawn into erotic, violent or criminal scenarios. Kosinski has a gift for lucid and imaginative prose which makes the stories pleasurable to read. However, they are too short and disconnected to really develop into anything with depth.

Stunning.

A surrealistic inner landscape revealed through dreamlike episodes, each fantastic yet eerily familiar. Step by step, I’m drawn into this world. I think I’ll never recover from this book. (And I don’t want to!)

A nice quick, and refreshingly interesting read. The main character provides interesting insight into the people you see on TV. There is no way to know what that person is really like and indeed if they even have any real experiences at all. This also feels again relevant in the age of AI. Chauncey is a bit like a large-laguage model just repeating the things he has seen on TV, having no personal experience to draw on.