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Bret Easton Ellis
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Less Than Zero: Bret Easton Ellis Kindle Edition

by Bret Easton Ellis (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.9 out of 5 stars 2,901
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In 1985, Bret Easton Ellis shocked, stunned and disturbed with his debut novel, Less Than Zero. Published when he was just twenty-one, this extraordinary and instantly infamous work has done more than simply define a genre, it has become a rare thing: a cult classic and a timeless embodiment of the zeitgeist. Twenty-five years on, Less Than Zero continues to be a landmark in the lives of successive generations of readers across the globe.

Filled with relentless drinking in seamy bars and glamorous nightclubs, wild, drug-fuelled parties, and dispassionate sexual encounters, Less Than Zero - narrated by Clay, an eighteen-year-old student returning home to Los Angeles for Christmas - is a fierce coming-of-age story, justifiably celebrated for its unflinching depiction of hedonistic youth, its brutal portrayal of the inexorable consequences of such moral depravity, and its author's refusal to condone or chastise such behaviour.

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  1. Print length
    210 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Picador
  5. Publication date
    1 May 2010
  6. Reading age
    18 years and up
  7. File size
    1910 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Product description

Review

The Catcher in the Rye for the MTV generation. ― USA Today

An extraordinarily accomplished first novel. ― New Yorker

One of the most disturbing novels I’ve read in a long time. It possesses an unnerving air of documentary reality. -- Michiko Kakutani ― New York Times

Review

A disturbing portrayal of privileged and immoral LA teenagers, Less Than Zero is a cult classic.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00553U2V4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Picador; Reprints edition (1 May 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1910 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 210 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0679781498
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 out of 5 stars 2,901

About the author

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Bret Easton Ellis

Bret Easton Ellis

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Bret Easton Ellis is the author of five novels and a collection of short stories; his work has been translated into twenty-seven languages. He lives in Los Angeles.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
2,901 global ratings

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Top reviews from Australia

James
5.0 out of 5 stars A Descent Into Hell
Reviewed in Australia on 15 May 2019
This was the first Ellis book I read. I loved it.
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Aussie Mark
1.0 out of 5 stars Poor Man's Catcher
Reviewed in Australia on 26 August 2022
If this book is sincerely written, then it is a problem. If it is written as art, then it is pretentious. The writing style is uneven and structured in a diary-like format. It made me think how generally tedious other people's diaries, even a celebrity's, can be to read. While it was written in and about the 1980s, it has not dated well. The internet has dimmed shock at anything tasteless and controversial, with endless videos and images a mere mouse-click away from the curious or depraved mind. Scenes which depict a gang rape of a child, constant obsession with drugs and homosexuality, snuff movies and the objectification of women are very much out of keeping with current attitudes. Maybe it was written to shock - much like the author's American Psycho - and revels in its notoriety. I was told by others that this is a book which polarises its audience, a self-evident statement from the many 1 to 5 star ratings here. So I asked someone who liked it what was its upside - the depiction of the nihilistic society of the idle rich in 1980's LA, was the answer. The difficulty with this explanation is that the characters are never people to create any sense of empathy or sympathy. They are sketched too one-dimensionally to ever tug at the heart-strings, a mixture of crudely drawn cliches. There is no plot, just a vibe. It reminded me of a very poorly written Catcher In The Rye. The narrator is supposed to be 18, although much of the action makes him seem a few years older than that (or perhaps 18 year olds were more 'matured' in the 1980s LA). The controversial scenes and the extreme events make this as unlikely a voice of the typical youth as Catcher In The Rye manages to capture that type of adolescent voice so well.
One person found this helpful
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Anne
1.0 out of 5 stars One Star
Reviewed in Australia on 30 December 2017
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Top reviews from other countries

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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
Reviewed in the United States on 20 January 2024
Verified Purchase
I read this book as a 17 year old guy in high school and it was one of the first books that’d I bought and ready by my own choice. The book, in my opinion, is an amazing depiction of things that aren’t really talked about that much in society in terms of being young, rich, and attractive in the Hollywood area (or LA area, I don’t exactly remember the location). The book combines the telling of an interesting complicated “day-in-the-life” of a young adult who returns back to his childhood home/city from college while reuniting with his ex/old girlfriend and friends. The story can be pretty dark, as it is very depsressive and nihilistic as the main character describes his days, night, and social life in a deep, dark, and concerning manner that really makes you think about how wealthy people, or people in general, deal with certain things in their life. I will say there are a few pretty disturbing moments in this book that made me a little uncomfortable and disturbed, but that is why I like this book so much. Because it shows certain parts of the world that are not talked about as much but happen frequently. And I was so invested in this book I actually could not put it down, and for the first time in my life, I was choosing to read instead of playing PlayStation or watching YouTube. This book is very good and very interesting and I highly recommend it. But I suggest having some level or maturity or at least being over 16 due to the heavy drug, violent, and sexual content. 10/10 would recommend to anyone. Especially young men who may be feel confused in life about their role as a person.
3 people found this helpful
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FC
5.0 out of 5 stars Pageturner
Reviewed in Brazil on 7 January 2021
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Fascinating debut novel from the coolest Bret Easton Ellis.
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Anonyme
5.0 out of 5 stars Mindblowing
Reviewed in France on 27 June 2022
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This book is simply amazing. It gives us a raw and real overview of the world of the rich and famous in 1980s LA.
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rebecca montagnino
5.0 out of 5 stars Visivo e crudo e vero
Reviewed in Italy on 16 May 2022
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La sua scrittura scorre come un film, lasciando al lettore l immaginare il dentro dei personaggi anche laddove non c è..uno spaccato duro ma realistico di un mondo
che anche senza lo sfarzo di una certa l.a, vive intorno a noi. Che ci piaccia o meno vederlo
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Jindrich
5.0 out of 5 stars Unfortunately, reminds me of my youth
Reviewed in Germany on 1 February 2022
Verified Purchase
Not that I was partaking in the horrors described in this book but as an outsider, a 'poor' kid living in a community that gentrified around me, watching the rich kids with a lack of parental influence but unending credit card limits, and their parent's BMW to drive. I did see the exact emotional disconnect described by Ellis. I think his portrayal is spot on in that sense.
I watched teens who had it all start shooting up heroin because it was 'wicked' and the more violent and taboo a subject the more enamoured these teens became. I remember these teens almost beating a guy to death. Their 'reason' was he made out with someone's girlfriend, but every single guy at the party had already slept with her. They just wanted to kill someone.
The gross sexual things these guys did and the sheer amount of drug use and the lack of anyone with a moral compass saying, 'hey maybe this isn't a good idea?' permeated their lives. But they were eternally propped up by their parent's money. They all had a university education, no idea how they passed, and thanks to their parent's connections they landed damn good paying jobs, they may or may not give a **** about.
In response to the reviewers who said the main character is bland and apathetic. Yes he is apathetic but Clay subtly expresses his dissatisfaction with the situation, yet it is elusive to him. That is how I took this the book. The most alarming realization I feel for him is when he says to himself regarding Blair, "I suddenly didn't want to leave her here." (the gist anyway). He understands the danger for himself and her, yet is still unable to do anything about it.
This book may not have a satisfying ending for many people but it is a realistic story. One that is sadly too true in the lives of many children growing up without decent role models. You don't have to be poor to have a bad family situation.
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