harriskappa

At times brilliant, at times infuriatingly monotonous, Ballard's 1970 novel is nonetheless a worthwhile read for its relentless sloganeering (chapter titles like 'Why I Want to Fuck Ronald Reagan' and 'The Assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy Considered as a Downhill Race') and occasional psychological insiciveness. I would certainly recommend this Flamingo edition which includes an introduction by William Burroughs and extensive notes to each chapter by Ballard himself - an interesting re-evaluation of this 60s celebrity-culture-obsessed novel from the perspective of the 90s. I am still unconvinced of Ballard's talent as a novelist, and found the mini-essay notes a necessary addition, providing an intellectual clarity sometimes lacking in the prose itself.

2022-11-14 18:02