For the longest time, Fight Club was my favorite movie. David Fincher’s visionary depiction of Chuck Palahniuk’s harrowing story created a cinematic masterpiece that spoke directly to my young adult self. In fact, it inspired me to form rock band that explored its dark and rebellious themes, aptly titled The Mayhematic (since disbanded).
If that sounds crazy, just know that I was a child of the 80s, grew up in the 90s, and wholly embraced the counterculture of the time. I was the guy in the NIN t-shirt with long hair and a flannel overshirt. In other words, I was the movie’s target audience and they hooked me like a game fish.
But today, with the hindsight of the 2020s, that rebellious gem has lost a lot of its shimmer. Many of Tyler Durden’s famous lines, which remain iconic, now sound a bit hokey when living in a tumultuous world that is constantly on fire.
Nevertheless, I still wanted to read the novel that the film was based on. I had assumed that liberties were taken to hook the Matrix crowd, so I was always curious to see how it stacked up. The only problem was that I read science fiction almost exclusively. I didn’t have much interest in books with realist takes. That’s what I went to the movies for.
Funny enough, I had bought a paperback copy of Fight Club as a fan of the movie. I even met Chuck Palahniuk and got him to sign it. But it still took decades of bookshelf dust, a growing distaste for eBooks, and a well-timed vacation to get me to read it.
And so I finally did.
As I nestled inside my hotel room, I opened the book and started the journey. Then, after devouring it in a single sitting, I had reached a few conclusions.
First, Chuck Palahniuk is a supremely talented writer. The fact that Fight Club was his debut novel made me angry as an author. It’s like training to be a great home cook, being pleased with the results, then going to eat at The French Laundry. It just wrecks your self-confidence and makes you question why you even try.
And second, David Fincher paid close attention the source material. I could tell right away that he was a fan of Palahniuk, or at the very least, respected the story. Some liberties were taken for structure and pacing, as one would expect. But for the most part, the Fight Club movie was a very faithful adaptation.
The novel was published in 1996, the movie was released in 1999, and I’m writing this review in 2024. Thus, I don’t feel much need to delve into the plot. Those who have never read the book or seen the movie will likely know the countless clips and memes. Everyone can recite the first rule of Fight Club (and the second, for that matter). It’s a cultural touchstone that will endure as a love letter to 90s angst. That alone is worth the read.
As for me, I loved the novel from start to finish. It felt both revealing and nostalgic, something that I rarely get from a book. It was also very rewarding to venture outside of my sci-fi comfort zone, something that Fight Club has inspired me to continue.
Thank you, Chuck. You may have just saved my reading life.
