girls

You read a favorable review for girls in Esquire magazine so you drop by the local Barnes and Noble and great, they have three copies. You make your purchase and head home and dive in. You can't say it is completely satisfying but you are not disappointed, either. You like the episode in St. Barths near the end. You wish you had made it through the Iliad and the Odyssey, though, that might have helped, and god knows you tried, you tried. You chuckle when you get to the Reading Group Guide at the back. WTF? A Reading Group Guide? This ain't no oprah book, you think, and you don't -- never will! -- belong to a reading group. You know that good reading is like good running, a solitary activity. You might make recommendations, yes, but you will never discuss, and especially not in a group. You know that's the code and you will keep it always. And you discover that you love this second person thing, you can't get enough of it. You love it so much in fact that you vow from now on to use it only. It's so easy, you think. You are set free, a new day has dawned, and you owe it all to girls. That and much more.

What a sensational read! I read this in a couple of hours - couldn't put it down. It's a bit of a car crash scenario, you don't want to look but you don't want to look away. This novel works on two levels, as a trashy thrills and spills read and as a social commentary. A very interesting exploration of the male mind, society's obsession with youth, success and apathy. Dark, erotic and fascinating.

I thought this book was excellent. I had not expected to relate so well to the content, but to me the topic semed less about underage girls and more about the struggle against boredom and apathy that comes with success. In the end, I'm not sure if I felt like less of an ass because others feel the same way I do, or more of one given the brutal portrayal men receive in this book.The only parts that didn't work for me were the excerpts from the Iliad. They didn't detract from my overall enjoyment, but they did not add anything to it either.The use of second-person form is a bit unsual, but for me it actually worked quite well since the material was so easy to relate to. I felt the "you" he wrote about could quite plausibly be me, were I in the given situation. And at times I wanted it to be that way, and at times I felt that showed my own flaws and insecurities.Oh, just a word of warning on this one -- not sure if women will like it. Don't be fooled by the title, the book is all about men. And ladies, if you do read this, I warn you in advance that YES -- men really do think like this. Kelman is not just some lone deviant.

Raw and powerful, this beautifully written book will open your eyes or your mind to the quite disturbing minds of some successful men we all know. You won't put it down, and you won't stop thinking about it. It's that simple, but the point of the book isn't.

Kelman's book paints a bleak portrait of men who live in a world of dysfunction and egoism. The book is a startling truth of the game that many choose to play- many of his characters are oblivious to this and don't realize they have the freedom of choice in the matter. Sexual possession, esteem building through hollow physical intimacy in the context of human instincts run wild. He has put on paper what western civilization has become too many. The interwoven complexities of status, power and human insecurity creates the backdrop for girls. His characters however tragic- dwelling in the blind spots of spiritual and emotional vacuums, chasing, harrying, painfully reminiscing and killing themselves slowly in angst and neediness. Girls is a parable, one that this era is responsible for promoting through advertising, glossy magazines and shallow dreams. Men running from the truth, unable to face the reality of their loneliness and futile lives where they identify with material and sexual conquest whilst destroying their souls in the process. The sexual fix through the encounter of ignoring boundaries and the purpose of ones conscience.Kelman gets to the point; he uses language carefully and with consideration. He is an author to watch; his observations are strong and leave moral judgments to the reader. A significant book..