Books

Would A Woodchuck Read Chuck?

By Lee Hoover ⋅ October 31, 2007 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

This has nothing to do with a woodchuck…or wood for that matter. It has to do with a book, or more so with the author of said book: Chuck Palahniuk.

For those who don’t know, Chuck Palahniuk wrote Fight Club and specializes in writing off the wall stuff that most would consider “twisted,” but he’s also very good. His style of writing is very clever and different. He’s one of my favorite authors and I’ve read most of his stuff, but the last time I read one of his books was two or more years ago. I’ve changed quite a bit in the last couple years, I now read more of the Bible than I do of Palahniuk, and that’s the reason for this post. This weekend I had sort of a moral dilemma.

I was walking around Barnes and Noble when I realized Chuck Palahniuk has a new book out called Rant. When I saw it I picked it up and immediately thought, “Ooh…I have to get this!” But then I paused for a second and thought, “Should I?”

If you’ve read one of his books you know that the others are going to be just as good, but also just as twisted, which led me to ask myself whether or not I should get it. If I bought this book and read it…would that be sort of an act against God? Keep in mind one of this guy’s best books is about a sex addict who purposely chokes himself in restaurants so other people will save him and then help him through life. Needless to say I wondered out loud and discussed it with Stephanie for quite a while.

Most people will say if I wondered about it, then it’s obviously a sign from God that says loudly and in neon lights: “Don’t read it!” You’re probably right, and I thought that as well. But then I thought, it isn’t like I enjoy what he writes about, I just really like his style of writing…literally every book is crazy awesome. But then I thought, why does that matter? And then I thought, reading this book will not make me stumble in my walk with Christ. And so I bought it. I thought about a hundred different things as well, and I’m pretty sure I just told myself what I needed to tell myself to convince myself that it would be a-ok to buy the book.

What do you think? Should I have bought the book? Am I terrible for wanting to read it?

I haven’t read it yet, I’m sure I will when I’m done with the book I’m reading now, but I just thought I’d share one example of me trying to control my life instead of letting God do all the work. I’m terrible.

P.S. Happy Halloween