Guts

More than a year ago I heard about this short story called "Guts" written by Chuck Palahniuk. Palahniuk is the author of Fight Club, as well as several other novels. I like his work, though it is starting to feel a little repetitive. But the thing about "Guts", the thing that made me really want to read this story is that there are documented reports that when Palahniuk gives readings of this story people actually pass out. Seriously. People have fainted just listening to it. What is this story? I have to read it!

The story was included Palahniuk's new novel/story collection Haunted. This book is really a short story collection but is given a novel's format to give a reason why all the stories are being told. "Guts" is the first story in the collection.

I didn't faint. I didn't pass out. I was disgusted.

I can only imagine the impact of having a man who looks like your uncle calmly reading this story. But reading it alone sitting comfortably on the couch, it is an interesting, but brutally disgusting story. I understand the gag reflex a little bit more. On its own, it's nothing extraordinary or special, but imagine reading the story in a dark room or around a campfire. It's one of those nasty stories that would work better in a different setting.

Is it worth reading? If you like Palahniuk, yes. If you want to know what kind of story would make people faint, yes. So far I've only read that story in Haunted, so I can't speak for the rest of the novel.

I just had to know.