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Ablutions

By Patrick deWitt
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3.66 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 5,782 ratings, 622 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Ablutions by Patrick deWitt delves into the life of a Hollywood barback who observes the downfall of patrons and contemplates his own fragile existence. The protagonist is caught in a cycle of drinks, despair, and dysfunctional escapades, offering a vivid portrayal of addiction and self-destruction amidst the glitzy yet grim backdrop of Los Angeles. This introspective narrative explores themes of vice and identity with a darkly comedic edge.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate raw, gritty narratives that delve into the complexities of human nature and the darker sides of life. Its vivid storytelling and intriguing character development provide readers with a unique glimpse into the world of a fading Hollywood bar and the lives of those who pass through its doors.

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From the author of the Booker shortlisted Sisters Brothers - a dark, boozy and hilarious tale from the LA underworld.

From the author of the Booker shortlisted Sisters Brothers - a dark, boozy and hilarious tale from the LA underworld.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A nameless barman tends a decaying bar in Hollywood and takes notes for a book about his clientele. Initially, he is morbidly amused by watching the regulars roll in and fall into their nightly oblivion, pitying them and their loneliness. In hopes of uncovering their secrets and motives, he establishes tentative friendships with them.

He also knocks back pills indiscriminately and treats himself to gallons of Jameson's. But as his tenure at the bar continues, he begins to lose himself, trapped by addiction and indecision. When his wife leaves him, he embarks on a series of squalidly random sexual encounters and a downward spiral of self-damage and irrational violence.

To cleanse himself and save his soul, he attempts to escape.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

i>Ablutions by Patrick deWitt is praised for its brilliant black humour and intense, skillful writing. Critics highlight its poetic yet grim narrative, capturing the chaos and vice of a bar culture without glorifying alcoholism. The unique second-person narration adds to the protagonist's sense of self-erasure, making it a notable piece that blends humour with darker themes.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781847086341

Publisher: Granta Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 January 2012

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Granta Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 10.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 130g

Pages: 176

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Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Patrick deWitt

About the Author

Patrick deWitt is the author of the critically acclaimed Ablutions and The Sisters Brothers, which won the 2011 Governor General's Literary Award for fiction and the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize, and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards. Born in British Columbia, he has also lived in California, Washington and Oregon, where he currently resides with his wife and son.

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