Hubert Selby: Last Exit To Brooklyn

I first read this in the early sixties. I've never seen the film. I'm reading it again at the moment, loving it.
Anyone here read it? Or seen the film? What do you think?

I read it ages ago, and couldn't stand the writing style (ie. total lack of grammer, or anything resembling coherent sentences )I haven't seen the film so I can't comment on it.

I really liked The Demon (also by Hubert Selby Jr) - that was such a demented book. Requiem for a Dream wasn't bad either, but I kept comparing it to the movie while I was reading it. The movie is fantastic - depressing as hell, but definately worth seeing. Ellen Burstyn should have won the Oscar for sure.

I liked many of the short stories in Last Exit to Brooklyn, some more than others. The reason Hubert Selby wrote that way is so the book is more towards people that didn't have a high education and can't read something very complicated. The Demon didn't really give a motive for the person going insane, it just told the story of it happening, but didn't say why.

I read last exit three years ago and i love that book. it is pretty disturbing but thats part of what makes it so great. I want to read it again so badly but i have to wait until i forget most of it before i can so it will be like reading it fresh again. the last paragraph of the book is so awesome it totaly ends the book perfectly.

i gotta get my hands on this. i found out about this book from the inside flap of Requiem for a Dream.

so is it simply just short stories? what is the connection with Brooklyn?

I read Last Exit when it came out and it is still one of the most memorable books I have read. Gritty and rough. With scenes that were edgy then and still stand out in my memory today. I would say definitely read it if you can stand the bleak side of reality. And, yes, the stories are set in an easily recognizable part of Brooklyn for those of us who grew up there. Those are mean streets, and the people are all too recognizable!
Don't know anything about the movie, or even that there was one.
Peder

The movie is pretty bad. Seeing it would put anyone off reading this great book.