744. Blood and Guts in High School

Blood and Guts in High School
Kathy Acker
1984
Around 165 pages

What the hell did I just read? 

Acker tells a disturbing, barely coherent story about Janey Smith, using a collage method. She inserts letters, poems, drama scenes, dream visions and childish drawings into a very loose narrative. Acker also freely admitted to using plagiarism in her work."Hello, I'm Erica Jong", a chapbook written passive-aggressively towards Jong. Of course, the entire novel rubbed me the wrong way, but this part was particularly annoying, with how much Jong outstrips Acker in talent and substance. Jealousy does not become Acker.

Just disgusting and perverse, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. If you can avoid having these images in your brain, consider it a blessing.

RATING: -----

Interesting Facts:

Laura Parnes created a "re-imagining" of the novel as a multi-screen video art piece in 2007.

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