Would you let your 15 1/2 year old read American Psycho?

Such as "Infected" by James Schannep, a choose your own adventure book for adults where you're trying to survive the zombie apocalypse.

And if you try reading again you'll see I said there must be some for older teens/adults. There are certainly app games for adults with this as their entire premise, I don't see why there wouldn't be similar books for older teens. So maybe pipe the fuck down you snotty little cow :)

I would say definitely not. I read it in my 20s and still wish I hadn't. If it had been recommended to me by my mother, I'd never have been able to look at her again.

Have you read it recently? I'm wondering if you've forgotten how awful it is.

Read it yourself first if you haven’t already. I did find it the most graphic book I’ve ever read and I’m not squeamish normally. I’m never normally shocked by stuff I read in books but this book was next level, honestly.

I (skim) read American Psycho for a college based adult-ed evening class, and felt it was a totally inappropriate choice by the teacher. I don’t think of myself as excessively prudish but I once avoided sitting next to someone on the train as they were reading it. Personally I’d no more give it to a reluctant reader DC than I’d try teaching a non-verbal toddler swear words to interest them in speech.

Agree.

I read it at 19 - thought it was dull so fast forwarded to the torture scenes because of how notorious they were.

This is what your DS will do.
So it’s not really reading as such.

“Mouth open story jump out” has stayed with me forever, I read that when I was about 8. Really good collection of myths that scared the shit out of me.

The passage by justin cronin, it’s not graphic in the way psycho is but it’s good and if he gets into it he’ll finish the trilogy - he’ll have read three books. It’s a good read.

@AdInfinitum12

Jesus Christ. He’s nearly 16, not eight and a half.

Sure. He will, as you say, probably read it, and there are good things about it. It’s very funny in parts.

What about one of those choose your own adventure books? I'm sure there must be some suitable for older teens/adults. At the end of each chapter he has to make a decision, which then dictates what happens to his character and what chapter is read next.

It’s tricky because obviously schools do have to push and promote reading for pleasure - for good reason to an extent, research does show that on the whole it has big benefits, especially in young children - but I think towards the end of secondary school they should just ease off with this a bit. Daily reading seems unnecessary and not a great use of time, especially if some kids do just get away with doodling in their reading books. Some people just don’t enjoy the process of reading a book, it’s not fast paced enough, and that should be ok and accepted. You don’t have to be an avid book reader to be a well rounded adult - and I say this as an avid book reader! You’ve done your best with this I think OP, I think when you’ve got to the point where you’re considering American Psycho you’ve definitely given it your all!

I read it age 17 and I'm 44 now.

The rat scene stayed with me in the same way as some of the graphic scenes in the Underground Railroad.

I am a massive fan of encouraging children to read anything. But would I suggest it? No.

However if DC chose to read it I wouldn't stop them.

Im surprised at all these people saying go for it. As you know because you’ve read it yourself, it contains really detailed, explicit sexual violence against women. I don’t think it’s appropriate for a 15 year old especially at school.
Get him another book, whether he reads it or not as requested by the school is a matter between him and the school.

I read it younger than that, about 13, didn’t find it scarring. Mostly because it was so over the top that I couldn’t take it seriously. I’d say let him read it, I don’t think teachers would care

Have you tried graphic novels (given his doodling). Huge variety of genres. DS loves them and is usually glued to one whereas he could take or leave a book of just text.

It's a vile book. It made me physically sick. I was so disgusted I chucked it in the bin.

No way - the book is seriously awful and far too graphic for a teenage boy. I had to stop reading towards the end as a grown woman because the explicit description of how he tortured two prostitutes, which included cutting the face off one and being able to see her teeth and the sinews of her jaw working as she gave another character oral sex in the hope he wouldn't kill her just too much.

It is so, so nasty - the violence is largely sexual against women who he then describes dismembering and putting in his freezer. Pages and pages of it.

I don't know that a teenage boy would be able to process it properly, as the sex is quite titillating and then turns gory. It's great writing from that perspective as it creates a peculiar feeling in the reader, but the film sanitises the sex and torture in comparison to what's on the page.

I've always believed that books are pretty much self-censoring; the reader won't persist if the book is beyond their emotional or intellectual capacity.

Even so, American Psycho is a very hard read. The sexual violence is graphic and extreme and I'm not sure I'd want a teenager reading it without actually understanding the book. Mind you, he might struggle to get past the tedious descriptions of luxury products.

I'd be more inclined to recommend Jack Reacher.

By 12 I'd read everything my parents had on the bookshelf, including Janet evanovich and jilly Cooper... I'd say let him read whatever he wants

Fuck off with your sad little stereotypes.

American Psycho has been used by schools as a sixth form coursework text. However, I don’t think it’s a great idea to use it just to try to shock your DS into reading. If one of my Year 11s was reading it in class, I’d definitely chat to them about their choice.