The novel 'filth'. Thoughts?

[Ilovebreakfast]

Anyone read the novel 'filth'? My dh is reading it at the moment. Didn't know what it was about. Just flicked through some of the pages. It is vile and woman hating. Not sure what to think really as dh is such a nice guy.

Reading us supposed to be a pleasure and enjoyable coast time.

For you. Not everybody.

I enjoy thrillers and crime novels, films and series. I wouldn't call it a pleasure.
I also read/watch comedies, rom coms, and lighter material.
They all have their place and I enjoy all, even if not all are an actual pleasure.
As you may read or watch about tragedies.

I'm not saying I don't like challenging books, but I was just stating the fact it is grim. And was surprised my dh chose to read such a book.

Sort of, in the same way that a horror film scares me and I enjoy being scared as I know it's not real fear. It doesn't mean I'd enjoy real fear, I just like being able to experience it in a safe and controlled manner.

I enjoy reading sad stuff, not because I'm gaining pleasure from the sadness, but I'm enjoying experiencing it in a safe and controlled way.

Same goes for disgusting/shocking stuff.

I'm enjoying the sensation of strong emotions, while safe in the knowledge that they impact no further.

Do you ever read historical non-fiction?

Lots of books, TV programs, games and films are full of murder and other grim things. If he is a good person then reading one book with unpleasant things in is not going to change that.

Sorry it upset you but I really do think you are overreacting.

People are giving you loads of reasons why they choose books like this, and you keep coming back to "but you get pleasure from it", as if anyone that reads it is a sick pervert getting their kicks.

I've read lots of books. It was just the graphic, crude, vile language. I was just surprised that my dh was reading it.

I know it's not real, fiction, but then done people are shocked at lyrics from pop songs even though its not real. Robin Thicke's recent song for example.

People can read whatever they like. I'll leave my dh to choose his own novels.

There's quite a large difference between Irvine Welsh and Robin Thicke, in that Welsh's books are a not very flattering commentary on unsavoury characters. Welsh novels aren't written in a way that makes any character entirely sympathetic, even the sympathetic ones aren't really. Thicke's lyrics are just lazy shock tactics.

Robin Thicke's a twat, Irvine Welsh is an author who exposes the misogony and general unsavoury side of some people's lives.

Whether you want to read it or not (and I don't but DP does) there is a world of difference.

Me, I prefer Enid Blyton.

I get you OP. I don't like it when DP reads stuff like that; I find it really unnerving and uncomfortable.

I'm getting from this thread that this isn't a rational response though! Can't help feeling it.

I suppose I want him to go 'ugh' and stop reading it like I would, but I find that sort of imagery triggering and he doesn't.

At last someone who can see a different side to it just being 'fiction'! Thanks army.

It did make me feel a little uncomfortable that my dh would choose to read a novel about a 15 yo girl being forced to perform sexual acts, when we have a dd15 too.
I don't like the idea of him reading about depraved sexual acts any more than I'd like him to watch consensual depraved sexual acts.

You seem to want to be told that there's something "wrong" with your husband for choosing to read those kinds of books.
I read books about serial killers, gruesome murders, genocide and horror fiction, DH won't read or watch anything with child abuse/murder and he doesn't like horror books or films, should he think I'm some kind of depraved pervert because of my choices?

What do you think he's going to do, start grooming 15 year olds online?

Have you asked him opinions of the book? The fact he is reading a book with this in does not mean he condones it. He can be disgusted by it and still enjoy the book.

You seem fixated on him enjoying this story. Do you know how the book ends? I dont want to spoil it for anyone but it is ultimately about the mental decline and subsequent undoing of Bruce. It isnt about him raping and murdering and getting away scot free.

"What do you think he's going to do, start grooming 15 year olds online?"

That seems simplistic. For me (can't speak for OP) it's a general feeling of discomfort that seems to stem from something like, 'how is he reading that without having any sort of reaction?'

I too would find it weird if he was reading some horribly graphic rape scene or similar and then shut the book and had sex with me as normal. I'm not sure why.

It's obviously just us OP!

Can I ask those of you who have read the book (and it's on my To Read list) have you seen the film and did you rate it?

I have seen the film and thought it was really good - if relentlessly grim! Would like to hear what others have thought though.

I have read all of Irving Welsh's stuff many years ago now and I remember "Filth" being the grimmest, sickening read. I am glad I read it though; it was a different type of book. I also watch horror on TV, read Val McDermot type murder Mystery type books too.

I think I am weird because I find the insidious, widespread mysogyny in things like "The Inbetweeners" far more unsettling in that it's mainstream and it seems to be ok to laugh at 17 year old lads refering to girls and women as, "clunge" and the like. Does anyone else get what I mean?

I hear ya Parvati... Casual sexism in the name of mainstream comedy only serves to normalise the behaviour.

It's like the lads mag thing versus porn too. If we put aside the exploitation aspect for a minute (yes, I know ), lads mags are "normal", on view everywhere, to everyone, with scantily clad, waif like females on the cover looking like they are gagging for it. Porn is that much more explicit, the purveyors of it have to seek it out and to have it out in the open is unacceptable. One normalizes the objectification of females far more than the other, just by it's apparent normality and acceptability.

You put it far more eloquently and succinctly than I did Cogito.

Army and OP - actually, I think I do get what you mean. You're not saying NOBODY should enjoy those books, or that people who do aren't normal. It's just that you personally really don't like that kind of thing, and because of that you genuinely don't understand how anyone else can. As another poster said, it's a bit like if really dark, twisted porn or real life road fatality photos suddenly became "arty" and everyone was raving about something that left you cold.

I'm guessing, though, that you do enjoy that kind of thing on a much milder level - I mean, even Harry Potter has its dark bits. Does it make more sense if you just think of it in terms of our threshold for "twistedness" being much higher than yours?

I am going to an even in November where Irvine Welsh will be reading and commenting from his book 'Skagboys' and afterwards he will do the introduction to the film 'Filth'....

and yes I am so happy to be there and 20 or so years after Trainspotting I am so looking forward to this.

Ilovebreakfast, I can hardly explain it, but as a woman and a mother to a teenage daughter, I see no issue at all reading and loving his stuff.

I maybe get what you're meaning, but I have no better words than saying how sad and disturbed I would be, if my husband would question my motives and character for enjoying this kind of literature.

OP, I have started a thread in Feminism on this topic if you feel like weighing in.

I wouldn't read it. I am still haunted by the baby heading toward the stairs in trainspotting which I saw decades ago.

My DH likes violent films, was watching Mad Max2 last night. I was on the laptop and looked away at horrible bits.

But murder/violence books and films are so popular we have to assume most people can put it out of their heads.

JustinBsMum The baby heading towards the stairs isn't the worst bit in Trainspotting.... erm, did you stop watching after that point?

For me, there's a difference between woman-hating and other kinds of violence. I can handle most violence. Maybe it's because woman-hating is pervasive in society in very subtle ways, and the graphic representation of it resembles a hidden reality that other violence doesn't?