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Paperback
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Murder Was Never So Much Fun!When Disco Bloodbath was first published, it created a storm of controversy for its startlingly vivid, strikingly fresh, and outrageously funny depiction of the hedonistic world of the New York City club kids, for whom nothing was too outré -- including murder. Nominated for the Edgar Award for best true-crime book of the year, it also marked the debut of an audaciously talented writer, James St. James, who himself had been a club kid and close friend and confidant of Michael Alig, the young man convicted of killing the drug dealer known as Angel. Now the book has been brought to the screen as Party Monster, with Macaulay Culkin playing killer Michael Alig and Seth Green as author/celebutante James St. James.
In 1996, New York City drug dealer and "club kid" Angel Melendez was bludgeoned, injected with Drano, dismembered, and tossed into the river. James St. James was there when the killer confessed, but before that, there were the clubs, the parties, the drugs, and the many fabulous (and some not so fabulous) outfits. Disco Bloodbath is "celebutante" St. James's story, equal parts confession and attempt at closure. This is no square-jawed detective's account of the investigation of the crime; St. James is a drug-addled clubster who wears a wedding dress out on the town and invokes Judy Garland as he talks about the scene in which he and Melendez immersed themselves before the murder. His story, despite its gruesome subject matter and frequent, shocking lucidity, has a chatty and anecdotal quality that's compelling, endearing, and unrelentingly human. --Lisa Higgins
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| A fabulously written tale of true crime |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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The movie, "Party Monster", could easily be called one of my favorites. The book, however was much different than I expected it to be. Of course, seeing as how I picked up the book after I fell in love with the movie, my opinion may be a little bit skewered. I wasn't expecting the book to be composed mainly of wit and laugh-out-loud moments, a part of me wanted there to be some of the emotion that was created in the film, but all of that aide, the book was amazing.
James St. James wrote the novel with a tone that sounds like he is actually speaking to you. This is one of those books that you can't, or don't want to, skim over any small part of a page because the words are just that good. Though the overall topic of the story can be considered to be pretty serious, I couldn't get through a page without finding something to laugh at. Try sitting in a room filled with people while reading this book, I can guarantee that the chronic sarcasm and facetious metaphors will keep you from putting the book down.
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| Love this book! |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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oh James St. James! I fell in love with the movie and wanted to read the book oringinally titled Disco Bloodbath, yet its price was always so high. I stumbled on the Party Monster book and bought two, sending one to my son. We both read the book nonstop until done. We siply lovethe way James writes. He is witty, completely well spoken and an absolute roar with the way he thinks.
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| Strange Days |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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This book seemed like a mashup of true crime and memoir. The author, James St James was a 'club kid' in New York during the late 80's and early 90's. For me the most interesting thing about the book was getting a look at that whole scene. These guys made a living dressing up in the weirdest way possible and going to clubs. They were big into a drug called special k. It was a really nutty time and place.
That said, the author writes very clearly and well. He seems to be writing as if you're more or less in the know so the book has a familiar tone. It's compact, has plenty of bizarre anecdotes and it moves along at a nice clip. Very good, very off-beat book.
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| Liked the Movie? LOVE THE BOOK! |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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After watching 'Party Monster', I fell in love with James St. James, and although I was slightly disappointed by his tweeny novel, 'Freak Show', 'Party Monster' ,the novel, delivers!
It is a definite page-turner and I don't think it took me more than two or three days to finish it. Book is packed with way more of James' humor and critique than we got from the movie. If you love the man, you'll love the book! Enjoy!
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| You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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James St. James takes you into the world of the nightlife in the 80's and 90's with a wide spectrum of emotions ranging from euphoria, to jealousy, and fear in this collection of events of the club/entertainment field.
James St. James goes into his rivalry and friendship with Michael Alig with brutal honesty and zeal from literally their teens until their 30's in PARTY MONSTER. James documents their partying and drug use in a fashion that you still care about them as well as their well being, while still hoping that these two will find their way out of the messes that their lives took towards the end of the book.
It has good times, as well as sad times for the two main "characters" in this novel and this book makes you realize that even if people seem to be having a grand old time in the public eye, there may be unhappiness lurking daily in the backgrounds of their existence.
This book does not have a happy ending, but does hold a small amount of redemption for James St. James with him trying to start his life over again in another part of the country.
If you enjoyed the movie, you will enjoy the novel as well, and vice versa.
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