Here are five satires worth reading. They are presented in chronological order. Click on the links to read my reviews.
Candide by Voltaire (1759)
Candide is an eighteenth-century satirical classic that evaluates optimism; the prevailing philosophical ideology of The Enlightenment.
My Review: Brought up in the household of a German baron, cheerful protagonist Candide has been instilled with the philosophy of Leibniz, notably – That all is for the best in this, the best of …(more)
Subjects Satirised: The Church & The Enlightenment.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953)
This satirical book’s motif is a warning about the threat posed by state censorship.
My Review: Books are banned in this dystopian world, where firemen are employed to burn them. Guy Montag is a fireman, who lives an unfulfilling existence with Mildred, his sedentary, parlour-consuming …(more)
Subjects Satirised: Social Problems.
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis (1991)
American Psycho is a satire of the yuppies culture of the 1980s. It has become a cult classic.
My Review: American Psycho is a highly controversial novel that brought its young author Bret Easton Ellis instant fame. The book is written from the perspective of a young Wall Street financier, Patrick Bateman …(more)
Subjects Satirised: 1980s yuppies culture.
Choke by Chuck Palahniuk (2001)
Choke is in essence a social commentary about our innate craving for attention and the fundamental nature of addiction.
My Review: The protagonist, Victor Mancini, is a sex addict employed at an eighteenth-century historical re-enactment park. Victor attends various sexual addiction support groups, where he …(more)
Subjects Satirised: Sex addition & dependence.
I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe (2004)
This is a humorous satire about campus life. Themes include materialism, social class, race and America’s obsession with college sport.
My Review: Appalachian wunderkind Charlotte Simmons has been awarded a scholarship to Dupont, an elite fictional university, steeped in tradition. Living amongst the cream of America’s youth is …(more)
Subjects Satirised: Campus life & society.
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About Me: I write darkly humorous, satirical fiction for readers seeking an acerbic antidote to our absurd and woke-obsessed world. Click here to find out more.