Kamikaze Lust [Paperback]

Lauren Sanders (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 24, 2000

Kamikaze Lust by first-time novelist Lauren Sanders takes the reader on an electrifying ride through the spectacle of life and death in millennial America. Smart, hardboiled and humorous, the novel taps our obsession with sex and death, sex and popular culture, sex and the written word, sex and pornography, sex and green M&Ms, and, of course, the perennial sex and love.

"Great courage must account for such complete disregard of political correctness, and great sensitivity for such sadness."—Amanda Filipacchi, author of Vapor and Nude Men

Lauren Sanders is a novelist and journalist who lives in New York City. She is co-editor of the anthology Too Darn Hot: Writing About Sex Since Kinsey, published by Persea Books in 1998. She is a graduate of Columbia University's school of journalism and has an MA in Creative Writing from City College in New York.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Great courage must account for such complete disregard of political correctness,and great sensitivity for such sadness." -- Amanda Filipacchi, author of Vapor and Nude Men

"Kamikaze Lust puts a snappy spin on a traditional theme--young woman in search of herself--and stands it on its head. In a crackling, rapid-fire voice studded with deadpan one-liners and evocative descriptions, Rachel Silver takes us to such far-flung places as a pompous charity benefit, the set of an "art porn" movie, her best friend's body, Las Vegas casinos, and the psyche of her own porn-star alter ego, Silver Ray, all knit together by the unspoken question: who am I, anyway? And as Rachel tells it, asking the question is more fun than knowing for sure could ever be." -- Kate Christensen, author of In the Drink

"Lauren Sanders' novel Kamikaze Lust makes a connection between unrealized lives, sexual repression, and the fear of death. In her hands, what is usually clichd or gratuitous is hot." -- Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls

About the Author

Lauren Sanders is a novelist and journalist who lives in New York City. Her highly acclaimed debut novel, Kamikaze Lust (Akashic, 2000) won a 2001 Lambda Literary Award. Sanders?s writing has appeared in publications including the American Book Review, Poets & Writers, and Time Out New York. She is coeditor of the anthology Too Darn Hot: Writing About Sex Since Kinsey, published by Persea Books in 1998. She is a graduate of Columbia University's school of journalism and has an MA in Creative Writing from City College in New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 287 pages
• Publisher: Akashic Books; First Edition. pb original edition (April 24, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888451084
• ISBN-13: 978-1888451085
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,401,731 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as I hoped..., September 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Kamikaze Lust (Paperback)

It seems as though it's either one extreme or the other with this book, and I am one of those who didn't like it at all. If Sanders kept to one major plot instead of trying to develop three, it wouldn't be so bad. I think the author was trying to write a hip, cutting edge novel which got muddled down by trying to go in too many directions. I was bored by the time I was a quarter way through the novel and struggled to finish.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars You won't Lust after this book, July 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Kamikaze Lust (Paperback)

I should have been suspicious since this book has hardly been reviewed in the press. After reading it, it's clear why it has been virtually ignored. In short, it is pure dreck. There is lots of sex but that does not make for a good book. The author fails to develop any of the characters, choosing to try to titillate readers rather than engage us emotionally.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sexy, disturbing, funny what a read., April 2, 2000

By 

John Rogers (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kamikaze Lust (Paperback)

Lauren Sanders' first novel is terrific. Sanders writes very,very well and she weaves a story that is sexy, disturbing and, atpoints, laugh out loud funny. Once I got to the middle of the book I kept finding excuses to put the rest of my life on hold so I could stay in my chair and keep reading. This is a serious book about serious things that does not preach but, rather, gets its point across while entertaining the reader to no end. Now THAT is refreshing. I, for one, can't wait to read her next book. Sanders is a writer to cheer about. A good book.