Giving my penchant for reading banned or suppressed literature, it should come as no surprise that I’m a big fan of the Grove Press. They have been at the forefront of releasing off color classics. Grove Press is responsible for the first U.S. publications of suppressed works like Lady Chatterly’s Lover, Tropic of Cancer and Naked Lunch. I am unsure the censorship factor for Last Exit to Brooklyn but I don’t imagine the Comstocks of the world were too enamored of this book.

Hubert Selby Jr has given us a savage classic. Many will be more familiar with the movie Requiem For a Dream which was based on his novel of the same title. If you’ve seen that picture then you will have a good idea of the brutal reality and imagery that Selby captures in his writing. Last Exit to Brooklyn is his first novel. There are times that this can be a difficult book to read because of the sheer rawness. Those with weak constitutions should avoid this.

The book was originally conceived in 1957 as a novel called The Queen Is Dead. It evolved into Last Exit to Brooklyn and was published in 1964. Those waxing nostalgic for Eisenhower’s America will not be too pleased with this. Selby captures the essence of an underbelly that existed in our cities. He draws portraits of numerous characters that revolve around a diner called The Greeks. I am guessing that this is a fictional diner but I am not sure on that point. Each chapter of the book begins with a quote from the Bible. I doubt that Billy Graham would approve of his use of Holy Scripture.

Much of the early portion of the book deals with transvestites and other drunkards that hang around at the diner. They are drinking excessively and abusing Benzedrine. Georgette, a transvestite is smitten with Vinnie one of the local drunks. He exploits that affection for free booze and drugs.

The style of writing can at times be difficult to follow. Selby employs a stream of consciousness type style that omits quotation marks so you have to stop to consider who is speaking or if it is a character’s thoughts or just the narrative. He omits a lot of punctuation: Wed instead of We’d. Id instead of I’d. It takes a few pages to adapt to this style. Once you tap the vein of his prose it becomes a gripping account.

Selby is dealing with many people who were disenfranchised in these cities. Most of these characters are the dregs of society. They revel in excessive drinking and violence. Most of these guys are abusive toward their wives—both physically and verbally. Little excuse is needed for a fight to emerge. The locals often clash with soldiers from a nearby army base. They show no remorse upon nearly beating a soldier to death. These are not characters to garner much empathy.

The longest chapter deals with Harry who is a union shop steward at a plant that goes on strike. He abuses the union’s funds ordering beer and food that is often used by himself and friends after hours of the strike. He has an ugly end that is much deserved. There is also a lot of ugliness in his relationship with his wife and his latent homosexuality. He is a self important person who ultimately is not that important. He is detested by man of the people in the gay bar that he tries to buy off with money from the union funds.

This account of life in postwar Brooklyn is brutal. The rage and pain of life for these characters comes across full blast on the page. The intensity is electrifying. This is not a portrait of American life that most would want to see or admit exists. Sadly, this “other America” does exist and whether we want to acknowledge it or not Selby has given us a startling vision of that world.



Recommended: Yes