Guest Posted September 3, 2002 Report Share Posted September 3, 2002 Quite a character, this Houllebecq chappie. I'm told it's pronounced to sound like 'Wellbeck'. His latest book is causing a bit of a stir. I've hit two articles on him since last Thursday. He sounds more interesting than his books - not that his writing lacks anything if the critics are to be believed. 'Platform' deals with sex-tourism (as plot ) and specifically Thailand. In a Guardian interview on Saturday, M. Houllebecq stated that if he wanted to deal with sex tourism as a subject then he probably picked the wrong country - from a philosophical point of view that is - and regards his attempt here as a failure in that respect. He's a bit of a guy I'm telling you. Always pissed apparently. Anyway, a summary (leaning heavily on tonights Evening sub-Standard). The character's father dies (in an interesting fashion) and so our man hotfoots it off to LOS reasoning that if his life is to be meaningless and finite then it might, at least, be sexually pleasurable. Yeah... He meets a female tour operator and they come back to Paris together where much shagging ensues. After a series of adventures (and shagging) they return to Thailand to open an erotic resort called Aphrodite where 'westerners exchange cash for the sexual favours of locals in an atmosphere uncontaminated by guilt or sexual shame'.(ES) Anyway - some Islamist fundamentalists turn up on a mission to eradicate prostitution.... ...and that's all I know. Sounds like I'd give it a try. Pattaya 127 - have you come across this guy before in France? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted September 3, 2002 Report Share Posted September 3, 2002 Yes, he is part of the few best-sellers of a certain X generartion in french litterature. Sad, pessimistic, hopeless, "reality is drab" trend. It's HouEllebecq, BTW, (oo-el-bek). His book came out last year, and we had a thread here, then. I guess it's been translated in english now. I am not sure i would dig it, anything that talks about Thailand and sees thai people and girls as a mere backdrop to his own adventure is not bound to get my suffrages (I disliked "the beach" for that reason). Guess it's "Emmanuelle" over again, in printed fashion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 3, 2002 Report Share Posted September 3, 2002 I understand he's a regular to LOS himself, so it might be a bit different this time. It's not Emmanuelle or the Beach, that's for sure. I read Atomised, his previous book, and I thought it was very good. The subject - as I see it - is the place of sexuality in the western society. I'm looking forward to reading this one as soon as I can get my hands on it. I haven't seen it anywhere yet. I'll bet it's better than the usual Farang-Thai 'literature' as advertised on the walls of the Thermae... Regards, Xenna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted September 3, 2002 Report Share Posted September 3, 2002 It's not Emmanuelle or the Beach, that's for sure. ------------------------------ I just meant once in a while, some movie, litterature comes out that becomes the epitomy of how a certain country is viewed by westerners at that time. Emmanuelle was about Thailand as erotic paradise, The beach was about Thailand as a place for the ultimate escape, thais being totally irrelevant. Platform is about Thailand with no other function but being a westerner's sex playground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 3, 2002 Report Share Posted September 3, 2002 Perhaps it's not very reasonable to expect a work of fiction to provide a full picture of a whole culture. If it provides an interesting perspective on the sexual playground part of Thailand it'll probably be an interesting read in itself. I'll read it and let you know ;-) Regards, Xenna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thalenoi Posted September 5, 2002 Report Share Posted September 5, 2002 I read it in french, it's a piece of shit (in my humble opinion) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted September 5, 2002 Report Share Posted September 5, 2002 Oh no, you told the ending! I may give it a shot anyway. I want to read some of the books that have LOS as a theme. Maybe it will help me deal better with the Thai Flu/Bangkok Blues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted September 5, 2002 Report Share Posted September 5, 2002 That's the point, LOS is not the theme, his self-indulging is. i think in France, people took it for what it was, just being mildly scandalous and provocative to make it the talk of a few nights and a hit in book sales. If objectifying thai women and "ennui-trumping" sexcapades tales stir one up, one may find a redeeming value in reading it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted September 5, 2002 Report Share Posted September 5, 2002 from the few excerpts i read, he does not seem to know a 1/10th of what the average Nana member knows. i also think most of the book is not taking place in Thailand. If i can lay my hand on it, i will read it, seems like a quick read anyway. Somehow, I feel Thalenoi summed it up well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 13, 2002 Report Share Posted September 13, 2002 Well, I just finished it. I don't think it's a piece of shit at all. I also think it's pretty relevant to many people reading this board. As for not knowing 1/10th: I found he says two things about LOS that are incorrect: - The full-moon parties near Koh Samui are on Koh Phangan, not on the island he mentions. - He writes that Thai people don't believe in ghosts, I understand many of them do. The book isn't really all about Thailand. Thailand serves as an example of a place relatively untouched by western civilisation where a man (or woman) can still find happiness. The main character, Michel, a dreary fellow who lives a very boring life takes a group holiday to Thailand where he enjoys himself in MP's and meets the love of his life, a french woman called Valerie. After another sex-filled holiday in Cuba they decide to start a series of sexy-resorts in various places around the world (Valerie works for a big hotel chain). When visiting one of the resorts (in Krabi) they decide they want to stay and live in Thailand. A group of muslim terrorists attacks the resort and kills Valerie. Michel falls back in depression and decides to live the rest of his life in Pattaya. I think this book is interesting for readers of this board because it touches on many subjects that pop up here regularly. Many board readers are frustrated with the western world and western women, and contemplate living in Thailand. It is particularly interesting for me because I also live with a western woman, not unlike Valerie in many respects (although she is of Asian origin) and the thought of living in Thailand has occured to us many times. It's important to realise that this is a main stream best-selling author in Europe. I find it interesting to see our little subculture being picked up by a main stream author. I, personally, have often wondered why there are so few sex-tourists, with all the frustrated people out there in the western world. Just look at all the sex on the Internet. The western world seems very sex-obsessed in comparison with the Thais (or with the expats living in Thailand). Food for thought, in my opinion. Regards, Xenna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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