Bret Easton Ellis

Bret Easton Ellis became the unwelcome prophet of his generation, publishing his first novel, 'Less Than Zero,' while still a student at Bennington College. The book's blank depiction of wealthy Los Angeles youth adrift in a world of drugs and casual cruelty set the tone for his career. His 1991 novel 'American Psycho' became a cultural flashpoint, a hyper-violent, meticulously detailed satire of Wall Street greed and masculine identity that was condemned in the press and banned in several countries before being reassessed as a defining critique of its era. Ellis writes in a flat, affectless style, letting the horrific actions and vacuous dialogue of his characters speak for themselves, forcing readers to confront the emptiness he charts. He has cultivated a public persona as sharp and unapologetic as his prose, often clashing with critics and engaging directly with fans and detractors on social media and through his podcast, further blurring the lines between his life and his art.