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Fight Club was written by Chuck Palahniuk, who was born in Pasco, WA on February 21, 1962. He grew up in a blue-collar home, and after his parents were divorced, he often spent parts of his childhood living with his grandparents. He attended the University of Oregon's School of Journalism in the 80's and spent time working as a journalist. Palahniuk was a hybrid worker, taking on blue-collar jobs, including one job as a mechanic, while also exercising his literary talents by writing how-to manuals for fixing trucks. He began writing seriously in his mid-thirties after attending a seminar hosted by writer Tom Spanbauer. This relationship would influence Palahniuk's minimalist writing style. His first attempt at publication never garnered him an agent.
He wrote a short story in response to his rejection from publishing agencies and this short story later became chapter six of his novel, Fight Club. The first edition of the novel had a short shelf life. Interest in the novel from 20th Century Fox led to Palahniuk securing an agent, and later led to the film adaptation of his novel. The film and the novel have gone on to become cult hits, making Palahniuk an award-winning novelist.
EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 2
The narrator meets Marla in the Trinity Episcopal basement during Remaining Men Together, a testicular cancer support group. The narrator can't sleep and attending support groups for the terminally ill is the only way he knows how to feel emotion. He's never been able to cry, but being wrapped in a bear hug by Bob, a man that abused steroids and has lost his physique, the narrator can cry and feel loved. Marla is a gothic beauty. She has short matte hair, big brown eyes, and pale skin. She is the only woman at the testicular cancer support group, and it bothers the narrator. He can't cry in front of her and he notices that Marla also attends various support groups he belongs to.
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