By day, Charlie Bain is the school's most inspiring teacher. By night he prowls the stylish bars of Glasgow seducing women. Fuelled by art, drugs and fantasies of being an indie star, Charlie journeys further into hedonism, unable to see the destruction his desires are leading everyone towards...
One of Scotland's dazzling young writing talents tackles the modern phenomenon of sex addiction. Dark, funny and deliciously erotic, DEATH OF A LADIES' MAN is an intense portrait of male vanity, written with verve and emotional rawness.
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'Bissett's third novel is delivered with invention and flair'
(Esquire )'Hilarious, disturbing and hugely entertaining... Bain is a remarkable creation'
(Big Issue )'He has pulled the sheets back on Lothario men and shown them lying there wriggling, pathetic, and bare-bummed...Bissett proves himself to be a fresh, compelling and distinctly Scottish literary talent'
(Scotland on Sunday )'A high-speed, coke-fuelled rollercoaster ride through bars, classrooms and bedrooms'
(Scotsman )'This is a novel of real ambition and complexity, at its heart a delicious tension between the desire to be good and darker urges in a world of ever fewer boundaries'
(Gutter magazine )'Definitely worth a read... ****'
(Look )About the Author
Alan Bissett was born in Falkirk in 1975. His acclaimed first novel, BOYRACERS, published whilst he was still a student, was based on his adolescent experiences growing up there. His ambitious second novel, THE INCREDIBLE ADAM SPARK, was extraordinarily well received and is now being turned into a play. He is a former English teacher and has lectured in Creative Writing at the Universities of Leeds and Glasgow. Alan is now a full-time writer and playwright, and is much in demand as a live performer of his own work. He was recently named 'Falkirk Personality of the Year'.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By Keris Nine
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
Maybe it's the title or the back-cover blurb, but the impression you might have of Death of a Ladies' Man is that of a lot of laddish humour, smooth patter and pickup lines and plenty of explicit sex scenes, with the protagonist getting his come-uppance at the end. You'd be right in a way, but you also couldn't be more wrong. There's a lot more going on in Bissett's powerfully compelling novel than that.
It's not that the book has any great narrative storyline - the main character is a 30 year-old teacher who lives with his mother after a painful divorce, but has started recently dating one of his colleagues at the school, a more mature 41 year-old woman. Charlie however just can't help himself when it comes to women - he's worked out all the tricks a long time ago, knows what he wants and knows how to get it. Could his ladies man reputation prevent him from a more mature and loving relationship - or is that even what he really wants?
Plot-wise there's nothing here to get too excited about, but the strength of Death of a Ladies' Man rather is in the writing. It's simply dazzling. Perhaps too dazzling for some, with long risky string-of-consciousness passages, and messing about with typefaces and font sizes as a rule generally isn't a good idea. It's what's behind these experiments that counts however and, although in some respects the book is just an updating of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Bissett makes it relevant and purposeful, placing it within the context of the environment of our society, questioning the attitudes and morals of the world we live in today - getting to grip with what women want as well as men.
Contrary to what you would expect then, there's no lazy characterisation in Death of a Ladies' Man. The title actually comes from Leonard Cohen, and the novel is seeped in the songwriters mood and influence, finding a poetic melancholy behind Charlie's actions. Bissett then cuts through autonomic behaviour, social conformity, the laws of attraction, the art of seduction and gets to the human qualities underneath. Can we beat the programming or is there a high price to pay? Bissett's book likewise goes further than most, is occasionally shocking and explicit, sounds like it has been ripped up painfully from the soul of the writer, but it's a risk that more than pays off.
It's not that the book has any great narrative storyline - the main character is a 30 year-old teacher who lives with his mother after a painful divorce, but has started recently dating one of his colleagues at the school, a more mature 41 year-old woman. Charlie however just can't help himself when it comes to women - he's worked out all the tricks a long time ago, knows what he wants and knows how to get it. Could his ladies man reputation prevent him from a more mature and loving relationship - or is that even what he really wants?
Plot-wise there's nothing here to get too excited about, but the strength of Death of a Ladies' Man rather is in the writing. It's simply dazzling. Perhaps too dazzling for some, with long risky string-of-consciousness passages, and messing about with typefaces and font sizes as a rule generally isn't a good idea. It's what's behind these experiments that counts however and, although in some respects the book is just an updating of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Bissett makes it relevant and purposeful, placing it within the context of the environment of our society, questioning the attitudes and morals of the world we live in today - getting to grip with what women want as well as men.
Contrary to what you would expect then, there's no lazy characterisation in Death of a Ladies' Man. The title actually comes from Leonard Cohen, and the novel is seeped in the songwriters mood and influence, finding a poetic melancholy behind Charlie's actions. Bissett then cuts through autonomic behaviour, social conformity, the laws of attraction, the art of seduction and gets to the human qualities underneath. Can we beat the programming or is there a high price to pay? Bissett's book likewise goes further than most, is occasionally shocking and explicit, sounds like it has been ripped up painfully from the soul of the writer, but it's a risk that more than pays off.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By A. Gordon
Format:Paperback
What can I say about this book? It's simply mindblowing. Best book I've read in years. Almost painfully insightful,seductive, at times shockingly(but enjoyably)saucy (be prepared!!), with an ending so full of pathos, I actually cried. Loved the character of Charlie Bain, charming but deeply, deeply flawed. It is a testament to the power of the writing that I came away from it feeling more sorry for Charlie than anyone else in the whole book. He clearly knows he's going to hell in a hand cart but seems powerless to stop it.
Very different from Boyracers and Adam Spark (although they were both excellent too). Easier to read than them in many ways as written in more "standard" English. Loved the mixing of typefaces and writing styles, particularly the "screen play" parts. Would make an excellent film/TV/play adaptation if anyone out there is listening.
Was privileged to meet the author at a book launch recently. He read from the book and is clearly also a talented actor/performer. Lovely guy, too. By the way, I also recommend you listen to the tracks mentioned in the book - most are available on Amazon MP3 download. Terrific music and brilliantly appropriate.
Very different from Boyracers and Adam Spark (although they were both excellent too). Easier to read than them in many ways as written in more "standard" English. Loved the mixing of typefaces and writing styles, particularly the "screen play" parts. Would make an excellent film/TV/play adaptation if anyone out there is listening.
Was privileged to meet the author at a book launch recently. He read from the book and is clearly also a talented actor/performer. Lovely guy, too. By the way, I also recommend you listen to the tracks mentioned in the book - most are available on Amazon MP3 download. Terrific music and brilliantly appropriate.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Death of a ladies' Man" is for everyone, ladies who want to know what goes on in a mans head and is a book men can relate to. Written beautifully with tangible emotion. Very real, most can identify with the characters. This book offers a satisfying journey where the reader is not disappointed. definitely a must read.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
First class read
Thought this might be a bit of a lads book, but its nothing of the sort. Charlie Bain is torn apart by his desire to do good and his desire to get away from his own sense of... Read more
Published 8 months ago by richteafinger
5.0 out of 5 stars
Charlie Sheen? Is that you?
I had the privilege to know Alan Bissett one unforgettable afternoon. He came to my high school for a creative writing cram session for my Advanced Higher English class, teaching... Read more
Published 16 months ago by James C.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
The content can certainly be found elsewhere - the slow descent of a seemingly respectable man into a circle of sex and addictions with ever-enlarging consequences that he closes... Read more
Published on 27 Dec 2010 by Fiona
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable book
Really enjoyed the style, very easy to read, if you're of the 20 - 30's ages bracket you'll enjoy all the pop culture references. Read more
Published on 7 Dec 2010 by Jacob
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sabbath's Theatre meets A Dissaffection for the Scottish indie...
The title for this review may be wildly inaccurate but it comes from my gut and no author wouldn't be flattered by those comparisons. Read more
Published on 15 April 2010 by J. Wilkie
4.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining
Found this book very entertaining, Alan Bissett has a great way with words and I look forward to reading more of his work.
Published on 31 Aug 2009 by Bonita
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