Verisimilitude, with the meaning ˝of being true or real˝ is a likeness or resemblance of the truth, reality or a fact’s probability. It comes from Latin verum meaning truth and similismeaning similar

Bret Easton Ellis was at one time, one of my favourite writers. Works like ‘less than zero’ and ‘rules of attraction’ were among some of the most interesting and different works i had read, and were much discussed during my college years. Rules of Attraction was the first book where i realised that a narrator could lie! It was written from a number of different voices, each contradicting the other.

I read his last book, ‘lunar park’ when it was released in 2005, and was shocked by how bad it was, truly terrible. It was a real battle to make it to the end of it, and I only did so due to his other work. I kept expecting him to turn it around, but he never did. It featured himself as the main character, and he kept telling the reader repeatedly that this is all true and definitely happened!

He’s been in Ireland in the last few days, flogging his new book Imperial Bedrooms all over Ireland in the last few days. He did interviews with the last word and at the Galways arts festival. If anyone has read it, I’d be delighted to know whether its worth a read. Its a follow up to less than zero, which does tempt me! Seems to be getting mixed reviews, but would like to know what anyone thinks of it.