Empire of the Senseless
Empire of the Senseless by Kathy Acker, published by Grove Press in 2018, is a 240-page edition that showcases Acker’s distinctive style. Originally released in 1988, this work delves into themes of childhood, trauma, language, sexuality, and rebellion, presenting a narrative that is both provocative and thought-provoking. The story follows Abhor, a part-human, part-robot character, and her lover Thivai, a pirate, as they navigate a dystopian Paris in search of a mysterious drug essential for Thivai’s capacity to love.
Readers will encounter a vivid tapestry of characters, including mad doctors, prisoners, and revolutionaries, as Abhor and Thivai traverse a chaotic city marked by criminality and corruption. The narrative is infused with sexually explicit and graphically violent elements, challenging the desensitization of cultural consciousness and the erosion of interpersonal communication. This edition of Empire of the Senseless invites exploration of its complex social and political commentary, reflecting on both historical and contemporary issues.
Official synopsis Publisher
Originally published in 1988, Empire of the Senseless marked a turning point in Acker’s wild, inimitable style. Considered one of her more accessible works, here Acker candidly addresses her lifelong obsessions: childhood and trauma, language and sexuality, criminality and corruption, oppression and rebellion.
Abhor (part human, part robot) and her lover Thivai (a pirate) traverse Paris in a dystopian future, in search of a mysterious drug that Thivai needs in order to maintain his ability to love. Navigating the chaotic city, they encounter mad doctors, prisoners, bikers, sailors, tattooists, terrorists, and prostitutes, while a band of Algerian revolutionaries take over, and the C. I. A. plots to thwart them all.
Sexually explicit, graphically violent, Empire of the Senseless resists the desensitizing of cultural consciousness and the disintegration of interpersonal communication. A timeless, prescient parable, it speaks profoundly to our social and political history as well as our present reality.
Author
Publisher
Topics
FAQ
What is “Empire of the Senseless” about?
Who is the author of “Empire of the Senseless”?
When was “Empire of the Senseless” published?
What is the ISBN for “Empire of the Senseless”?
What are the book details (language, pages, edition)?
