Black American Psycho: A Novel

by Ernest Baker

Arthur Simon is an ambitious young man struggling with hedonistic tendencies that threaten to derail his promising career as a music writer in New York City. His girlfriend is an alcoholic who taunts and belittles him as much as she tries to revive their dying connection. His peers are transplants from the Midwest who worship and idolize him as much as they wish for his downfall. With an appetite for cocaine as voracious as his hunger for success, Arthur Simon hurdles past all warning signs towards the collapse of everything he's worked for, at the exact moment it seems his dreams are coming true.

A tale of sex, drugs, violence, revenge, and betrayal, Black American Psycho is an explosive reveal about the fickle nature of friendship, love, and celebrity in the age of flare-up fame. The first novel from writer Ernest Baker, Black American Psycho is a coming-of-age epic for the Twitter generation.

151 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2016

Reviews

[Miru · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ernest Baker writes a novel that seems to be a defense of himself, because he never truly had to take it to court. I don't know who is innocent and guilty in the entire Baker v. Nostro, though I think that Nostro is portrayed as someone who has severe mental problems throughout the book, to a point where the character is unbelievable as Lauren. By the way, Lauren Nostro's character in the book is Leslie Nostril. A lot of the people in real life have character names that are similar to their real names, i.e. Rake is Drake. I thought the ending was abrupt and could have better oriented how his family is doing and what the implications of the assault accusations had on his family and himself in the long-term. I think that the book does do a good job of showing Baker's downfall and the ways in which attempting to be a part of the wave of fame erodes people's potential in a lot of ways, and causes major forms of self-destruction. I could also understand his relationship with Lauren to a degree-- the constant going back and forth between being in a relationship and yearning to be out of it. Baker was a primary part of hip-hop subculture and seems to have died out. I don't know if this book is enough to revitalize him.

[Keith Evanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to think these people were so cool and wanted to be these Vice and Complex writers so bad. What a hellhole nightmare it actually was. I wish the Ernest 2010s gonzo music writing style could have kept going.

[Shawnee McPhail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf

[Grant Baker · Rating 2 out of 5]

one of the biggest self-owns of all time

[Collin Sanford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very compelling novel. Loved the story. It is raw and real. Was hooked from start to finish.