Books like Red the Fiend by Gilbert Sorrentino
Red’s childhood is marked by daily abuse from his violent grandmother, who blames him for her own unfulfilled hopes. With an absent alcoholic father and a passive‑aggressive mother, Red becomes the scapegoat for a family haunted by Depression‑era hardship. The novel follows how relentless humiliation and emotional neglect shape Red into a feared figure, turning a bleak family dynamic into a story of self‑destructive rage.
First publish date: 1995
Genre: Literary Fiction/Contemporary Literary Fiction
Authors: Gilbert Sorrentino
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