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Who says American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis doesn't have a sense of humor? In a few dozen pages of his infamous new novel, Ellis clones passages from his first effort, 1985's Less Than Zero. Some critics consider the lifts part of Ellis' satirical intent. Uh-huh. Or maybe he's refining his art. In the following two sets of excerpts from longer passages, you be the judge.

LESS THAN ZERO
After I've toweled my hair dry, I wrap the towel around my waist and walk back into her room, start to dress. Blair's smoking a cigarette and watching MTV, the sound turned down low.

''Will you call me before Christmas?'' she asks.

''Maybe.'' I pull on my vest, wondering why I even came here in the first place.

AMERICAN PSYCHO
After toweling my hair dry I put on a Ralph Lauren robe and walk back into the bedroom, start to dress. Courtney is smoking a cigarette, watching Late Night With David Letterman, the sound turned down low.

''Will you call me before Thanksgiving?'' she asks.

''Maybe.'' I button up the front of my shirt, wondering why I even came here in the first place.

LESS THAN ZERO
She tries to smile when she asks me what I want for Christmas.

''Nothing,'' I say.

There's a pause and then I ask her, ''What do you want?''

She says nothing for a long time and I look back at my hands and she sips her wine.

''I don't know. I just want to have a nice Christmas.''

I don't say anything.

AMERICAN PSYCHO

She tries to smile when she asks what I want for Christmas.

''Nothing,'' I say, smiling reassuringly.

There's a pause. I break it by asking, ''What do you want?''

She says nothing for a long time and I look back at my hands, at dried blood, probably from a girl named Suki, beneath the thumbnail. My mother licks her lips tiredly and says, ''I don't know. I just want to have a nice Christmas.''

I don't say anything.


Posted Apr 19, 1994 | Published in issue #62 Apr 19, 1991 | Order Article Reprints