num_pages: 252
description: "The Diary of a Rapist is a bold and original piece of writing and further emphasizes the importance of Mr. Connell's talent. He knows all the colors of darkness and the full sound of the heart's anguish." - New York Times Book ReviewOriginally published in 1966, The Diary of a Rapist has been recognized as a classic case study as well as a daringly compassionate portrait of a man consumed by self-loathing.Earl Summerfield is a petty civil servant whose work is a dreary mixture of maddening bureaucracy and coffee-break politics. In his diary he reflects upon his increasing detachment from the everyday world and his estrangement from his wife, which are paralleled by a growing obsession with violent crimes as reported in the local papers. Eventually, Summerfield becomes immersed in a fantasy life in which he stalks and threatens a series of women, culminating in the apparent rape of a young beauty queen. Over the course of a meticulously recorded year, as his bizarre daydreams devolve into various acts of violation, Summerfield's self-delusions of superiority begin to fall away, revealing the true decrepitude of his personality.
language: English
title: The Diary of a Rapist: A Novel
titlecomplete: The Diary of a Rapist: A Novel
genres: 20th Century, Literature, American, Psychology, Classics, Literary Fiction, Novels, Dark, Diary, Fiction
ratings_count: 362
places: California, San Francisco, California
publisher: Ecco Pr