Michel Houellebecq is a contemporary French author. He's reasonably famous outside of France, as he's probably one of the most talented writer alive these days.

If you're interested in TRP, I suggest you read his book WHATEVER (its french title is much more telling: "extension du domaine de la lutte" which translates to "extension of the struggle").

His main thesis is basically what has been figured out now: in modern and liberal societies, not only business has been liberalized, but the sexual marketplace as well. The same dynamics are at play, with the same level violence and roughness.

The book was published in 1994, so Houellebecq was one of the first to understand this new dynamic, and expose it to the world. He understood the lies of "free love" philosophy and gave us the first premises of the chaotic and nihilist societies that those changes were about to bring.

Houellebecq's writings depict quite perfectly the nihilist dead-end that modern society is turning into. The way I see it, Houellebecq's character describe perfectly what kind of men a materialistic, liberal, godless (or without any concept of transcendency) produces.

I read it when I was a teenager but it didn't click until I read other TRP posts years later. I suggest you read it, as a matter of fact I recommend you read all of Houellebecq's books, especially "The elementary particles".

For those of you who read it, what did you think of it, and do you have any similar book to recommend?