"Crash" is a novel by J.G. Ballard, first published in 1973. It is one of Ballard's most controversial and provocative works, exploring the intersection of technology, sexuality, and violence. The novel delves into the psychological and physical consequences of car crashes, depicting a group of people who derive sexual pleasure from these collisions.
The protagonist, James Ballard, shares his name with the author, adding a layer of metafictional complexity. James becomes involved with a group of individuals led by Dr. Robert Vaughan, a former TV scientist who is obsessed with staging and participating in car crashes. Vaughan's ultimate fantasy is to die in a head-on collision with a celebrity, specifically Elizabeth Taylor. The novel details the group's sexual fetishization of car crashes and the disturbing symbiosis between human bodies and machine wreckage.
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