I first heard of fiction author Douglas Coupland in a sociology course at the University of St. Gallen. The professor dubbed his first novel "Generation X" (1991), a classic of modern fiction (which it might well be), supposed to represent the generation being born up to and including the early 1970s.
I read Generation X, and was not impressed. Not only could I not relate to any of the characters, they also were completely psychotic. Reading Coupland's following novels, one notices the general theme of the alienation of families, the obsession with the mass media and charcters without a sense of directions in their lives, working in dead-end jobs. None of this would make me a big Coupland fan, and his new novel The gum thief (1997) is no exception, being typical of the Coupland world and being, furthermore, completely unstructured (some would call it experimental).
However, there is one big saving grace in Coupland's work, his 1995 novel Microserfs, an ironic rendition of the Microsoft corporate culture and an all-round joy to read. While questioning the values of jobs in an high-tech world, it also shows the characters evolving and making a path in life for themselves.
Shortly, if you want to read Coupland, buy microserfs first, be cautious with the rest (with the possible exception of JPods (2006) which I didn't read).
Hello! I am Celine Bouldoires, a veterinarian in Switzerland. This is our lovely labrador Emily.
