Book Review: Generation A by Douglas Coupland

Douglas Coupland really has outdone himself with his new novel, Generation A. The novel “mirrors” decade-old Generation X by focusing on five very different yet similar people all over the world… in the future.

The book feels unlike anything I’ve read of his in the past, but it does in these ways: focusing on people in their mid-20s or 30s, they feel alone and they have very active imaginations.

The world is now a chaos that knows the human species drove the bees away. The plants have trouble pollinating. Fruit becomes a rare delicacy. Humans are even more reliant on digital communications (than we thought we could be now!) and logos/brands than ever before. It’s a scary truth. It’s a critique on how Coupland must feel the world will end up, and I have to say in this regard I definitely agree.

But the mystery is: why did the bees leave? And why are they back? They chose to sting five random different people all over the world, and now they’re brought together in this unusual case. They struggle through anonymity and celebrity vectors – going along with the game.

The most curious part of this book is that Coupland does not use dates to explain what time period this is. Just the future. You don’t know exactly how old anyone is. You don’t know what year it is. The only date I noticed was when the character Diana was imagining about her tombstone and it read “Born 1990… Died 2077.” Now it’s clearly not 2077 in the book due to other details, but the 1990 is all we have to base off of, and in this book we believe Diana should be in her 30’s. Any other possible dates are avoided by Coupland. He wants you to know that this is our future, no matter what date, but it’s coming soon. It’s like 1984 or Brave New World, but he didn’t want to get flogged with a wrong date.

All of the characters are quirky and for the most part easy to love, classic Coupland characters. They’ve all been abandoned in some way, but loved by the bees.

I very much enjoyed reading this book – it was refreshing, but depressing at all the right parts. Cautious. I must admit I have not read Generation X, but I am more intrigued to do so now. It’s got quite a few plot twists, but the most ineresting part is about a popular drug called Solon, which I believe seems symbolic as so close to “So long.”

Yes, this book seems different from his others (or at least the ones I’ve read), but it’s still very worthwhile to read. I mean, it’s Douglas Coupland, how could you not?

Watch this video and have yourself a laugh:

Then go over to iTunes, type in “Douglas Coupland video podcasts” and download the Generation A podcast with more amazing videos. The first podcast has an amazing look into why Coupland wrote this. So smart. Also – fake commercials – aweesooome.

The Musical Pages #2: Best Music Writing 2008

Yes it’s more than halfway through 2009, but it wasn’t until recently that I finished reading the yearly novel dedicated to music journalism and nothing else, The Best Music Writing 2008.

The novel was edited by Nelson George (he also wrote the forward) – a former editor of Billboard, contributor to Village Voice, helper-outer-of-Spike-Lee in the film She’s Gotta Have It and biographer of Michael Jackson (1984’s The Michael Jackson Story).

The series has been going on for nine years now. Each year a different editor takes over and they select (with help from a couple other editors) what they believe was the best music journalism of that year (I think you figured that out already). It includes long and short features as well as essays that profile a musician or a movement that follows a type of music.

In this edition, there is a lot of funk and jazz as well as metal and hard rock. These genres are not ones I’m completely familiar with, but they became interesting reads, learning music history and future formation at the same time.

Here are my picks for the best features and why:

The Musical Pages #1: Kill Your Friends

Welcome to the first edition of “The Musical Pages,” a section of RoundLetters about music-based books.

Yesterday I finally finished my copy of Kill Your Friends by John Niven. I say finally because a) I bought it in London months ago and b) it was a pretty hard thing to cover up while reading on the subway (cough, title, cough. I just think it would be strange to see someone reading that). And not only was it the title but it was also the content. I would often look up blushing (I read it on the subway anyway) because of the dirty scenes or excessive swearing I would have to bear through hoping whoever was sitting next to me wasn’t reading it over my shoulder as I obviously cringed.

The UK cover

But besides that, it was a compelling read. It’s a fictitious (yet based in non-fictitious time) novel about this A&R rep from a major record label in London in the 90’s named Steven Stelfox. It’s a disastrous world of sex, drugs and pop music. Stelfox takes you through his evil monologue and you really see how the pop sector of the music industry works (probably a little embellished, but still) in the sense of how they decide who to represent, what makes good music, etc. Now, we know most of these things already, but this book is a good read if you enjoy recognizing names on every page and learning the most wicked part of our industry. We know it’s bad, but why? Because it’s fueled by cocaine, radio play and selfish pushed-past-the-limits deeds. And, like any other bad habit, this book leads you into a dark hole.

And selfish is Stelfox. It’s pretty obvious from the title, but man does this guy mean business. You follow Stelfox through his dastardly ways of securing the title of Head of A&R. He’s not only selfish but he’s racist and sexist as well. The content he provides is vicious and annoying at times in the amount of swear words or terrible thoughts he’ll share. It’s a little tough to get through, but I did it. (Unlike the novel Londonstani by Gaultam Malkani, too hard!)

One of the most interesting things to me though is looking at it in the 90’s perspective from today’s point of view. These days it’s the indie labels going nuts over a band, but, from what we hear they treat the bands with respect over their talent. Pop music was at its highest in the 90’s and we really see the complications of looking cheery or providing a good back beat. Stelfox hates indie music. Here’s an excerpt of his rant:

“With the indie kids you have to remember this: they really think that what they do matters in some way. They reckon that history will care. (They don’t know that history will have other shit to be  getting on with.) The indie kids figure that they’re passing on the torch or some fucking thing. That, just as they were influenced by someone — the Velvet Underground, Jonathan Richman, the Stooges, whoever — then, in the future, young bands will be influenced by them…”

another cover version

Don’t fret, indie kids. I’m on your side. I just want to show you the actual smallest form of Stelfox’s luscious evil.

Anyways, It’s an interesting read. It’s daring, it’s dangerous and its something to carve your teeth into. Check it out. Just be careful on the subway.