Douglas Coupland

GreenHell

Anybody here read his books?

I've read Generation X, Microserfs and All families are Psychotic.

Microserfs and All families are Psychotic are my two favourite books ever and shall be reading them again and again, as soon as I find another copy of Microserfs(lost mine can't find a bookshop that stocks it!).

The guy is in my humble opinion one of the most original writers around.

yellum

Read Generation X, Girlfriend in a Coma and Shampoo Planet

Not bad books, not brilliant.

Girlfriend in a Coma has a good opening.

shotamoose

Microserfs is a wonderful, wonderful book. I love it to bits. Generation X didn't leave much of an impression, neither did Shampoo Planet. Must read Girlfriend in a Coma and All Families ... soon.

plastic membrane

Just finished Girlfiriend in a Coma. Started well, but kinda fell apart near the end. Good effort though..

technobob

it seems that every second book is good with coupland
microserfs is his best though
new one out at the moment too

dudara

Enjoyed microserfs, even though I re-read it recently and it seems a little dated, but still good. also I enjoyed Miss Wyoming. Thought it had a really original idea.

flangeman

I used to work for the 'evil empire' in Dublin and I have to say Microserif's was spot on, so funny.

Although a re-read, and I have to say it ain't a classic.

IgnatiusJRiley

Generation X was too much like Dawson's Creek.
Girlfriend in a Coma started off really well but like most people say it kinda fell apart in the end.
All Families was good
His new one 'Hey Nostrodamus' looks like a good one... gonna wait till it comes out in paper back before I buy it though!!

Chuck Palahniuk and Jay McInerney are two other decent authors.

eske

It's funny how people have a totally different take on the same book.
I like Coupland a lot. I've read most of his books ..... well currently reading "Hey Nostradamus".
I thought Gen X was excellent. Never read anything quite like it. I loved the bizare descriptive stories that the central characters told to each other.
Shampoo Planet - ehhh Ok but nowhere near as well written or engaging.
Life after God - Thought most of the urban tales were quite entertaining, some particularly poignant passages and I don't normally like short stories.
Microserfs - Great book. Back on track. But maybe it appealed to me as I work with computers and am somewhat of a "nerd" myself.
Girlfriend in a coma, Miss Wyoming and All famillies just didn't appeal at all, or rather they were OK but not brilliant, or maybe I just have the guy on too high a pedastal and I'm expecting too much from him.
I haven't read enough of the new book to make an opinion yet.
But I'm curious what the rest of you think.
eske

technobob

actually shampoo planet was one of his best i thought (when i read it) along with microserfs

although i cant for the life of me remember what it was about now

i think nerds will love microserfs (like myself)

IgnatiusJRiley

Originally posted by technobob
i think nerds will love microserfs (like myself)

like most of the people on boards (me included)

kelandem

ooh, 'girlfriend' was my favorite. 'girlfriend', 'life after god' and 'gen x'. everything else.. ehhh.. though im a big fan of his - ive read them all! 'hey nostradamus' is interesting, but failing to reeeeally bite me. i actually got to meet him in san francisco a few years ago - a true, true geek to the core. so entirely loveable. like a maths teacher you had a crush on when you were 13, kinda thing.

oh, and ive found that they are pretty good about having his books in the library if you wanna re-read!

technobob

dunno about you but i never really fancied mr o sullivan my maths teacher

Theremin

I've read them all too and I think he's been on a downward trajectory since Girlfriend in a Coma. Generation X is probably my favourite book ever. Next favourite (Coupland) books = Microserfs, Girlfriend in a Coma, Life After God. I thought Miss Wyoming and All Families Are Psychotic were okay, but somehow empty. Hey Nostradamus! is a bit of a return to form though. It's just more dark, without the cosy, obvious redemptions of the previous 2.

kelandem

oh i agree! downhill after 'girlfriend', definately.. 'hey nostradamus' is darker, true, but there isnt enough .. i dunno .. plot, or something. im just not pulled into it, i dont care about anyone in the book, really. and that's important to me.. but then, i just had a baby, and im pretty exausted, so it could be my grumpiness!

i'll always love his observations, though. few people see and articulate the world his way.

simu

Gen X was interesting to read but it lacked structure overall and the characters just seemed a bit too angsty and self-absored at times.

Girlfriend in a coma I found depressing and it really does get a bit silly in the second half. The characters were unlikable too.

i'd really like to read Microserfs though coz it's about ppl who work as programmers, should be funny.

Sleepy

Sorry for dragging up an old post but it's better than starting a new thread on an old topic (imho).

Coupland is probably my favourite author of all time. I'd agree with Simu that Gen X lacked structure and tbh that annoyed be a little but I find Coupland's writing style to be absolutely beautiful and, unlike so much modern literature, it has a point.

Girlfriend in a Coma was the first of his books I read and I've devoured everything of his I can get my hands on since. Interesting how we all seem to prefer the different novels... In order of my favourites it'd be:

Hey Nostradamus!
Microserfs
Girlfriend in a Coma
Shampoo Planet
All Families Are Psychotic
Miss Wyoming
Generation X
Life After God

Still have to get my hands on Eleanor Rigby...

eclectichoney

iv only read the following - order of preference is

hey nostradamus
girlf in a coma
eleanor rigby
life after god

hey nostradamus & girlf in a coma are supoib eleanor isn't great, some great paragraphs but not one of his best i reckon.
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how do you pronounce his name?

Sleepy

Cope - land

eclectichoney

iv been saying it like that for ages, but my friend say it was actually 'coopland'
sleepy i hope ur right - il feel so vindicated!

Sleepy

I could be wrong, but that's how it was said to me when I was recommended to read Girlfriend in a Coma which was the first of his books I read. I had to ask the girl for help finding it in Charlie Brown's Bookshop in Galway because I was looking under Cop...