The Five: Authors of our generation
November 3, 2005
Douglas Coupland
Nothing like the talented novelist next door. Our home town man Douglas Coupland has not only written many awe inspiring pieces of fiction but recently published a book about the life of Terry Fox. He is also involved with his own artwork, theater and film. You can’t stop this mastermind author from bringing us such cutting edge “commentaries on society books” like, Microserfs and All Families are Psychotic. All his stories describe what its like to grow up, even though in real life we can’t pinpoint those moments that change us. Coupland does this by chronicling youth and writing reality in a new format. His Award Winning novel Generation X talks about everything we knew but couldn’t put into words. Coupland isn’t just a great writer because of his heavy thematic plots or poetic stylistic writing, but because he gives a relentless spirit to every novel he writes.
- My Recommendation: Hey Nostradamus
Hunter S. Thompson
Also made popular by his book turned movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the late Hunter S. Thompson, was an American . Bill Murray played a character resembling his style of “gonzo journalism” in the movie Where the Buffalo Roam. Thompson was mostly known for his hands on journalism, writing for such publications as, Rolling Stone and ESPN. He was also famous for his satirically written “Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail ’72.” Politics aside, he has created some great fiction for readers out there and once you get past his statistic filled and detail based writing, you can enjoy the outrageous stories for what they are, outrageous. Books to check out, Hells Angels a look into the life and start of Hells Angels in America.
- My Recommendation: Rum Diary
Chuck Palahniuk
Made famous by the movie adaptation of his extraordinary novel, Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk hasn’t lost his cool with all the media attention. American-born Palahniuk has been asked many telling questions in regard to what makes him a cult icon. He answers “Yes” to believing in God and he answers “NIN and Radiohead” to some of his favourite bands. His candid writing is not for the faint of heart and, with Halloween coming up, you should check out some of his darker novels, such as Choke and Dairy. But before you curl up with this cavernous author, remember you are reading fiction.
- My recommendation: Lullaby
Kurt Vonnegut
I am the last person who would read science fiction but I recently learned that Kurt Vonnegut, who I had always seen as a fantastic “black humour” writer, may be my introduction into the genre. Vonnegut brings to light the mundane and makes us laugh while doing it. Most famous for his critically acclaimed, Cat’s Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five, Vonnegut has been testing audiences for years. His book Breakfast of Champions; or Goodbye Blue Monday was made into a film starring Bruce Willis, but even though the film was hardly able to give the book justice, it at least got Vonnegut’s name out there. This famous American author is someone you shouldn’t overlook.
- My recommendation: BlueBeard
Mitch Albom
In Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom spun an emotional tale about the bond between an old man with terminal illness and a young man who becomes his spiritual pupil. Building off of the success of his first novel, Albom wrote Five People You Meet in Heaven, which sold 5 million copies and became a # 1 New York Times best seller. This novel developed into a movie filmed in Vancouver starring Jon Voight and Jeff Daniels. Both books battle with weighty questions about life, death and everything in between. Morrie is the type of book you would see in the Oprah book club but don’t let that turn you off because this easy to read novel is so well written and poignant you won’t want to put it down.
- My recommendation: Tuesdays with Morrie
Now you go...
4 Responses to “The Five: Authors of our generation”
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re Douglas Coupland - also check out his book “Life After God”
I agree with Kostensen. Coupland gets the middle-class angst of a west-coast Canadian trying to find a constructive theology down. He is too cool, but beneath the shell there is a struggle to come to terms with a God he can’t escape. Oh, and he’s good buds with Michael Stipe of R.E.M. (who can’t escape God either). I’ve been trying to connect Life after God and New Adventures in Hi-Fi. I think there is a conversation.
And Chuck Palahniuk’s Survivor is an upside-down, twisted version of the Christ story. It’s brilliant and backwards. If you don’t believe me, I got a paper on it.
Coupland is such a brilliant man. I can’t get over his struggle that seeps through his writing. It is so beautiful.