(Book #50) Douglas Coupland - Generation X

In a novel that gave name to the age bracket, 'Generation X' by Douglas Coupland, aimed to iterate a shared mentality that at some level was being experienced by the collective youth of our time. The narrative follows three twenty-something's living out their lives in Palm Springs in the 90's and weaves in metaphorical Decamron-esque tales that the characters tell each other to pass the time in their exile. Through these threads we see the characters grappling with their seemingly wayward existences, often pitting their values and perceptions directly against the "yuppie" establishment. Layered within the story and literally in the margins Coupland interlaces a variety of quasi-inspirational phrases ("SIMULATE YOURSELF" or "NOSTOLGIA IS A WEAPON", etc )and definitions of practical vernacular which contribute to the zeitgeist being described. The writing is witty and sarcastic, but with serious emotional undertones hiding within the irony that personify one generation's grappling with personal and societal woes.