Back at work now so catching this discussion late and tired....@jenks has probably read Lerner.
Read Taipei and really felt hugely disconnected from the world they were describing. Maybe an age/generational thing but I felt blank when I read it. Whereas I think something like Egan’s Visit From The Goon Squad had something far more sympathetic- all these books trying to analyse why modern life creates a feeling of isolation and estrangement. I even see that in Normal People - characters who cannot find a way to be happy or even communicate their discontent.@catalog read Tao Lin's book on psychedelics and said it was alright. That's probably the one I'd try if I ever got round to him, although Taipei was the one I remember people actually talking about.
all these books trying to analyse why modern life creates a feeling of isolation and estrangement
It is crushingly dull, but there are some good bits.
Why are we talking about Lynch anyway
Suburban Goth Canon.
Middle-of-the-Mall Alternative Culture.
Reading University after hours cinema club. (Complimentary cherry pie and damn fine coffee)