Douglas Coupland's Newest Book
I believe that what separates humanity from everythingThis taken from the first paragraph of Douglas Coupland's newest novel Hey, Nostradamus.. Its sounds like he's been reading some Dostoyevsky, and perhaps a little bit of the Bible too. Kate and I have been fans of Coupland since his brilliant Generation X (yes, he coined the term), and have been pleasantly surprised by what seems to be a very real movement from a sort of quasi-fatalistic, agnostic outlook to what you just read above. In one of his last novels in the last chapter he says something to the extent of "I realize now that I need God, and that He is what I've been missing..."
else in this world-- spaghetti, binder paper, deep-sea
creatures, edelweiss and Mount McKinley-- is that humanity
alone has the capacity at any given moment to commit all
possible sins. Even those of us who try to live a good and
true life remain as far away from grace as the Hillside
Strangler or any demon who ever tried to poison the village
well.
So, with all proper ado may I recommend to you his works.
Posted by jeremystock at September 8, 2003 07:49 PM | TrackBackI think that DC has always kinda been readin' the Bible. I finished the new book about a month and a half ago. I want to read it again, since my first reaction was, Boy, he is obsessed with pregnant women! Maybe we can get together and talk about Doug sometime...I can't find anyone else who even knows who I'm talking about!
Posted by: jeep at September 8, 2003 09:47 PMjeep,
very cool. you have a nice website. i have come across the same "ignorance" of coupland as well; perhaps it's because he's canadian. ;-)
my favorites:
Generation X, Girfriend in a Coma (loved the Smiths motif), and Life After God.
Hated (or didn't quite get):
Polaroids from the Dead.
Posted by: jeremy at September 8, 2003 11:48 PMCoupland is a little confusing though because Miss Wyoming and All Families Are Psychotic did not have that same general...hmm... attitude about God. Then he comes out with something like Hey, Nostradamus.
Someone needs to do a more thoughtful and intelligent interview and ask him about this.
Posted by: Kate at September 9, 2003 03:26 PMJust an interesting side note. Mirror.uk is sponsoring a short story contest and Coupland is going to choose the winner...
The interesting thing is, the story has to be inspired by one of four pictures that have been picked out by Coupland and posted on his website. The third picture to the right looks very much like a Mormon baptism. When I first looked at it, I even thought that it was a picture that is commonly found in the visitors centers of mormon temples---a Mormon depiction of John the Baptist and Christ... it looks just like that. Funny choice for a picture. Take a look.
Posted by: Kate at September 9, 2003 03:38 PMyes, indeed. that picture is NOT a christian baptism. that's clear.
Posted by: jeremy at September 9, 2003 07:06 PM