Player One - Douglas Coupland

Covering similar ground to the previous year's Generation A this book moved quickly ('a novel in five hours') though perhaps due to this haste I didn't feel it cut all that deep. It was slightly unnerving to see how little it could conceivably take to plunge society into apocalyptic-like conditions. A few neat ideas conjured up but not my particular favourite. Seeing Coupland read, albeit a chapter I'd already read, was a neat experience - to experience things out loud with a room full of people - I was much more inclined to react audibly than while by myself. He is an odd character to interview with seemingly disjointed stories that only sometimes relate back to the question in any meaningful way.
6.5
(Fall 2010)

Generation A - Douglas Coupland

Handful of interswapped first-person accounts from bee sting survivors in the near future after extinction of bees. Smooth read, interesting enough though became collection of short stories near end which can be frustrating. Ending was slightly confusing and not entirely satisfactory. Worth it since it was a quick read anyway. 6.5 (Fall 2010)

Juliet, Naked - Nick Hornby

An engaging and well-written story that kept me at it for some reason although it wasn't necessarily a page-turner. Read in only a few days the story revolved around fictitious recluse singer-songwriter but included elements I could relate toas a music fan, and real-life references. The ending sort of lacked resolution, though it was obviously intended that way. 7.5 (Fall 2010)

Packing for Mars - Mary Roach

Packing for Mars "The curious science of life in the void" Very interesting, playfully written overview of the science going into the different aspects of space exploration, from anti gravity to food to animals in space and bathroom breaks. Would read more by Roach. 8 (Fall 2010)

Girlfriend in a Coma - Douglas Coupland

Read in a weekend or so. The first part, while she's still in the coma was amazing and made you think about and evaluate life and its purpose and all that. The post apocalyptic wake-up and beyond was a little out there and seemed to take away from the book in my opinion. (Canada Day weekend - 2010)

Adverbs - Daniel Handle

Very oddly written, with each chapter being a new story despite overlapping names at times. Wasn't happy when there was no resolution in the end, though the writing itself was very interesting and wacky (Summer 2010)

Bonk - Mary Roach

Bonk - The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex

Great fun in the Mary Roach style. Plenty of weird old undercover experiments and all that, some interesting finds too! Comparable to Packing for Mars (and read around the same time - October 2010). Another book that keeps you racing to the footnotes.

8

(October 2010)