BJ Novak
Knopf: New York, 2014
ISBN: 978-0385351836
I don’t read a lot of short stories, for no other reason, I suppose than it not being habit, though I do appreciate a shorter format every now and then. When I came upon BJ Novak’s book, I knew I had to give it a crack. This is the guy who wrote for The Office, after all! Plus – we’re from the same hometown (badass Newton, Mass.) Now, bear with for a moment. Though I totally loved reading this book, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to having moments I did not totally love, due to Novaks occasional moments of awkward cringe and wince humor, much like on The Office. The stories in this book are truly zeigeist works. Novak aptly embraces and skewers a whole American generation (as well as those generations on both sides) – which perhaps causes those awkward, hard, societally introspective looks that caused me to wince in recognition. His stories entertain as he speaks truth through fiction, and he explores what seem to be generationally pervasive themes like hopefulness, dissatisfaction, selfishness, altruism, searching for self and love, the precarious balance between apathy and excitement, and the pervasive obsession with socializing through the Internet.
