Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris
Richard Russo sent me to this fine novel. I’m essentially on the Rick Russo book club right now, having read THE GOOD THIEF at his urging just before this one. Enjoying Ferris’ high-wire act in this book a great deal, especially the wild 1st person plural narration.
The book captures the reality of working in an office, and if that sounds too tedious to be the heart of a novel, then you underestimate Ferris’ imagination and invention. I worked in big office towers in Manhattan throughout much of my 20s, and the drama and intrigue–and trauma– of a working life is surely worthy of fiction. We spend so much of our lives at work– it’s curious that most of our fiction takes place in our “other” lives; but then perhaps this is no surprise, given the fact that its only in those other lives that we feel our “real” stories take place. Still, does this means that the majority of our working lives are devoid of mythology? Hell no. And Ferris’ wild, heartbreaking book captures that reality nicely.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to head down to the fifty-first floor–where most of the cubicles are empty– for a cry and a smoke…
2 Comments
I guess I need to read this book.Im sure Office Space doesnt fully represent the working life of an office cubist.However,Id perfer it does.Maybe the funnies movie of all time.I quote it in my head all day and giggle like a fool.
Well,Jenny,Im full on into reading this book.Thanks for the heads up.So far its really great!!>G<
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[...] and The Office. JS says it holds a mirror to life in a cubicle. Jennifer Finney Boylan calls it wild and heartbreaking. Mark Flanagan says Ferris nails corporate culture. Shannon Luders-Manuel likens it to Office [...]