Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture

I'm giving this only 4 stars as there are better books that came first that address glorious disaffection.I read this when I was about 19 and damn was it great! Re-reading it 30 years later I had to laugh at the story. Not because the thoughts, actions, and ideas of the characters are wrong. They aren't. They are absolutely correct and perfect for that time of life. Everyone should read this book once they hit Jr High, High School, College, etc... A very sweet naivety to it all (bless it for being so). I read a few chapters and just couldn't do it... I gave it to my youngest who's just getting into college. He read it in one sitting and told me "This guy gets it!". hahahahaha. Yes, yes he does. Do yourself a favor (if you haven't) and read Kerouac's "On The Road" first and then this book. Don't read Catcher in the rye though. That book is for phoneys, not slackers.

Sorry but I fail to see what all the praise is about with this book. I am from Generation X but I couldn't relate to anything expect the slacker vibe some of the characters gave off. Otherwise I thought it was a boring read about nothing, just 3 people living in Palm Springs. There were no epic or self defining moments, just one of those movie scripts that go on about nothing then the screen goes black.

It feels like I'm 19 again. Only I'm not and have all the wisdom and a experience... But, yeah, it's a little bit like coming home.

One of my favorite books ever. If you're generation x and remember Reagan and the looming possibility on nuclear war you might like the background themes, where the main characters are dealing with finding meaning in the modern world and doing it partial by telling each other melancholy but beautiful stories. The chapters are somewhat discrete as separate sub stories. It makes reading feel light and digestible.

I had heard about this book for several years as the defining book of Generation-X, so my expectations were high going into it. I suppose Coupland coined the term and sometimes that's all that matters. For me, I found the characters uninteresting and very difficult to relate to, despite being Gen-X myself. While the angst and apathy that defined our generation exists in these characters, I struggled to find the reason why these characters became what they were. It might've been more interesting to me if the author had provided more background on why the characters were so cynical and unhappy. But maybe that's what Coupland wanted to do, explain a generation to that generation from the perspective of someone outside it. If generation-x interests you, you'll enjoy bits and pieces from the book, at a minimum. Maybe more.

I just couldn't get through this book.The concept sounds good in the description, but it's bad. Really bad. I'm not sure if I blame this on the author, the publisher, or the editor. This is one of the only books I've ever purchased that I just couldn't power through. I wanted to like it. I really did. But it's shallow, confusing, and poorly written.

Two things struck me when I finished this book. First was how close the experiences of the characters were to my own and those of my friends - even though the book is a work of fiction. The other was how incredibly average and mundane the book was.Yes, there was the snyde humor Copeland is famous for - I especially liked the definistions found in the margins ("McJob" is a personal favorite.) But the story quickly became stale, and the end of the book really disappointed me. Perhaps Coupland intended it that way as further commentary on contemporary society - or perhaps its the result of a sophomore writer. In the final analysis, the book left me bland.

Being of the generation that inspired this book, I have always meant to read it and I finally did.First off, let me say that the book isn't very long and it won't take much of your time to read. Because of that and the fact that this is a famous and often referenced book, it is worth the time to read.The characters are self-righteous and they pretend to be so deep and caring about the world but they are really just afraid of failure and success. They are very whiney as I am and as are many of the same generation. Reading this made me think that "the world isn't perfect and never will be, but there is no sense in whining about everything".As I said, it is worth the time to read. It may be a bit pessimistic at times, but that is part of its charm and it is written pretty well.

I first read Generation X in the early 90's shortly after leaving University(well Poly but like all at the time, mine changed to a Uni in my final year). I have re-visited in many times since then, with a different perspective as I moved through life.It resonated most when I was in the first stages of a career, struggling, working for 'the man', getting engaged and buying my first house, moving up the corporate ladder all be it slowly. Each year it was a book I took on holiday with me, leaving it behind in the hotel lending library for others to pick up on a good number of occasions. Then I went back to it after my divorce and was evaluating my life choices, and I took something different from it. Now, 46 delighted it is now available as a Kindle version. So it will be joining me on holiday again, this time with my wife and two young children and I am sure my take on the book will be one of nostalgia for how I felt when I first read it in my early 20s but maybe I will get something new from it.

Life is too short to spend time writing puerile reviews. Revue jail break.

I'm Generation Y, so while I could not directly relate to the characters adventures, it still somehow feels strangely relevant 20 (or is it 30?) years later.

Whilst this is not my favorite of his book (I would probs rank it about 4th or 5th) I would still recommend it.The title itself has become such an important phrase in modern culture and i think that alone means it is worth a read. It introduces lots of new words and phrases which are explained at the bottom of each page which I thought was really cool. The narrative isn't exactly ground breaking but perhaps the style in which it is written is.

This is an essential read for anyone writing contemporary fiction or non-fiction. It is worth it just for the the footnotes, that are in the margins, 'McJob' 'fattening pen' etc. I have stolen a few of the expressions for my own writing, as have many others. I bought this for my son, buy it and you will not be disappointed.