It's called Then We Came To The End by Joshua Ferris.
It's about an advertising agency, but it's not about advertising. It's about the relationships we form with the people we spend the majority of our day with. It's also about uselessness, sex, money, storytelling, redemption, cancer, adolescence, haircuts, homeless people, Chicago, charity, and totem poles. And a lot of other stuff too.
The author does some really interesting things with the way he narrates the book. The narrative voice is first person plural, so it's always "We did this" and "We think that." It creates this sense that the people in this office don't exist as individuals in the same way they do outside the office, and they like it that way. There's comfort in it.
If you read this book, you'll be able to see me in it. And Wigganga, and Aquino, and Red Fury, and Georgie, and DG, and Weeness, and Mansi, and Ayasha, and Olga, and Z, and Hollywood, and Kat, and Kristin, and Ollie, and Temple, and Mullen, and Steven, and Jonnie, and Tai, and Kuch, and Dalynn, and Alice, and Elizabeth, and Manoj, and Courtney. Oh, and Claudio and Erin Swarbrick too.
As much criticism as there is in this book about the way we live our lives in our offices, there is also a whole lot of humanity, wit, and grace in this book. The author doesn't allow it to become a one-dimensional portrait at any point, which would have been a very easy thing to do.
It's a great summer read, wherever you are. Hope everyone's doing great.
