(Being read by Editorial Assistant, Amanda)

Generation X, by Douglas Coupland
Published: St. Martin’s Griffin, 1991, ISBN-10: 031205436X

The inside flap of my faded library copy of Generation X hails the book as a “salute to the generation born in the late 1950s and 1960s—a…suspiciously hushed generation known vaguely up to now as twentysomething.” Having picked up the book on a recommendation, I was immediately worried about the story’s relevance to today—I wanted a book criticizing the culture of now, and this book heralded what Wikipedia defines as the generation born between 1961 and 1983. While some books are timeless, others are only relevant in which the time they are written. This sounded like one of the latter.

The book trails three people (in their twenties) as they drift through the California desert, working (or having quit) pointless jobs and seemingly feeling ambivalent about where they’re headed. It is only through the stories they tell each other–made up renditions of alien planets or of the last man on earth—that we are made aware of just how much they actually expect from life, just how deeply they crave love, stability, and purpose.

I’ve now blazed through the first eighty pages of Generation X. As someone who has spent the last four years drifting down the East coast, who is now contemplating traveling across the world to “find my culture”, I find reading about Coupland’s trio both enlightening and insanely painful.  Coupland has peppered the margins with “vocabulary” that every time stings me with its bitter honesty and makes me question my own life’s importance–from “Cult of Aloneness” (The need for autonomy at all costs…often brought about by overly high expectations of others”) to “Semi-disposable Swedish Furniture” (self-explanatory). And the stories that the three wanderers tell are dripping with the same fears and desires I hide away before bed every night.

It’s not just relevant for me, of course—it’s the majority of my generation. Almost everyone I’ve talked to from my graduating class has expressed their dissatisfaction with the “real world”, or bemoaned their lack of excitement about the future. Many of us have both loved and hated Ikea. The book could have been published yesterday.

I haven’t finished the book yet, but it’s definitely relevant to now, and a definite must-read for any recent graduate. Perhaps even not-so-recent graduates. It seems maybe we’ve all been there.

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MATTERHORN: A Novel of the Vietnam War (Karl Marlantes)

The description of the novel on Kindle (yes, I have one) is as follows: “Intense, powerful, and compelling. MATTERHORN is an epic war novel in the tradition of Norman Mailer’s The Naked and the Dead and James Jones’s The Thin Red Line.”

That sums it up. I couldn’t do better. I’m about 2/3 of the way through, and I can’t put it down. Riveting is the relationship between the decision-makers and the soldiers in the field (make that jungle and a small mountain they are commanded to defend). Commanders make decisions based on what their superiors want to hear. How many gooks have been killed. Interrupting ammunition and supply lines. Regaining control of that damn hill. Anything that makes them look good despite the consequences to the men out there.

For example, at one point the men have not been resupplied for a week. They are starving, almost out of ammunition, medical supplies, water. They try to capture condensation on their ponchos from the surrounding fog. The higher-ups could give a shit! Recapture the hill. Do this do that, though it will cost the lives of half the troops! That’s what fascinates me. That they would sacrifice their men simply to advance their military careers, and they make these decisions from the safety and comfort of the bases miles removed from the grunts. They smoke, they drink fine whiskey, they converse, check maps, and send out orders. “Fucking do it!”

I admit I’m a bit obsessed with the Vietnam War. It was my war. I protested and fought with state troopers and city police screaming for the US to get out. What I did not understand was the soldiers’ suffering. The horrible conditions they had to fight in. The devastation, deprivation, and the sadness.  I lumped the soldiers in with the military/govt conducting the war. As if the men wanted to be there. I must have been daft. The draft was in effect. Most soldiers, or at least many, many, were there against their will.

The man who wrote the book–Karl Marlantes–was there. He fought and afterwards sat down and typed a novel based on his experiences. He tried to sell it 30 years ago, but no publisher bought it. Thank God they finally saw value in it and someone had the sense to publish it. Though I suppose the time factor has something to do with it. Thirty years ago with the war in the recent past, it was too close, and people may not have bought it. Waiting 30 years, on the other hand, was too long.

As if you couldn’t tell, this book gets five stars from me. It’s terrific. If anyone wants to understand that war, and likely many wars, it’s a must read.

p.s. My next book is Sebastian Junger’s non-fiction WAR. Recently, I had a chance to hear him speak at Politics & Prose here in DC, and he was terrific. This one is about our war in Afghanistan, where he spent five months with the soldiers in a remote valley. Check out the reviews, they are fantastic.

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First read article, then I’ll comment on why it’s on a blog about writing.

The Cornell v Loyola lax game, on Saturday (May 15th), was aired on ESPN-U, then made ESPN news, was featured in numerous newspapers, and Max’s (#33) goal made top 10 on ESPN’s sports center the following day.

Max Feely’s Goal In Triple Overtime Advances Cornell Men’s Lax Past Loyola In NCAA Tourney

5/15/2010 5:25:23 PM

Feely #33-in foreground

5/15/2010 5:25:23 PM

ITHACA, N.Y. – Junior Max Feely (#33) picked an opportune time to score his first career goal, as the All-Ivy defender took the ball coast-to-coast for a clear before depositing a shot past the Loyola goalkeeper 1:55 into the third overtime to give Cornell an 11-10 victory on Saturday afternoon at Schoellkopf Field. The win advances the seventh-seeded Big Red into an NCAA quarterfinal contest next Sunday at Stony Brook against the winner of tomorrow’s contest between No. 2 Syracuse and No. 16 Army. Cornell improves to 11-5, while the Greyhounds ended their season at 9-5.

Feely’s goal ended the longest NCAA tournament contest in both school’s history and the longest game on record in Loyola’s storied lacrosse program. Cornell last went into a third overtime against Yale in 1996, falling to the Bulldogs 11-10.

* Box Score
* Cornell Postgame Notes
* Cornell Postgame Press Conference (check it out–Feely answers Qs)
* Loyola Postgame Notes
* Photo Gallery

Okay, I’ll admit it. Max Feely is my son. And this is a ‘proud mom’ moment. Sorry for the brag, but hey, I’m a mom.

A quick disclaimer: The point I want to make may be a bit of a stretch, but this was the thought that came to mind the more I thought about my son’s feat, and that of so many people who succeed at what they set out to do: YOU can accomplish what you set out to do. Even amazing things. It takes hard work, perseverance, discipline, more hard work, perseverance, and faith in yourself. It takes a vision of success.

This morning there was a story on the Today Show about a girl, who at age 8 was kidnapped and brutally raped. The rapist then slit her throat from ear to ear and left her bleeding in a field. She was lucky to have been found 14 hours later by some kids playing nearby. She couldn’t call out because her vocal cords had been sliced. She was told she would never be able to speak again. The next day she spoke. She recovered physically, but was traumatized, as you might expect.

This beautiful little girl set a goal. She would find the killer. Everyday she thought about him and worked to achieve justice. She never gave up, certain that she would succeed. About 18 years later they found her killer! He was convicted and sentenced to life w/o parole. In the cell he hung himself.

Writers and artists: set goals, envision them, keep writing and creating. It’s not easy; it requires diligence, a dedicated work ethic, training, faith.

But there’s one more thing. Make sure you read the following paragraph before moving on to the next blog.

These days there are far too many people who think they can simply write a novel or a memoir, or a work of non-fiction without putting in the time getting training, working at the craft, honing their writing skills, etc. They think a draft or two will do. They think they don’t need a class or a workshop. They think they were born writers. (Okay, for a few that’s true. Sorta’.)

So, like Max Feely, who puts in several hours a day training, who then has to study to get grades (he gets good grades…okay, I’m bragging again), and who then has to find time to sleep, and like the little 8 year old girl, who worked each day to find her killer, you have to put in the time, you have to be disciplined, and you have to believe in yourself.

In the same vein, it is possible to write a story or a book that gets published or wins a prize or both.  So keep at it. Good luck!

Love to hear from you. chrysaliseditorial@rcn.com. Or comment below.

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