PROFILE:
DOUGLAS COUPLAND

Douglas Coupland is clearly my absolute favorite author. He’s been witty and clever throughout his works. Instead of offering in-depth reviews of all his works, here’s a brief description of all of his titles. If you want further suggestions, email me at cheriecat@aol.com



Generation X (1991)
Featuring photographs, quotes in the like of Barbara Kruger, this is the book that made Coupland known. Fabulous. Sometimes, however, the columns make you wonder where to put the bookmark.

Shampoo Planet (1992)
Coupland’s second published novel is story of an image-obsessed young man ready to profit from our consumerist country—born to a hippie mom. Hilarious!

Life After God (1994)
A novel in several short sections. Complete with mini-drawings here in there. With characters named Pup-tent, this shows you life in all its forms, gritty and not. Let’s try to stop time, the characters insist, only to learn, no, it’s truly impossible. Most importantly, like all of Coupland’s works, but especially LAG, he makes you think.

Microserfs (1995)
A young “Micro-nerd” who works at a computer company, who ends up wooing a coworker, another microserf. Incidents involving a coworker who barricades himself in his office (Hilarious—he sustains himself by the flat food—including Kraft individually-wrapped sliced cheese—his coworkers slip under the door.), as well as lists, emails, and other formats make this read entertaining!

Polaroids from the Dead (1996)
Beautiful photographs. Includes true stories (oooh! Nonfiction!) with some short stories about 90’s deadheads and others.

Lara’s Book: Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider Phenomenon (with Kip Ward; 1998)
This book is actually mostly a comic book that Coupland does the words for. It’s not a true comic book; it has beautiful graphics and Coupland’s writing makes it take off.

Girlfriend in a Coma (1998)
**My favorite of Coupland’s novels!**
In senior year of high school, one mysterious night, Karen slips into a coma for seemingly unexplainable reasons. Seventeen years later, having had a baby with Richard via caesarean (the conception occurred hours before she fell into a coma), Karen wakes up and is introduced to a completely different world with no more Communism, the Berlin Wall down, microwaves, and airbags. You read it, because if I go into any more, I’ll spoil it for you!

Miss Wyoming (1999)
Former beauty queen/actor survives a plane crash but hides to avoid her overbearing mother while a major movie director hallucinates about Susan, and is convinced she’s the one. Wild adventures lead them apart, and together, and apart.

City of Glass (2000)
A book with gorgeous full-color photos by various photographers. Coupland takes us on the tour of his hometown, Vancouver, and convinces us why we should love it. I’m ready to move there myself!

All Families are Psychotic (2001)
Hilarious! A family reunion when overachiever and astronaut Sarah is taking off. Her divorced parents, stepmother, and two brothers all come to witness, with girlfriends, wives, and an insane adventure involving illegal money, diseases, and sneaking around.

School Spirit (the Encounters Series) with Pierre Huyghe (2003)
Pierre Huyghe is creating a series, Encounters, where he works with one individual on a chosen theme. Coupland picked “school spirit,” and it’s interesting the way Huyghe’s photographs complement Coupland’s words. Wow.

Hey Nostradamus! (2003)
His newest work tells the tale of Jason, who never has gotten over his first love, Cheryl, murdered in an incident highly resonating of the 1998 massacre in Columbine High School, Littleton, CO. Told in voices of different characters, it really helps to fill out the story in a rounder way, even though sometimes I don’t believe Reg. And of course I don’t like Heather, Jason’s girlfriend in a later time. (Long lives the murdered heroine, Cheryl—not to mention that we share the same name.)