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Shoplifting from American Apparel by Tao Lin.

"Much in the way that Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace left me feeling at loose ends and confused, so did Tao Lin's novella. But perhaps that was the point. It was something fleeting, temporary, but thought provoking enough to make you stop and think and wonder about what you just read. I'm honestly not sure."

2 Stars

Pros: It definitely painted a pretty accurate picture of the younger generation of today, constantly on their phones/email/Disinterested, aloof. 

Cons: I couldn't tell if this was satire or not and it left me feeling a little lost. Much like Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace

Full Review: 

This novel follows the life of a young, writer. He often feels lost, at loose ends and unsure as to what to do with himself. He chats with his friends on GMail Chat, goes from place to place and never seems to really set roots anywhere. The relationships he has are fleeting though he seems to genuinely like the people he chooses to sleep with. But after awhile, the passion burns out and he ends up saying things that he regrets. As a whole, the narrative is just off, strange, hard to pin point and those are basically the feelings I had after finishing this book. 

I wasn't sure if it was satire, a spoof on the youth of today, or if it was supposed to be enlightening. I finished the book and just kind of blinked. I didn't enjoy it but at the same time I didn't hate it. It just kind of there, something that I had read, come into my life and I finished it. And perhaps, that's the whole meaning, that life is fleeting, the time we have here is temporary and unless we make an attempt, our life will pass us by without us knowing. 

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