Derek has become a must-read Stacker for me, and this essay certainly didn't disappoint. Loved this line: "That suffering can be blamed on *the phones* rather than being a timeless human condition that everyone in every place must contend with."
As to the book itself, it sounds like a fun read, even with the off-putting preachiness. That said, great writers have indulged in preachiness for centuries (Dickens, Tolstoy, many others). I'm not in favor of it, but if kept within reasonable limits, it doesn't kill a book.
Thanks, Scott, you’re too kind! And I agree—preachiness can work, but it’s very difficult to pull off and the author has to be especially convincing and persuasive, not an easy task.
I just finished reading this novel and while it wasn't inaccurate, it's not that interesting to criticize 2010s Instagram culture on such a broad level. It felt like reading another "phones and social media = bad" piece online.
I’ve been meaning to check this one out what with all the buzz. I read a few pages and wasn’t hooked but plan to try again. It sounds formally interesting for sure, but sounds like the author could have pushed or implicated himself a little further, to go beyond handwringing over how a certain type of person might live (or want to live). I’ll have to find out for myself. Great piece, Derek.
Thanks, Spencer, I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts. And “implicating yourself”—I like how you put that and it’s an idea I’ve been thinking of as well in terms of writing. More to come on that topic…
It sounds like the right story told wrong. But I recognize the impulse to build a perfect life. Yesterday, I read a long essay on this book from someone who had chased a perfect digital nomad existence, but after years of an 'enviable' life on the go, came to the conclusion that disturbers of that perfection made life more worth living, in her case I believe, having a baby.
I think an author writing a book like this must suffer inside quite a bit cause they feel so important as if anybody cared how their life looked. Its not a „millennial’s“ problem to me, its just there are some painfully self aware and self deprecating groups of any generation, but I think generations judge themselves too hard based on ego. Based on the fact that they believe they’re somehow important, which as humans they are, but as individuals not really. Whats wrong with that described morning of taking a coffee and reading the news and afterwards doing yoga? That was also the life of many people 70 years ago! And they did it, as I imagine many millennials or whatever generation do, for the things in it of themselves. And it sounds great, or not, who cares, its your life! Its like people like the author of the book live a life as if they constantly had surveillance cameras following around, judging, judging for being „cringe“, for being foolish, fake, not self aware, not real enough, whatever that means. In my book as long as you stick to moral principles and are good to others, and maybe don’t buy blocks of native buildings to make Airbnb s, or not try to integrate and respect your new home countries culture, then just live your life and keep your ego in check. The author of that book certainly does not seem to… As other commenters have said, its an interesting story given to the wrong writer, or maybe at the wrong maturity of this author. But Derek is certainly the right one to write this review which was very insightful and I enjoyed very much. (And your personal Berlin story was just you going to a club with international friends and seeking this old friend, while a grumpy roommate opened. Whats wrong with that? Whats specially „wrong“ about that? Thats a funny little anecdote in the life of any generation, nothin special, nothin to ascribe to a generational narrative or that of an insufferable digital nomad or whatever. Live and let live. Thanks for the piece look forward to many more!)
Derek has become a must-read Stacker for me, and this essay certainly didn't disappoint. Loved this line: "That suffering can be blamed on *the phones* rather than being a timeless human condition that everyone in every place must contend with."
As to the book itself, it sounds like a fun read, even with the off-putting preachiness. That said, great writers have indulged in preachiness for centuries (Dickens, Tolstoy, many others). I'm not in favor of it, but if kept within reasonable limits, it doesn't kill a book.
Thanks, Scott, you’re too kind! And I agree—preachiness can work, but it’s very difficult to pull off and the author has to be especially convincing and persuasive, not an easy task.
I just finished reading this novel and while it wasn't inaccurate, it's not that interesting to criticize 2010s Instagram culture on such a broad level. It felt like reading another "phones and social media = bad" piece online.
That was my exact reaction. I kept thinking, Yes, we know.
I’ve been meaning to check this one out what with all the buzz. I read a few pages and wasn’t hooked but plan to try again. It sounds formally interesting for sure, but sounds like the author could have pushed or implicated himself a little further, to go beyond handwringing over how a certain type of person might live (or want to live). I’ll have to find out for myself. Great piece, Derek.
Thanks, Spencer, I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts. And “implicating yourself”—I like how you put that and it’s an idea I’ve been thinking of as well in terms of writing. More to come on that topic…
It sounds like the right story told wrong. But I recognize the impulse to build a perfect life. Yesterday, I read a long essay on this book from someone who had chased a perfect digital nomad existence, but after years of an 'enviable' life on the go, came to the conclusion that disturbers of that perfection made life more worth living, in her case I believe, having a baby.
That sounds really interesting—share the link?
If only I could. I spent a half-hour trying to find it, to no avail. If I stumble across it again, I'll post the link.
I think an author writing a book like this must suffer inside quite a bit cause they feel so important as if anybody cared how their life looked. Its not a „millennial’s“ problem to me, its just there are some painfully self aware and self deprecating groups of any generation, but I think generations judge themselves too hard based on ego. Based on the fact that they believe they’re somehow important, which as humans they are, but as individuals not really. Whats wrong with that described morning of taking a coffee and reading the news and afterwards doing yoga? That was also the life of many people 70 years ago! And they did it, as I imagine many millennials or whatever generation do, for the things in it of themselves. And it sounds great, or not, who cares, its your life! Its like people like the author of the book live a life as if they constantly had surveillance cameras following around, judging, judging for being „cringe“, for being foolish, fake, not self aware, not real enough, whatever that means. In my book as long as you stick to moral principles and are good to others, and maybe don’t buy blocks of native buildings to make Airbnb s, or not try to integrate and respect your new home countries culture, then just live your life and keep your ego in check. The author of that book certainly does not seem to… As other commenters have said, its an interesting story given to the wrong writer, or maybe at the wrong maturity of this author. But Derek is certainly the right one to write this review which was very insightful and I enjoyed very much. (And your personal Berlin story was just you going to a club with international friends and seeking this old friend, while a grumpy roommate opened. Whats wrong with that? Whats specially „wrong“ about that? Thats a funny little anecdote in the life of any generation, nothin special, nothin to ascribe to a generational narrative or that of an insufferable digital nomad or whatever. Live and let live. Thanks for the piece look forward to many more!)
Skipped breakfast so I could finish the book before reading this :)