21 May 2006

how does a person get a job at Chapters and NOT know who Coupland is?

When in Calgary on Friday, I went to the Chapters at Sunridge to buy my copy of Douglas Coupland's new novel jPod.



I walked into Chapters expecting the larger-than-life-lego marketing display near the front. Near Starbucks. Near the middle. Near something. Near nothing. There was no display to market the book. jPod was not even on the back wall of bestsellers. In fact, I had to go to the stacks to find a copy, and there was only one copy!!

Disturbed, but not caring, I took my copy up to the cashiers. (Why does every Chapters have 15 cashier tills, but there are never more than two cashiers working?) The cashier made no comment on my purchase. Not even a beep. I suggested to her that I was expecting a display, if not fans dressed up in character. She looked at me quizzically. I told her that, for example, harry potter is less than NOTHING compared to a Coupland novel. Then she offers: "oh, him...yeah, I think I've heard of him".

I don't usually want to hit people, but when I do, it's warranted. I just couldn't believe someone who works in a book store...a fucking book store!...had no idea who I was talking about. I felt like Meg Ryan in Fox Books in the children's section when the crackly-voiced-teenaged-minimum-waged-worker didn't know about the ballerina shoe series.

I like Coupland because I like his characters. I can relate to them because they live in a world I am familiar with. Corporate consumer capital western culture. CCCWC. The new CCCP.

I now have a headache from reading. jPod is 515 pages. I started yesterday morning when I woke up. And though I took a couple of breaks for odd errands, I finished less than 36 hours later.

Not one of his best works, but very good.

Two thumbs up.

9.5 out of 10.


I'll forgive the cashier for being stupid, as long as she is from Edmonton and now in Calgary searching for a better life.

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