Don DeLillo
Maybe it was that I haven't had a lot of time to read lately, but I really had to push through this book. Seen as a real statement on the effects of electronic/consumerist culture on family life, I was looking forward to reading this. Unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations. DeLillo's style consistently reminded me of a Vonnegut novel, but without the clear Vonnegut panache. Instead, I felt like I was reading someone trying too hard to be Vonnegut. And while there were some enjoyable ideas here, the execution left me flat. That said, I will highlight the one element that was worthwhile. If nothing else, get the book and read the second to last chapter. The protagonist finds himself in the ER of a local hospital run by nuns. In a conversation with one of the nun nurses, a great dialogue transpires about the role of the religious in a cultural belief system. Extremely cynical and cutting, which is probably why I laughed out loud.
Skip this one.
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