Tom Lynch

Brooklyn writer Joshua Ferris makes an impression with his swift debut, "Then We Came to the End," a witty and diabolically detailed novel about life at the office, where phrases like "casual Fridays" bounce around and fellow workers make bets on who will get too drunk at the Christmas party this year. This subject matter seems ridiculously tired, of course, especially since they've been doing it on television already, but Ferris does well at keeping the material fresh, his characters on the border of idiosyncratic and bullshit, his plot lines and all the love interests lovingly operatic. Everyone hates their job but would hate more to lose it. Nobody dreams as a child of working in a cramped office space, and Ferris knows that, and knows what happens when they eventually do. This, at its core, is sad, and in that way, it's funny.

Joshua Ferris reads from "Then We Came to the End" March 21 at Borders, 2817 North Clark, (773)935-3909, at 7:30pm. Free.

(2007-03-13)

Also by Tom Lynch

Soundcheck
Eric Elbogen, aka Say Hi to Your Mom, has now constructed four homemade, lo-fi, sweet and smart full-length records--"Discosadness," "Numbers and Mumbles," "Ferocious Mopes," "Impeccable Blahs"--heavy on concept, filled with swarming pop hooks, minimal electronics, Elbogen's often-whispery delivery and his curious ability to turn a simple, straightforward lyric into a sea of possibility
(2007-03-06)

Love, Lethem, Love
The author of "Motherless Brooklyn," a stunning, layered and near-mystic crime novel, "The Fortress of Solitude," his semi-autobiographical, saddening, marvelous tale about two boys growing up in Brooklyn through decades of gentrification and 2005's fantastic collection of essays, "The Disappointment Artist," now offers "You Don't Love Me Yet," a comedy of sorts, a strange, sarcastic and charming tale of love and art and sex and music in Los Angeles
(2007-03-06)

Tip of the Week
Hideout has constructed an insane one-day festival--built to benefit the local bands and artists bound for Austin's South by Southwest festival next week--that runs noon to midnight, for only ten bucks
(2007-03-06)

Tip of the Week
The eleventh annual Story Week Festival of Writers, presented, as always, by Columbia College, hits the streets this week with a variety of events that boast impressive lineups
(2007-03-06)

NONFICTION REVIEW
(2007-02-27)

Tip of the Week
(2007-02-27)

Sea Dogs
(2007-02-27)

Soundcheck
(2007-02-20)

Tip of the Week
(2007-02-20)

The Unreal World
(2007-02-20)

Syked Out
(2007-02-13)

Tip of the Week
(2007-02-13)

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