Brian Hieggelke

There’s a bizarre poetry in my Internet access going down for a couple of hours as I was writing this (Comcastic!), since technology contributes quite a bit to the dysfunction of the fictional New York office that provides the setting for Ed Park’s masterful satire of end-of-empire corporate America, “Personal Days.” Self-Googling, eBaying, time-wasting emailing and plain old tech problems fill the days of the group of youngish co-workers, who are otherwise preoccupied with the Kremlinesque downsizing machinations of management, prodded by a mysterious new ownership in California. Park’s novel, short on plot but long on laughs, sits comfortably within the growing body of workplace send-ups, and will find an audience among fans of “The Office” and “Office Space.” But how did Park, who spends his time as an editor at the decidedly non-corporate The Believer magazine and the Poetry Foundation, develop such spot-on insights into corporate malaise? He spent ten years at the Village Voice until it was taken over by New Times, a media chain from the West, which wasted little time in cutting Park and other key creators loose in its cost-cutting and cookie-cutting zeal. Revenge served cold indeed.

Ed Park reads from “Personal Days” at the Book Cellar, 4736-38 North Lincoln, on June 5 at 7pm.

(2008-06-03)

Also by Brian Hieggelke

Comics Review
Harvey Pekar’s now-legendary series "American Splendor" is back for a second run on the DC Vertigo line
(2008-04-15)

Field of Dreams
Pundit hands have been wringing over the question of whether an expected surge in first-time Iowa Caucus participants would be offset by the much-earlier-than-normal timing: January 3, just after the holidays and long before college students returned from winter break. Barack Obama had made a point of reaching out to students, asking them to come back early to caucus, and the call came the day before: my son and three of his pals from Chicago, now all freshmen at the University of Iowa, wanted to go, and could I rent a car and drive?
(2008-01-08)

Tip of the Week
I used to observe the Thanksgiving tradition of familial gluttony followed by a collapse on the carpet and a nap, or perhaps a coma brought on by the 5,000 or so calories I’d just packed in. I’m not giving that up—ever— but last year I prepared with the Turkey Trot, a brisk November 8K run or walk (about five miles) in beautiful Lincoln Park
(2007-11-19)

Tip of the Week
It’s amazing what "Optic Nerve" creator Adrian Tomine can accomplish in a mere 108 pages, the length of his new graphic novel, "Shortcomings." His story of Ben Tanaka, an under-employed 30 year old who is grappling with issues of identity in all forms—racial, sexual and, in the largest struggle of all, personal—reads so fluidly that its economy goes unnoticed, except when you finish and find yourself so fully engaged in the story of this circle of friends and lovers that you thirst for more
(2007-11-06)

DVD Tip of the Week
(2007-10-19)

Tip of the Week
(2007-10-09)

Tip of the Week
(2007-09-18)

Searching for Shelter
(2007-09-11)

Bohemian Requiem
(2007-08-28)

Play Ball
(2007-03-27)

The Hollywood Issue
(2007-02-20)

Super Special
(2007-01-30)

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