The Office Tells the Story in 'Then We Came to the End'

Review of THEN WE CAME TO THE END (Back Bay Books 2008)
Author, Joshua Ferris

One of the first things I noticed about THEN WE CAME TO THE END, a darkly-funny story (it's been called "the CATCH-22 of the business world" and "The Office meets Kafka") about a Chicago advertising agency going through tough times after the dot-com bubble burst, is how starting it was not unlike starting a new job. The characters, at first, are just a whole lot of names thrown at you. A bit confusing to keep straight, but after a while, traits emerge and you come to know them. Some are nice, some are pathetic, some unforgettable and others you'd just as soon forget. The kind of people you might, say, work with in an office.

The other thing I noticed was that reading the story was like revisiting the times when I'd worked in offices. As a freelance writer, I enjoy certain perks--the short commute (seconds rather than hours), flexible scheduling, etc. On the other hand, reading this book took me back to a time and situation that had its drawbacks, but also its joys. Reexperiencing the collegiality of office life, along with its frustrations, office politics, gossip--even the shared misery--was kind of an interesting blast from the past.

The major theme in the story is job security (or lack thereof) and many related issues--getting a bit too secure in one's job, not preparing for change or thinking such change is possible, feeling a trifle too fat, dumb and happy for one's own good. The specter of layoffs haunts the characters throughout the book. At the same time, the story has numerous subplots: the office romance gone wrong; the office eccentric who gets canned and who may (or may not) return to the scene with a semi-automatic weapon and a bad attitude; the office clown, who harbors a secret unrequited love; the office whipping boy, who's the last one to hear anything; the chilly middle-manager; the distant (and intimidating, but respected) boss with no personal life (at least, not one that's immediately obvious to the staff). And, of course (especially since some of whom we are talking about are ad copywriters), the office's would-be screenwriter and "failed" novelist.

The most interesting thing, though, is that the book is written in first person plural. The book opens with the lines, "We were fractious and overpaid. Our mornings lacked promise. At least those of us who smoked had something to look forward to at ten-fifteen. Most of us liked most everyone, a few of us hated specific individuals, one or two people loved everyone and everything. Those who loved everyone were unanimously reviled."

It continues that way, talking about what "we" did and how "we" felt--with the exception of a brief interlude mid-way through, in which the book switches to third person singular. It took a chapter or two for me to realize the individual telling the story hadn't been identified and to ask, "Just who's telling this story, anyway?"

It struck me, then, that "we" could be the collective consciousness of the office. As if the staff as a whole was telling the story. (Joshua Ferris gives a different explanation for using "we" in an interview printed at the end of the book. I like mine better, but he's the author. I suppose that counts for something.)

It is an omniscient "we," as well, for you get to hear some conversations the staff never would have. This "we" manages to be all over the place, witnessing simultaneous events at times. The narrative occasionally shifts from one person's point of view to another with a fluidity I like (but my writing group would tear to shreds).

THEN WE CAME TO THE END not only explores the peculiar dynamic of the office workplace in a clever and funny way, but shows the eroding effect on morale as that office is slowly, but surely, dismantled. So when you come to the end of this book, the "we" seems to have become diffused, broken into bits that are cobbled together for one last collective event. And how natural that, when the event is over and everyone goes home, the storyteller should conclude this tale with--for the one and only time--the word "me."

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Mercantile Center Announces 'First Novel' Award Nominees

Earlier this month, the Mercantile Library Center for Fiction announced the shortlist for its 2008 John Sargent Sr. First Novel Prize. The winner gets $10,000.

"As the new Center for Fiction, we intend to do everything we can to support and promote emerging writers," said director Noreen Tomassi. Ten grand is, indeed, quite a bit of support.

This list of nominees caught my eye, because I noticed ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES by Rivka Galchen was on it. I've heard so many good things about the book, it's on my impossibly long list of books I'd like to read eventually. I'll be interested to see who wins.

An Award for the Odd Title

The Bookseller recently did an online poll to determine the oddest book title of the last 30 years. Now, as odd book titles go, you'd think it would be hard to beat People Who Don't Know They're Dead, but another one did--Greek Rural Postmen and Their Cancellation Numbers. (Damn! I was going to use that one for my next book.) How to Avoid Huge Ships came in third. (And would you believe there's actually another book with that title?)

News and More News

All sorts of cool book-related things to report. I wish I could say I dug these up all by myself, but I found them on The Readers' Advisor Online Blog, which is always packed with interesting tidbits.

For instance, Dutton has inked a deal on what's being called a "digi-novel," to be published in Fall 2009. According to this Publishers Weekly article, Dutton "paid millions for a multimedia three-book series from Anthony Zuiker that, at its centerpiece, features a mystery novel which will send readers to a Web site with companion footage relating to the plot." We're seeing this kind of crossover between print and Web publishing more and more.

PW also reports that Amazon has bought Shelfari.com, a Seattle-based social network site for readers. So what isn't Amazon buying these days?

And Anne Trubeck suggests that Catcher in the Rye might need to be replaced on high school syllabi with contemporary literature that speaks more to current teens. I know there are more current coming-of-age stories out there, but isn't Catcher what is commonly known as a classic? Has it really lost all its relevance? I pick it up about every 10 years or so (and you don't need to know exactly how many times that's been ;)) and found something to like about it each time.

Maybe I'm just old school, but I can't picture Catcher being replaced by the complete scripts for Freaks and Geeks.

How to Hire a Readers' Advisory Librarian

Readers' advisor--now, that's a job many people would consider a dream position. Imagine getting paid to read books and recommend them to people. Sign me up now!

Thing is, there's more to it than that. Of course, you can't just read what you like--you have to read what other people might be looking for (and you might hate). Plus you have to advise people, thus the advisory part of the position. Which means working with them, not dictating to them or dumping all over their choices. ("Science fiction? What are you some kind of geek? And thrillers? Totally unbelievable and formulaic junk. Now, how about a little Proust . . .")

So, here are one woman's thoughts on how to hire a good readers' advisory librarian. It's not necessarily a job for anyone who enjoys reading.

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