it's not Vox but what is it?
June 21, 2016 5:23 AM Subscribe
Looking for a novel that involves a character whose job is to immerse themselves in a topic for about a month, write a column about it, and then move on to a new topic.
The narrator talks about their job (I think it's first person but I could be wrong) at the beginning: they obssessively explore a random topic for about a month, write a column in a local paper or magazine about what they learned, pick something new. I don't know what happens next, because I only ever read a Kindle sample ages ago, and all this while I thought it was Vox by Nicholson Baker and that turns out to be a completely different book.
The only other detail I can think of is that the writer of this book also wrote a novel about someone who works in R&D or marketing at a toy company. Again, I only read a sample, so I don't know what happens next.
The narrator talks about their job (I think it's first person but I could be wrong) at the beginning: they obssessively explore a random topic for about a month, write a column in a local paper or magazine about what they learned, pick something new. I don't know what happens next, because I only ever read a Kindle sample ages ago, and all this while I thought it was Vox by Nicholson Baker and that turns out to be a completely different book.
The only other detail I can think of is that the writer of this book also wrote a novel about someone who works in R&D or marketing at a toy company. Again, I only read a sample, so I don't know what happens next.
Do you have the same Amazon account you did then? If so, there might be a way in your order history to find the book.
posted by raisindebt at 6:32 AM on June 21, 2016
posted by raisindebt at 6:32 AM on June 21, 2016
Best answer: Is it Scarlett Thomas, The End of Mr Y? This review mentions the column shtick. (I read her book PopCo, the one about the toy company, earlier this year, which made me think of her).
posted by saturngirl at 7:44 AM on June 21, 2016
posted by saturngirl at 7:44 AM on June 21, 2016
You just described the career of George Plimpton. (My dad described him as a "professional amateur".)
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:35 AM on June 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:35 AM on June 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Scarlett Thomas yes!!! I found PopCo while going through my Amazon wishlist but couldn't figure out which other book had the columnist thing. Thank you, I keep talking about this book and should properly read it!
posted by divabat at 5:35 PM on June 21, 2016
posted by divabat at 5:35 PM on June 21, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sevenyearlurk at 5:37 AM on June 21, 2016