“A good read, but I think I have such high expectations that almost nothing can live up to them when it comes to this author.
There was a lot of hipstery stuff in here, which I had to get past a little. Although I think we’ve all been a little unfair to the noble hipster. Sure, there are some annoying parts. But for the most part, I can honestly say I haven’t had a lot of bad run-ins with hipsters. Okay, yes, there was one concert where I wanted badly to break several pairs of fashion frames and the only thing holding me back was that they are fashion frames and wouldn’t impair the wearer’s vision. Other than that, though, I have to say that I find some hipster traits to be just fine.
*Riding Fixed-Gear Bicycles
Fine. One less person on the road. Plus, it beats out another group of attention-seekers, jagoffs who get huge subs in their crappy cars and rattle everything around them with the damn hip-hops music.
*Drinking PBR
I happen to like PBR. I mean, don’t bury me with it. Or in it. But as cheap beers go, I’ll take it any day. So if we’re blaming hipsters for the new omnipresence of PBR, I feel like we’re blaming them for slightly improving our beer-swilling lives.
*Fashion
Alright, this one bothers me, and bothers me in two different ways. First, the capris. Not cool. Second, the flannel. I was wearing that stuff, guys. It was so comfy. Now what am I supposed to do? But on the other hand, disliking someone for popularizing something you like is a silly way to go through life.
*Art
Yeah, this was the one that was most present in the book. I’m confused by art. I’ve been confused by art for a long time. I mean, take that Duchamp urinal thing. I understand his message, or understand what he felt like he was expressing. But I don’t think I understand what the art world is getting out of it. In the book, though, one of the characters makes a great point that I think all aspiring artists should consider. To paraphrase: “You’re more interested in being an artist than making art.”
In some ways, I think the book is a little love letter to unfinished projects. That screenplay or that album or that short film or that quilt or that knitted scarf or that perfect mixtape or that collection of recipes on index cards.
It’s a quick read. It kind of reminds me of one of these newer romantic comedies, except not so romantic or comedic, more real. But being able to see Zooey Deschanel starring as the quirky, hip, energetic yet very lost female lead boiled my blood just a tad.”