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City Of Glass P
 
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City Of Glass P (Paperback)

by D Coupland (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

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2 new from CDN$ 42.00 5 used from CDN$ 8.95

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Product Description

Amazon.ca

Toronto has Margaret Atwood, Montreal has Mordecai Richler, and now Vancouver has its own literary spokesperson. Douglas Coupland, author of societal pulse-taking novels like Generation X, Microserfs, and Shampoo Planet, turns his bemused eye on his hometown's quirks and quarks in this easy-going, photo-heavy tour. Coupland's voice is droll, whether explaining the way the ferries work ("the ferry experience involves waiting; that's because it's government-run") or theorizing on the origins of street names like Biddesden and Pyrford (he conjectures they were named by old English lords having a good laugh over a dram back in London). Having grown up in Vancouver, the author has a wellspring of childhood memories to draw from, and his reminisces add an even more personal note to pieces on well-known destinations like Grouse Mountain and Chinatown. An artist as well as an author, Coupland has an opinion on just about everything, from Greenpeace (begun in Vancouver) to the number eight (considered lucky by Chinese residents), but he is especially astute at capturing the essence of the city from an architectural perspective. "They made about as much sense in the neighbourhoods into which they were inserted as a UFO in Versailles," he writes of the type of dwelling units he calls "monster houses." And an essay about Lions Gate Bridge, in which Coupland mixes personal recollections with bridge lore, is enough to make even the most jaded Vancouverite see the town in a teary-eyed new light.

Though by no means comprehensive--what about, say, the people mosaic of Commercial Drive?--Coupland's book is a colourful, chatty guide, hitting on both obscure and famous Vancouver characteristics alike. Whether the reader is familiar with the city or a complete stranger, or simply a fan of witty, insightful prose, he or she will find much to enjoy in this portrait of what the author calls--rightfully, one is convinced by the end--"a dream of a city." --Shawn Conner

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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
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4 star:
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3 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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4.0 out of 5 stars The city of glass, April 21 2007
By E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
Sure, it's only one person's view of Vancouver. But at least it's Douglas Coupland's view. In "City of Glass," the author of "All Families Are Psychotic" and "Generation X" strays from fiction to write about his home city. The result is a subdued love ode to Vancouver, peppered with photographs.

Coupland describes Vancouver with many page-long vignettes, sort of like a patchwork quilt: he describes feng shui in Vancouver, Japanese teenagers, a harbour full of sulfur piles, American couples on "love boats," monstrous houses, and the quiet detachment that Vancouver feels from the Rest of Canada. (Which has its own entry -- really!)

Coupland's fiction is generally distinguishable for its contemplative, cynically witty tones. But he drops all that for "City of Glass." Okay, there is a chunk of "Life After God" in the middle, blurry text and pics. And occasionally the transcripts of Coupland's memories remind one of his fiction, seeming sadder and darker.

Most of the time, he sounds fond and reminiscent, as if reliving the memories that come with salmon and fleece. Not to mention funny, such as when describing the confusing disagreements about feng shui (" this space should flowwwwww" or "flow is to be avoided at all costs"). And the photographs are quite good as well, with Coupland taking pictures of the prosaic subjects of his book -- a sleepy-looking Japanese teen, a fleece vest, a boat floating out on a light-filled harbor, a skiier in mid-twist on a sunlit hillside.

"City of Glass" isn't exactly going to make you race to Vancouver, but it will make you appreciate the little hidden facets of the city -- and perhaps make you notice the ones in your own.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Homesick book, Nov 14 2004
By Jurgen Schaub (Vancouver, now in Melbourne) - See all my reviews
This is my homesick book, my security blanket, my Postcards from Home.

For Vancouverites, it's a source of boosterist pride, a good chuckle at some in-jokes, and perhaps enlightenment on why things are as they are. For people who have moved away, it's a book of memories, recollections of a city of glass and the people who make it. For people who have never been there, it's the tourist guide that talks about things the Lonely Planet won't. It's like having Mr Coupland sitting next to you as you make your way through our city. It's probably as close to an autobiography as he's ever written. The mark of Vancouver is on him as it's on me, and on everyone else who was raised there.

Yeah, I love my hometown.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Definitely Vancouver, but one person's view, Aug 4 2004
By Penmachine "penmachine_com" (Vancouver, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   
Imagine following Highway 99 south from Whistler down through West and North Vancouver, across the Second Narrows Bridge, along Boundary Road, crossing into Richmond, picking up the 99 again, and driving straight through to Seattle. Now, pay attention only to what you can see (Mount Baker, for instance), or things that are to your right -- west of the Vancouver-Burnaby border. Observe and comment on those things lucidly and with humour. But ignore the vast suburbs stretching to the east. Spend more time on Bellingham than on New Westminster. You have an idea of this book. Like Coupland's other works, it demonstrates keen insight about a limited part of its subject -- this case, Vancouver. He is a North Shore boy, and it shows. Worth reading, but definitely only one person's view.
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 		 Most recent customer reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Vancouver from the inside
This is not a story by D. Coupland but rather short anecdotes about his hometown Vancouver. I found this book very "canadian": he describes a city and its culture that... Lisez davantage
Published on July 13 2004 by Luc Dancause

5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond Stanley Park, Robson St and Granville Island.....
City of Class made me both miss home and exude incredible pride in Vancouver. Now that the city has won it's 2010 bid, it'll be interesting how the dynamic of the city will... Lisez davantage
Published on Sep 3 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars Quick, delightful read.
Though this book is rather short on length, it does an excellent job of portraying an excellent city. Lisez davantage
Published on Sep 1 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars May as well buy a ticket now...
This book will leave you aching for Vancouver, whether you've been there before or not. I have, but never lived it the way Coupland has. Lisez davantage
Published on May 13 2003 by Jennifer M. Macleod

5.0 out of 5 stars a personal vancouver alphabet
This book presents a charming, personal view of the city of Vancouver, BC, by an author both at home in and in love with his city. Lisez davantage
Published on Aug 10 2002 by Kaleberg

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