Third class superhero
Author
Publisher
Varies, see individual formats and editions
Publication Date
2006
Language
English
Description
Charles Yu experiments with form and genre to explore the stories we tell ourselves while navigating contemporary life. In "Third Class Superhero," a would- be good guy must come to terms with the darkness in his heart. A couple living in the Luxury Car Commercial subdivision in "401(k)" are disappointed when their exotic vacation turns into a Life Insurance/Asset Management pitch. The author struggles to write the definitive biography of his mother in "Autobiographical Raw Material Unsuitable for the Mining of Fiction." In these and other stories, Yu’s characters run up against the conventions and parameters of their artificial story lines while tackling the terrifying aspects of existence: mothers, jobs, spouses, the need to express feelings. Heartbreaking, hilarious, smart, and surprising, Third Class Superhero marks the arrival of an impressive new talent.
More Details
ISBN
9780156030816
9780544312548
9780544312548
Table of Contents
From the Book - First edition.
Third class superhero --
401(k) --
The man who became himself --
Problems for self-study --
My last days as me --
Two-player infinitely iterated simultaneous semi-cooperative game with spite and reputation --
Realism --
Florence --
Man of quiet desperation goes on short vacation --
32.05864991% --
Autobiographical raw material unsuitable for the mining of fiction.
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Fans of witty insights and experimental forms will enjoy the unique speculative fiction novels and short stories of Charles Yu and Kurt Vonnegut. Both writers create inventive storylines within familiar tropes and avoid scientific complexities by focusing on relatable human issues, social themes, and the impact of emerging technologies on society. -- Alicia Cavitt
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