The Chairs Are Where The People Go: How To Live, Work, And Play In The City (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
Why is this a book? I like how - perhaps subconsciously or fortuitously - they dedicated the book as "To Margaux," Glouberman's girlfriend that was the real life inspiration for the character in Heti's novel, instead of "For Margaux." Because this is precisely what it feels like: picking apart someone's brain and getting to know every crease and fold, however trivial, and thus conjuring up a somehow frighteningly loyal portrait of that person, frightening because it is at once global, holistic, definitive and specific, nuanced, close-up. Unless said person is my romantic interest, I wouldn't want to know that much, at least not catalogued in such form. So although Glouberman offers some universally applicable insights about the social mechanisms at work and at times fairly entertaining musings, I just don't think this is the book for me. If this helps push you leaning toward cracking open this book, Glouberman is a very proactive (as in "engaged citizen"), resourceful, steadfast, and generally inspiring guy that his generation typically lacks; an artist with an initiative and without an agenda, if you will. I got this from a good friend...he's intelligent, well-read and extremely insightful, so I was excited about this book. I'll be honest--took me a few essays to get into it. That said, once I was, I thoroughly enjoyed it. As I continued to read, I became fully engaged in each essay, intrigued by not only what Misha had to say, but how he decided to say it.Misha talks in and around and through things in a way most people don't. I love how his brain works, and find his musings on random experiences in life much like my own ways of thinking--he's the guy who gets all the chaos going on in your head and isn't afraid to address it. I'd love to take a class with him. Or, just sit and have a chat. I'd love to pick his brain a bit. Hear more of what he has to say. He takes the time, makes the effort...he observes what's happening in the world around him, and immerses himself in each and every moment. And he's honest about it, the whole way through.I mention "random" musings; what's great about this book is that, at the same time, I believe there's quite a purpose to his words, and his work. Though they may appear to be arbitrary, there's a beautiful fluidity to his approach, and the thread that binds his thoughts together runs deep and wide. I love that he touches on the comfortable and the uncomfortable, that he challenges his audience to think a little bit differently about many issues that we often take for granted, or, really, just don't take the time to notice at all. From the way a city works to who sits in what chair, these ideas are important. They mean something. They hold value.Though there is much gold to mine in this collection of essays, my favorite statement rests toward the end of Chapter 6: "It's true in a lot of things that if you don't say the difficult thing early, it really fucks you up later on." Indeed. And whether it's the difficult thing, or the easy one, no matter who's saying it, what matters is that it's heard. What a concept.
What do You think about The Chairs Are Where The People Go: How To Live, Work, And Play In The City (2011)?
I couldn't really get into this book, and didn't actually finish it.
—Em0515
Terrible, as in boring. The one star is for the great title.
—Muthu
Bonus: the city in question is Toronto, not New York or LA.
—Aleesa
Interesting observations of everyday things.
—b5delenn
