Generation X is still relevant

Douglas Coupland has been one of my favourite writers for the entirety of my “adult” life. I can safely say that I like all his books and I’ve re-read most of them. Until last year Generation X, his most popular work, was perhaps my least favourite one. Thankfully, I re-read it when I was writing my thesis and I a-d-o-r-e-d it. It was one of those rare occassions when you prefer a book the second time round. I don’t blame this on the book itself, but on me. The first time I read it I was 18 or 19, I’d never had a job and I lived a sheltered life with very few worries, I just didn’t get it. Fast forward nearly 10 years and I find it all terribly relevant. If you haven’t read this I honestly have no idea what you’re waiting for. Buy it on amazon.

generation x quote

generation x quote

 

generation x quote

 

generation x quote

 

generation x quote

 

generation x quote

generation x quote

generation x quote

 

 

Punk rock back to basics

 

An "abandoned" train station

The train line that joined Segovia with Medina del campo was opened in 1884, bringing the industrial revolution to my grandparents’ village – the deep, deep Spain – a few decades before they were born. This line stopped working in 1985, after improvements in the region’s roads vastly decreased the traffic of passengers. The station, located in the outskirts of the village, hasn’t seen any travellers for over 25 years, but it still stands proud, and it is a wonder to see. However, it is not fully abandoned. Can you imagine living in a 125-year-old train station? I imagine it’s not the most practical living arrangement, but there’s some lucky person who rented it for a really low price. It’s such a great way to keep these beautiful buildings from becoming derelict.

Abandoned train station

I didn’t know the station was still standin. Hell, I didn’t even know this town had a train station, but our hotel was next to it and we decided to take a look. It was amazing to imagine what it must have looked like in the old days. I like to imagine my grandparents getting really excited about little trips to neighbouring towns. It’s strange to remember how much bigger the world was back then.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abandoned train station

 

Literary nuns

I’m still not sure whether this bookshop belongs in the Amazing Bookshops Around the World series, but it certainly is remarkable. When Clemens and I were walking around some backstreets in Bologna looking for a place to eat (after we were refused in a place where we wanted to eat merely because Blink182 had once eaten there), a shop window caught my eye, it was full of books related to the Pope. I went to (and work in a) Catholic school, but Catholicism is not my thing at all and it makes me feel sort of uneasy. So there I was, staring at the Pope wondering whether Italian people are nuts when I looked into the shop and saw the till. A nun. A nun at the till. A nun working. Did you hear me? A NUN!!! I thought everything nuns ever did was run around from one church to another and teach little children. It appears I was wrong. I must say that not every book in the place was religious, but I didn’t dare to go in. A nun smiled at me when I took a photo. Maybe she thought I’m hot for Jesus.

 

 

 

 

What I wore: Descendents Smart

 

 

Weekend links

 

Aramar + Mysterymoor Giveaway

 

2011: What I listened to

My 2011 playlist isn’t quite ready yet, so here’s a list of the bands I listened to the most in the past year according to lastfm.

 

And here’s one of albums released in 2011 that I enjoyed, in no specific order.

The Copyrights – North Sentinel Island

Spoonboy – The Papas

Banner Pilot – Heart Beats Pacific

Joyce Manor – s/t

WEGROWBEARDS – Gunpowder, treason and plot

Algernon Cadwallader – Parrot Flies

Great Cynics – Don’t Need Much

Laura Stevenson and the Cans – Sit resist

Pygmy Lush – Old Friends

Fucked Up – David Comes to Life

Lemuria/Cheap Girl split 7″

Snowing/1994!/Boys and Sex/Algernon Cadwallader split

 

Amazing Bookshops Around the World: 57th Street Books (Chicago)

57th Street Books (Chicago)

1301 E. 57th St. // Chicago, IL 60637
773.684.1300 // fiftysev@semcoop.com
Hours: 10-8 daily
website // twitter // tumblr //

 57th Street Books is located in the Southside Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park. I’m from the north side, but my family always loves to make a trip to this neighborhood for great food, views of the lake and city, and the bookstore. I took my boyfriend out for a similar outing just a few weeks ago and he loved the bookstore too. He even got a book without me forcing him.

57th street books

This bookstore is made up of 4 or 5 small rooms that require some weaving in and out of bookshelves to find. The bookshelves and walls are all made of wood and it’s very cozy, surely a little too cozy at times. In every section, there is a selection of books on display. They look new and inviting with bright and artistic cover sleeves (which always entices me, despite the never-judge-by-the-cover theory), but my favorite part is they are not top ten list books. They look like they might be and actually they are a few years old. Which is great because when I decide NOT to buy the book, I can go get it from the library without 8 week hold list. They also have used books and a great collection of classics with both original and artsy fartsy covers (great if you want to decorate your apartment AND look smart). Books on display often have someone’s hand written recommendation or review alongside them as well, which is actually what convinced my not-a-big-reader boyfriend to get the book.

57th street books

Lastly, the bookstore is in a great neighborhood (as I mentioned before). Buy your book and go read it in one of the big parks or on the lakefront of the Hyde Park area (the place where Obama grew up! Oh yeah — rumor has it he loved this book store too!) under the 100 year old giant trees. Hope you make it there some day!

Words by Abby Williams

Photos by Christine

Click here to see the other bookshops in the series and to learn how to collaborate.