- Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: Flamingo; New Ed edition (7 Oct 1996)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0006548598
- ISBN-13: 978-0006548591
- Product Dimensions: 17.7 x 13.1 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 357,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Microserfs is not about Microsoft--it's about programmers who are searching for lives. A hilarious but frighteningly real look at geek life in the nineties, Coupland's book manifests a peculiar sense of how technology affects the human race and how it will continue to affect all of us. Microserfs is the hilarious journal of Dan, an ex-Microsoft programmer who, with his coder comrades, is on a quest to find purpose in life. This isn't just fodder for techies. The thoughts and fears of the not-so-stereotypical characters are easy for any of us to relate to, and their witty conversations and quirky view of the world make this a surprisingly thought-provoking book.
"... just think about the way high-tech cultures purposefully protract out the adolescence of their employees well into their late 20s, if not their early 30s," muses one programmer. "I mean, all those Nerf toys and free beverages! And the way tech firms won't even call work 'the office,' but instead, 'the campus'. It's sick and evil." END
Review
'An hilarious, moving read… Brilliantly observed, sharply written and constantly entertaining.' NME
'A funny and stridently topical novel. Coupland continues to register the buzz of his generation.' Jay McInerney, New York Times
'The writing is astonishing, the emotions genuine and the characters fully formed… Microserfs shows yet again Coupland's ability to create rather than imitate.' Irish Times
'A witty novel with real heart.' Sunday Telegraph
--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Although written in 1995, the book is very readable and not dated even after a decade. The book is a tale of a communal house of Microsoft coders who all want more that the work/sleep/work routine. They join a start up software company aimed at making a software Lego modelling program. Slowly their real lives develop. Plenty of non-tech humour as well as a few computer jokes. Written as though it is a diary some parts are moving which means the author managed to reel you into his imaginary world enough that you care about the characters. It is that good it makes me want to read his other books.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Despite been a bit dated this book is still a classic, a very funny and almost poignant look at the tech industry. As a geek its very easy to relate to Dan and the others living the techy dream. Every geeky bloke (like myself) will fall in love with Karla the coolest geek girl ever!
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I really enjoyed this book and was surprised to find that it hadn't really dated (except of course, it was written back in the days when option grants really were worth money and didn't just leave you marooned for years with worthless underwater options). Anyway I loved the eccentricity of the characters: the fads for "flat" foods, the long hours work, the familiar, god-like worship of the CEO (I've worked in at least one company with a similar mentality), and the emerging angst from the emptiness of it all.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
great read
a good holiday book. i am a fan and enjoy his work. the book was as good as new and good value.
Published 9 months ago by N. Martin
On my top ten of Books I have ever read
I first read this book in 1999. It was my first Coupland novel, I didn't want to like it but I did. It spoke to me and remains a firm favourite book of mine. Read more
Published on 3 Oct 2009 by Miss K. Haining
Nerd humour but perhaps not for everyone
I think the great thing about Coupland is that in this and JPod he really makes the whole idea of the nerd accessible. Read more
Published on 11 May 2009 by Mr. A. M. Laffey
OK
Interesting idea. But it's all very cold-hearted. Coupland hasn't really found much humanity in his characters. Read more
Published on 14 Oct 2008 by NickR
Microserfs
I was very disappointed with this book - I loved JPod and several of the reviews suggested that Microserfs was better. Not so. Read more
Published on 22 Feb 2008 by gerty guinea
Coupland's best
In my opinion, this is Coupland's best, probably because I personally related to the main character most.
But a great story, well written and genuinely funny. Read more
But a great story, well written and genuinely funny. Read more
Published on 23 Nov 2007 by N. E. Mathers
You'll hate to love this...
It was only a couple of years ago that I was sitting in the pub with a guy from my course at University discussing the merits of Coupland's breathtaking 'Generation X'. Read more
Published on 14 Dec 2006 by Deanne Dixon
Iused to lover her but i had to kill her....
....ok i never used to love this book but def enjoyed it when i read it at uni...
what happened? well nothing but on a reread ive realised that nothing happens, its not very... Read more
Published on 27 Jun 2005 by Mr. G. Spicer
hilarious
i stole this book from an exboyfriend and was laughing out loud. its brilliant.
Published on 13 Dec 2004
Vintage Coupland it isn't
A solid book but I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed what with it being a Coupland book. His writng doesn't flow like it does in previous books like Shampoo Planet and... Read more
Published on 19 July 2004 by Paul Waghorne
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
