A few months ago, I finally read Generation X (1991). I like Coupland, though everything I have read by him (Gen X, jPod, Microserfs) seems to fizzle out 3/4 of the way through. But in reading Gen X, I was struck, many, many times by how similar it is to Fight Club (1996).

And I’m not talking like a Harry Potter / Star Wars thing. People have long pointed this out, so I know I’m not breaking new ground here. But having finally read both, I felt it was worth bringing up, especially for those of you who haven’t read both.

Here is a passage from Gen X:

you have to give up your apartment, and all of the silly black matte objects inside as well as the meaningless rectangles of minimalist art above the oatmeal coloured sofa and the semi-disposable furniture from Sweden.

Exactly.
And there are more.

Some people are mad about it, while Coupland doesn’t seem to care. I don’t either, really, though it does make Palahnuik seem less like a genius visionary and more just someone who was wise enough to ride a wave and add his own voice to the sentiment that was going around at the time.

Dig around if you are interested, there are a bunch of links about this. I just wanted to bring it up.

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