Once upon a time it was possible to live in Manhattan inexpensively. It wasn't that long ago really. There were neighborhoods like the Lower East Side where artists, club kids, and squatters were still able to eke out livelihoods in the vibrant city that continues to attract newcomers from every corner of the globe.
In his novel "The Future Won't Be Long" Jarett Kobek tells the tale of Baby, a gay youth from rural Wisconsin who came to the big city during the period of the 1980's to try to figure out who he was. And he did. Upon his arrival Baby meets a woman who becomes his roommate and his dearest friend. Over the course of a decade or so they have many adventures together.
Baby becomes a club kid and ultimately a novelist. He writes science fiction. He makes scalding observations about American society, culture, and politics. Kobek has written a long book. There's a lot here to digest. The author is a gifted ranter. His screeds are intense and some of them are quite amusing.
In this conversation we also talked about the author's previous novel "I Hate the Internet" and his novella "Atta" which is a fictional biography of one of the 9/11 hijackers. Jarett Kobek is a literary force on his ascent.
The Book Nook on WYSO is made possible by five local library systems in southwest Ohio: the Greene County Public Library, Washington-Centerville Public Library, Clark County Public Library, Dayton Metro Library, and Wright Memorial Public Library.
