First published 2018
Howie works as a young office clerk in a building's mezzanine level. Both his shoelaces break within a single day of each other. During his lunch break, he goes out to buy replacement laces. On his return trip up the escalators to his workplace, Howie's mind wanders through the events of his day. His thoughts move in meticulous detail over ordinary objects and mundane matters that usually escape our notice despite filling most of our daily existence. Through Howie's mental review, Baker examines the small things we overlook because they seem so routine. The novel captures fifty years of Western lifestyle through a humorous lens, mixing nostalgia with sharp observations about how consumer culture has shaped our existence. Baker turns trivial experiences into a foundation for understanding modern sensibility.
Genres: literary-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: mundane-to-meaningful, slice-of-life
230 pages · Paperback · La Navaja Suiza