Douglas Coupland
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Douglas Coupland (born 30 December 1961) is a Canadian
novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others asp ...
,
design A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product, or process. The verb ''to design' ...
er, and
visual art The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, filmmaking, design, crafts and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual art, and textile arts ...
ist. His first novel, the 1991 international bestseller '' Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture'', popularized the terms ''
Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western demographic cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years and the late 1970s to early 1980s a ...
'' and ''
McJob "McJob" is a slang term for a low-paying, low-prestige dead-end job that requires few skills and offers very little chance of advancement. The term "McJob" comes from the name of the fast-food restaurant McDonald's, but is used to describe any lo ...
''. He has published thirteen novels, two collections of short stories, seven non-fiction books, and a number of dramatic works and screenplays for film and television. He is a columnist for the ''
Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Ni ...
'' and a frequent contributor to ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'', '' e-flux journal'', ''
DIS Magazine DIS is a collaborative project based in New York City. It was founded in 2010 by Lauren Boyle, Solomon Chase, Marco Roso, David Toro, Nick Scholl, Patrik Sandberg and Samuel Adrian Massey, and publishes ''DIS Magazine'', a twist on a lifestyle and ...
'', and ''
Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character t ...
''. His art exhibits include ''Everywhere Is Anywhere Is Anything Is Everything'' which was exhibited at the
Vancouver Art Gallery The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) is an art museum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The museum occupies a adjacent to Robson Square in downtown Vancouver, making it the largest art museum in Western Canada by building size. Designed by Franc ...
, and the Royal Ontario Museum and the
Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art The Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (MOCA), formerly known as the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA), is a museum and art gallery in Toronto, Ontario. It is an independent, registered charitable organization. ...
, (now the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto) and ''Bit Rot'' at Rotterdam's
Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art Kunstinstituut Melly is a contemporary art gallery located in a former school building on Witte de Withstraat, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It was founded in 1990 and originally named after the street it was located on. It presents curated exhi ...
and the
Villa Stuck The Villa Stuck, built in 1898 and established as a museum in 1992 and located in the Munich quarter of Bogenhausen, is a museum and historic house devoted to the life and work of the painter Franz Stuck. In contrast to the Classical architectu ...
. Coupland is an Officer of the
Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the cen ...
, and a member of the
Order of British Columbia The Order of British Columbia (french: Ordre de la Colombie-Britannique) is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier ...
. He published his thirteenth novel '' Worst. Person. Ever.'' in 2012. He also released an updated version of '' City of Glass'' and a
biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...
, '' Extraordinary Canadians: Marshall McLuhan''. He was the presenter of the 2010
Massey Lectures The Massey Lectures is an annual five-part series of lectures given in Canada by distinguished writers, thinkers and scholars who explore important ideas and issues of contemporary interest. Created in 1961 in honour of Vincent Massey, the former ...
, with a companion novel to the lectures published by House of Anansi Press: '' Player One – What Is to Become of Us: A Novel in Five Hours.'' Coupland has been long-listed twice for the
Scotiabank Giller Prize The Giller Prize (sponsored as the Scotiabank Giller Prize), is a literary award given to a Canadian author of a novel or short story collection published in English (including translation) the previous year, after an annual juried competition be ...
in 2006 and 2010, was a finalist for the Writers' Trust Fiction Prize in 2009, and was nominated for the
Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize The Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize, established in 1985, is awarded annually as the BC Book Prize for the best non-fiction book by a resident of British Columbia, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three ...
in 2011 for ''Extraordinary Canadians: Marshall McLuhan''.


Early life

Coupland was born on December 30, 1961, at
RCAF Station Baden-Soellingen The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environme ...
in
West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
, the second of four sons of Douglas Charles Thomas Coupland, a medical officer in the
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
, and C. Janet Coupland, a graduate in
comparative religion Comparative religion is the branch of the study of religions with the systematic comparison of the doctrines and practices, themes and impacts (including migration) of the world's religions. In general the comparative study of religion yie ...
from
McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous ...
. In 1965, the Coupland family relocated to
West Vancouver West Vancouver is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. A member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District, West Vancouver is to the northwest of the city of Vancouver on the northern side of English Ba ...
, where Coupland's father opened a private family medical practice at the completion of his military tour. Coupland describes his upbringing as producing a "
blank slate ''Tabula rasa'' (; "blank slate") is the theory that individuals are born without built-in mental content, and therefore all knowledge comes from experience or perception. Epistemological proponents of ''tabula rasa'' disagree with the doctri ...
".Wark, Penny."Trawling for Columbine".
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...
, September 12th, 2003.
"My mother comes from a sour-faced family of preachers who from the 19th century to well into the 20th scoured the prairies thumping Bibles. Her parents tried to get away from that but unwittingly transmitted their values to my mother. My father's family weren't that different." Graduating from
Sentinel Secondary School Sentinel Secondary School is a secondary school located in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is one of three public secondary schools in the West Vancouver district (SD #45) including West Vancouver Secondary School and Rockridge Se ...
in West Vancouver in 1979, Coupland went to McGill University with the intention of (like his father) studying the sciences, specifically physics.Colman, David. "Take a Sharp Turn at Fiorucci".
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
, September 30, 2007.
Coupland left McGill at the year's end and returned to Vancouver to attend art school. At the Emily Carr College of Art and Design on
Granville Island Granville Island is a peninsula and shopping district in the Fairview neighbourhood of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located across False Creek from Downtown Vancouver under the south end of the Granville Street Bridge. The peninsu ...
in Vancouver, in Coupland's words, "I ... had the best four years of my life. It's the one place I've felt truly, totally at home. It was a magic era between the hippies and the PC goon squads. Everyone talked to everyone and you could ask anybody anything."Jackson, Alan. "I didn't get where I am today without..."
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...
, June 17, 2006.
Coupland graduated from Emily Carr in 1984 with a focus on sculpture, and moved on to study at the European Design Institute in
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, Italy and the Hokkaido College of Art & Design in
Sapporo ( ain, サッ・ポロ・ペッ, Satporopet, lit=Dry, Great River) is a city in Japan. It is the largest city north of Tokyo and the largest city on Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of the country. It ranks as the fifth most populous cit ...
, Japan. He also completed courses in business science, fine art, and industrial design in Japan in 1986. Established as a designer working in
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
, Coupland developed a skin condition brought on by Tokyo's summer climate, and returned to Vancouver. Before leaving Japan, Coupland had sent a
postcard A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare. There are novelty exceptions, such as wood ...
ahead to a friend in Vancouver. The friend's husband, a
magazine editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...
, read the postcard and offered Coupland a job writing for the magazine. Coupland began writing for magazines as a means of paying his studio bills."The week in Reviews:Talkin' about his generation".
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...
, April 26, 1998.
Reflecting on his becoming a writer, Coupland has admitted that he became one "By accident. I never wanted to be a writer. Now that I do it, there's nothing else I'd rather do." He has stated that he has not been employed since 1988."Douglas Coupland: 'The nine to five is barbaric'".
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
, March 30, 2017.


Literary works


''Generation X''

From 1989 to 1990, Coupland lived in the
Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily ...
working on a handbook about the birth
cohort Cohort or cohortes may refer to: * Cohort (educational group), a group of students working together through the same academic curriculum * Cohort (floating point), a set of different encodings of the same numerical value * Cohort (military unit ...
that followed the baby boom.Barker, Pat. "Behind the Lines".
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...
, October 9, 2007.
He received a $22,500 advance from
St. Martin's Press St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in Manhattan, New York City, in the Equitable Building. St. Martin's Press is considered one of the largest English-language publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under si ...
to write the nonfiction handbook. Instead, Coupland wrote a novel, '' Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture''.Dafoe, Chris. "Carving a profile from a forgotten generation".
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
, November 9, 1991.
It was rejected in Canada before being accepted by an American publishing house in 1991.McLaren, Leah. "Birdman of BC".
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
, September 28, 2006.
Reflecting on the writing of his debut novel years later, Coupland said, "I remember spending my days almost dizzy with loneliness and feeling like I'd sold the family cow for three beans. I suppose it was this crippling loneliness that gave Gen X its bite. I was trying to imagine a life for myself on paper that certainly wasn't happening in reality." Not an instant success, the novel steadily increased in sales, eventually attracting a following behind its core idea of "
Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western demographic cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years and the late 1970s to early 1980s a ...
". Over his own protestations, Coupland was dubbed the spokesperson for a generation,Muro, Mark. "'Baby Busters' resent life in Boomers' debris".
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
, November 10, 1991.
stating in 2006 "I was just doing what I do and people sort of stuck that on to me. It's not like I spend my days thinking that way." The terms ''
Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western demographic cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years and the late 1970s to early 1980s a ...
'' and ''
McJob "McJob" is a slang term for a low-paying, low-prestige dead-end job that requires few skills and offers very little chance of advancement. The term "McJob" comes from the name of the fast-food restaurant McDonald's, but is used to describe any lo ...
'', used by Coupland in the novel, ultimately entered the vernacular.


''Shampoo Planet'' through ''Life After God''

His second novel, ''
Shampoo Planet ''Shampoo Planet'' is Douglas Coupland's second novel, published by Pocket Books in 1992. It is a thematic followup to Coupland's first novel, '' Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture''. The novel deals with Tyler, a Global Teen, who sh ...
'', was published by
Pocket Books Pocket Books is a division of Simon & Schuster that primarily publishes paperback books. History Pocket Books produced the first mass-market, pocket-sized paperback books in the United States in early 1939 and revolutionized the publishing ...
in 1992. It focused on the generation after Generation X, the group called "Global Teens" in his first novel and now generally labeled
Generation Y Millennials, also known as Generation Y or Gen Y, are the Western demographic cohort following Generation X and preceding Generation Z. Researchers and popular media use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s ...
(or Millennials). Coupland permanently moved back to Vancouver soon after the novel was published. He had spent his "twenties scouring the globe thinking there had to be a better city out there, until it dawned on imthat Vancouver is the best one going". He wrote a collection of small books, which together were compiled, after the advice of his publisher, into the book ''
Life After God ''Life After God'' is a collection of short stories by Douglas Coupland, published in 1994. The stories are set around a theme of a generation raised without religion. The jacket for the hardcover book reads "You are the first generation to be ra ...
''. This collection of short stories, with its focus on spirituality, initially provoked polarized reaction before eventually revealing itself as a bellwether text for the avant-garde sensibility identified by
Ferdinand Mount Sir William Robert Ferdinand Mount, 3rd Baronet, FRSL (born 2 July 1939), is a British writer, novelist, and columnist for ''The Sunday Times'', as well as a political commentator. Life Ferdinand Mount, brought up by his parents in the isolate ...
as "Christian post-Christian".


''Microserfs'' through ''All Families Are Psychotic''

In 1994, Coupland was working for the newly formed magazine ''
Wired ''Wired'' (stylized as ''WIRED'') is a monthly American magazine, published in print and online editions, that focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics. Owned by Condé Nast, it is headquartered in San ...
''. While there, Coupland wrote a short story about the life of the employees at
Microsoft Corporation Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washingt ...
. This short work provided the inspiration for a novel, ''
Microserfs ''Microserfs'', published by HarperCollins in 1995, is an epistolary novel by Douglas Coupland. It first appeared in short story form as the cover article for the January 1994 issue of ''Wired'' magazine and was subsequently expanded to full nov ...
''. To research the culture that the novel depicted, Coupland had moved to
Palo Alto, California Palo Alto (; Spanish for "tall stick") is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto. The city was es ...
, and immersed himself in
Silicon Valley Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that serves as a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical areas San Mateo Coun ...
life.Grimwood, Jon Courtenay. "Nerds of the cyberstocracy".
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
, November 13, 1995
Coupland followed ''Microserfs'' with his first collection of non-fiction pieces, in 1996. ''
Polaroids from the Dead ''Polaroids from the Dead'' is a collection of short stories and essays by Douglas Coupland. The theme is that each story is written from a collection of old Polaroid photographs that Coupland found in a drawer. It is an attempt to describe the 1 ...
'' is a manifold of stories and essays on diverse topics, including: Grateful Dead concerts; Harolding; Kurt Cobain's death; the visiting of a German reporter; and a comprehensive essay on Brentwood, California, written at the time of the O. J. Simpson murder case and the anniversary of
Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
's death. That same year Coupland toured Europe to promote ''Microserfs'', but the high workload brought on fatigue and mental strain.Smith, Stephen. "Dictators and comas".
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
, March 14, 1998.
"Dealing with the X factor".
The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory ...
, July 30, 2005.
He reportedly incorporated his experience with depression during this period into his next novel, '' Girlfriend in a Coma''. Coupland noted that this was his last novel to be "...written as a young person, the last constructed from notebooks full of intricate observations".Wheelwright, Julie. "Talking About Which Generation?"
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
, February 12, 2000.
In 1998, Coupland contributed the short story "Fire at the Ativan Factory" to the collection '' Disco 2000'', and the same year wrote the liner notes for Saint Etienne's album ''Good Humor.'' In 2000, he published the novel '' Miss Wyoming''. Coupland then published his photographic
paean A paean () is a song or lyric poem expressing triumph or thanksgiving. In classical antiquity, it is usually performed by a chorus, but some examples seem intended for an individual voice ( monody). It comes from the Greek παιάν (also πα ...
to
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
, '' City of Glass''. The book incorporates sections from ''Life After God'' and ''Polaroids from the Dead'' into a visual narrative, formed from photographs of Vancouver locations and life supplemented by stock footage mined from local newspaper archives. Coupland's next novel, '' All Families Are Psychotic'', tells the story of a
dysfunctional family A dysfunctional family is a family in which conflict, misbehavior, and often child neglect or abuse and sometimes even all of the above on the part of individual parents occur continuously and regularly, leading other members to accommodate such ...
from Vancouver coming together to watch their daughter Sarah, an astronaut, launch into space.


''Souvenir of Canada'' through ''Worst. Person. Ever.''

The promotional rounds for ''All Families are Psychotic'' were underway when the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
took place. In a play called ''September 10'' performed later at Stratford-upon-Avon by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Coupland felt that this was the last day of the 1990s, and the new century had now truly begun.Gill, Alexandra. "Mirror, mirror on the page".
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
, December 30, 2004.
"A slacker hero hits the stage".
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
, July 31, 2004.
The first book that Coupland published after the September 11 attacks was ''
Souvenir of Canada ''Souvenir of Canada'' is a 2002 book written by Canadian author Douglas Coupland. A feature film based on the book was released theatrically in 2006. In the book's introduction, Coupland states his intention was to author a book about Canada "th ...
'', which expanded his earlier ''City of Glass'' to incorporate the whole of Canada. There are two volumes in this series, which was conceived as an explanation to non-Canadians of uniquely Canadian things. Coupland's second book in this period, '' Hey Nostradamus!'', describes a fictitious high school shooting similar to the
Columbine High School Columbine High School (CHS) is a public high school in Columbine, Colorado, United States, in the Denver metropolitan area. It is part of the Jefferson County Public Schools district. In 1999, it became the scene of an infamous mass shooti ...
in 1999Anthony, Andrew. "Close to the Edge". ‘’
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...
'', August 24, 2003.
Coupland relocates the events to a school in North Vancouver, Canada. Coupland followed ''Hey Nostradamus!'' with ''
Eleanor Rigby "Eleanor Rigby" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1966 album ''Revolver''. It was also issued on a double A-side single, paired with " Yellow Submarine". The song was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to L ...
''. Similarly to the titular original written and sung by
The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...
, the novel examines
loneliness Loneliness is an unpleasant emotional response to perceived isolation. Loneliness is also described as social paina psychological mechanism which motivates individuals to seek social connections. It is often associated with a perceived lack ...
. The novel received some positive acclaim as a more mature work, a notable example being novelist Ali Smith's review of the book for the ''Guardian'' newspaper. Using the format of ''City of Glass'' and ''Souvenir of Canada'', Coupland released a book for the
Terry Fox Foundation The Terry Fox Run is an annual non-competitive charity event held around the world to raise money for cancer research in commemoration of Canadian cancer activist Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope. The event was founded in 1981 by Isadore Sharp ...
called ''
Terry Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence (given name), Terence or Terrier (masculine). People Male * Terry Albrit ...
''. It is a photographic look back on the life of Fox, the result of Coupland's exhaustive research through the Terry Fox archives, including thousands of emotional letters from Canadians written to Fox during his one-legged marathon across Canada on Highway 1. The third work of fiction in this period, written concurrently with the non-fiction ''
Terry Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence (given name), Terence or Terrier (masculine). People Male * Terry Albrit ...
'', is another re-envisioning of a previous book. ''
jPod ''JPod'' is a novel by Douglas Coupland published by Random House of Canada in 2006. Set in 2005, the book explores the strange and unconventional everyday life of the main character, Ethan Jarlewski, and his team of video game programmers wh ...
'', billed as ''
Microserfs ''Microserfs'', published by HarperCollins in 1995, is an epistolary novel by Douglas Coupland. It first appeared in short story form as the cover article for the January 1994 issue of ''Wired'' magazine and was subsequently expanded to full nov ...
'' for the
Google Google LLC () is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company focusing on Search Engine, search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, software, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, ar ...
generation, is his first
Web 2.0 Web 2.0 (also known as participative (or participatory) web and social web) refers to websites that emphasize user-generated content, ease of use, participatory culture and interoperability (i.e., compatibility with other products, systems, and ...
novel. The text of ''jPod'' recreates the experience of a novel read online on a notebook computer. ''jPod'' was a popular success, giving rise to a CBC Television series for which Coupland wrote the script. The series lasted one season before cancellation. Coupland's next novel, ''
The Gum Thief ''The Gum Thief'' is Canadian author Douglas Coupland's twelfth novel. It was published on , by Random House Canada in Canada and Bloomsbury Publishing in the United States. An epistolary novel, ''The Gum Thief'' is written as a collection of j ...
'', followed ''
jPod ''JPod'' is a novel by Douglas Coupland published by Random House of Canada in 2006. Set in 2005, the book explores the strange and unconventional everyday life of the main character, Ethan Jarlewski, and his team of video game programmers wh ...
'' in 2007. ''
The Gum Thief ''The Gum Thief'' is Canadian author Douglas Coupland's twelfth novel. It was published on , by Random House Canada in Canada and Bloomsbury Publishing in the United States. An epistolary novel, ''The Gum Thief'' is written as a collection of j ...
'' was Coupland's first foray into the standard
epistolary novel An epistolary novel is a novel written as a series of letters. The term is often extended to cover novels that intersperse documents of other kinds with the letters, most commonly diary entries and newspaper clippings, and sometimes considered ...
format following the 'laptop diaries'/'blog' formats of ''
Microserfs ''Microserfs'', published by HarperCollins in 1995, is an epistolary novel by Douglas Coupland. It first appeared in short story form as the cover article for the January 1994 issue of ''Wired'' magazine and was subsequently expanded to full nov ...
'' and ''
jPod ''JPod'' is a novel by Douglas Coupland published by Random House of Canada in 2006. Set in 2005, the book explores the strange and unconventional everyday life of the main character, Ethan Jarlewski, and his team of video game programmers wh ...
''. Coupland published his eleventh novel, '' Generation A'', in late 2009. In terms of style, ''Generation A'' "mirrors the structure of 1991's ''
Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western demographic cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years and the late 1970s to early 1980s a ...
'' as it champions the act of reading and storytelling as one of the few defenses we still have against the constant bombardment of the senses in a digital world". The novel takes place in the near future, after bees have become extinct, and focuses on five people from around the globe who are connected by being stung. Coupland's contribution for the 2010
Massey Lectures The Massey Lectures is an annual five-part series of lectures given in Canada by distinguished writers, thinkers and scholars who explore important ideas and issues of contemporary interest. Created in 1961 in honour of Vincent Massey, the former ...
, as opposed to a standard long essay, was 50,000 word novel entitled ''Player One – What Is to Become of Us: A Novel in Five Hours''. Coupland wrote the novel as five hour-long lectures aired on CBC Radio from November 8 to 12, 2010. According to Coupland, the novel "...presents a wide array of modes to view the mind, the soul, the body, the future, eternity, technology, and media" and is set "In a B-list Toronto airport hotel’s cocktail lounge in August of 2010." The lecture/novel was published in its own right on October 7, 2010. House of Anansi Press' advance publicity for the novel stated that On September 20, 2010, ''Player One'' was announced as part of the initial longlist for the 2010 Scotiabank Giller Prize literary award, Coupland's second long-listing for the prize after being long-listed in 2006 with ''
jPod ''JPod'' is a novel by Douglas Coupland published by Random House of Canada in 2006. Set in 2005, the book explores the strange and unconventional everyday life of the main character, Ethan Jarlewski, and his team of video game programmers wh ...
''. Coupland followed ''Player One'' with a second short story collection, this time in collaboration with the artist Graham Roumieu, entitled ''Highly Inappropriate Tales for Young People''. The publisher described the book as "seven pants-peeingly funny stories featuring seven evil characters you can't help but love". '' Worst. Person. Ever.'' was released in Canada and the UK in October 2013, and in the US in April 2014.


Awards and recognition

Coupland has been described as "...possibly the most gifted exegete of North American mass culture writing today." and "one of the great satirists of consumerism". In 2015, he was made a member of France's Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 2017 Coupland was awarded the 2017
Lieutenant Governor's Award for Literary Excellence The Lieutenant Governor's Award for Literary Excellence is administered by the BC Book Prizes and recognizes a writer who has contributed significantly to the development of literary excellence in British Columbia, as well as having written a substa ...
. Coupland was made a member of the
Royal Canadian Academy of Arts The Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA) is a Canadian arts-related organization that was founded in 1880. History 1880 to 1890 The title of Royal Canadian Academy of Arts was received from Queen Victoria on 16 July 1880. The Governor General ...
in 2007. In 2013, he was made an Officer of the
Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the cen ...
"for his contributions to our examination of the contemporary human condition as a novelist, cultural commentator and artist". In 2014, Coupland was made a member of the
Order of British Columbia The Order of British Columbia (french: Ordre de la Colombie-Britannique) is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier ...
. Coupland received an honorary Doctor of Letters from the
Emily Carr University of Art and Design Emily Carr University of Art + Design (abbreviated as ECU) is a public art university located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The university's campus is located within the Great Northern Way Campus in Strathcona. The university is a co ...
(2001), an honorary Doctor of Letters from
Simon Fraser University Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university in British Columbia, Canada, with three campuses, all in Greater Vancouver: Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, and Vancouver. The main Burnaby campus on Burnaby Mountain, located ...
(2007), an honorary degree from the
University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks among the top thre ...
(2010), an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Mount Allison University (2011), and an honorary doctorate degree from
OCAD University Ontario College of Art & Design University, commonly known as OCAD University or OCAD, is a public art university located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus is spread throughout several buildings and facilities within d ...
(2013). In 2010, the University of British Columbia announced that it had acquired Coupland's personal archives, the culmination of a project that began in 2002. The archives, which Coupland plans to continue to add to in the future, currently consist of 122 boxes and features about 30 metres of textual materials, including manuscripts, photos, visual art, fan mail, correspondence, press clippings, audio/visual material and more. One of the most notable inclusions in the collection includes the first hand-written manuscript of ‘Generation X,' scrawled on loose-leaf notebook paper and strewn with margin notes. In a statement issued on the UBC website Coupland said, "I am honoured that UBC has accepted my papers. I hope that within them, people in the future will find patterns and constellations that can’t be apparent to me or to anyone simply because they are there, and we are here...The donation process makes me feel old and yet young at the same time. I’m deeply grateful for UBC’s support and enthusiasm." A new consignment of materials including " ..everything from doodles and fan mail to a bejeweled hornet’s nest to a Styrofoam leg for the archive arrived in July 2012 .. arrived for sorting in July 2012. The sorting and categorisation of the new material was documented through the UBC School of Archival and Information Studies blog.


Visual arts

In 2000, Coupland resumed a visual arts practice dormant since 1989. His is a post-medium practice that employs a variety of materials. A common theme in his work is a curiosity with the corrupting and seductive dimensions of pop culture and 20th century pop art, especially that of
Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the Art movement, visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore th ...
. Another recurring theme is military imagery, the result of growing up in a military family at the height of the Cold War. He is represented by th
Daniel Faria Gallery
in Toronto. In June 2010 he announced his first efforts as a clothing designer by collaborating with
Roots Canada Roots Corporation (doing business as Roots) is a publicly held Canadian brand that sells apparel, leather bags, small leather goods, footwear, athletic wear, and home furnishings. The company was founded in 1973 in Toronto, Ontario, by Michael ...
on a collection that is a representation of classic Canadian icons. The Roots X Douglas Coupland collection was announced in ''
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
'' and featured clothing, art installations, sculpture, custom designed art and retail spaces. In 2011, he began a series titled ''Slogans for the Twenty-first Century'', catchphrases published on brightly coloured backgrounds that were first used as a promotional tool for an event at the Waldorf, a Vancouver nightclub. This series was expanded in 2021 and titled ''Slogans for the Class of 2030'' in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture. An algorithm was created by inputting Coupland's 30 years of written work that then created its own pithy statements. In 2004, the dormant Saarinen-designed
TWA Flight Center The TWA Flight Center, also known as the Trans World Flight Center, is an airport terminal and hotel complex at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The original terminal building, or head house, operated as a terminal ...
(now Jetblue Terminal 5) at
JFK Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport (colloquially referred to as JFK Airport, Kennedy Airport, New York-JFK, or simply JFK) is the main international airport serving New York City. The airport is the busiest of the seven airports in the New ...
briefly hosted an art exhibition called Terminal 5, curated by Rachel K. Ward and featuring the work of 18 artists including Coupland. In September 2010, Coupland, working with Toronto's PLANT Architect, won the art and design contract for a new national monument in Ottawa. ''Canadian Fallen Firefighters Memorial'' was erected for the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and completed in January, 2014. Other notable works are: * Canoe Landing Park * Digital Orca In October 2012, the 60-foot tall ''Infinite Tires'' was erected as part of Vancouver's public art program to accompany the opening of a Canadian Tire store. The construct was linked to the concept of Romanian artist Constantin Brâncuși's ''Infinite Column''. In 2014, Coupland announced plans to construct in south Vancouver a gold-coloured replica of
Stanley Park Stanley Park is a public park in British Columbia, Canada that makes up the northwestern half of Vancouver's Downtown Peninsula, surrounded by waters of Burrard Inlet and English Bay. The park borders the neighbourhoods of West End and ...
's Hollow Tree. ''Golden Tree'' was unveiled on August 6, 2016 In 2015, Coupland became
Google Google LLC () is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company focusing on Search Engine, search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, software, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, ar ...
's Artist in Residence at the Google Cultural Institute in Paris.


Public works


Canada

British Columbia * ''Golden Tree'', 2016, Marine Drive and Cambie Street,
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
*''Bow Tie'', 2015, Park Royal,
West Vancouver West Vancouver is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. A member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District, West Vancouver is to the northwest of the city of Vancouver on the northern side of English Ba ...
*''Infinite Tire'', 2012, SW Marine Drive and Ontario Street,
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
*''Terry Fox Memorial'', 2011, Terry Fox Plaza, BC Place Stadium,
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
*''Digital Orca'', 2009,
Jack Poole Plaza Jack Poole Plaza is a plaza in Vancouver's Coal Harbour neighborhood, in the British Columbia, Canada. The space is named after Jack Poole. The site is home to the cauldron A cauldron (or caldron) is a large pot ( kettle) for cooking or boili ...
,
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
*''Charm Bracelet'', 2020,
The Amazing Brentwood The Amazing Brentwood (also referred to as Brentwood Town Centre and Brentwood Mall) is a shopping mall in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. It is located in the Brentwood area of North Burnaby, at the intersection of Willingdon Avenue and Lough ...
,
Burnaby Burnaby is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the centre of the Burrard Peninsula, it neighbours the City of Vancouver to the west, the District of North Vancouver across the confluence of the Burrard I ...
Ontario * ''Lone Pine Sunset'', 2019,
Parliament station Parliament (french: Parlement) is a station on the Confederation Line as part of the O-Train network in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The station is located under O'Connor and Queen Streets in Downtown Ottawa. It has the highest projected use of al ...
, O-Train, Ottawa *''Four Seasons'', 2014, Don Mills Road and Sheppard Avenue East,
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
*''Canadian Fallen Firefighters Memorial'', 2012, 220 Lett Street, Ottawa *''Group Portrait 1957'', 2011,
The Robert McLaughlin Gallery The Robert McLaughlin Gallery is a public art gallery in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest public art gallery in the Regional Municipality of Durham, of which Oshawa is a part. The gallery houses a significant collection of Canadian conte ...
, Oshawa *''Super Nova'', 2009, Shops at Don Mills, North York *''
Monument to the War of 1812 Monument to the War of 1812, also called Toy Soldiers, is a War of 1812 war monument in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Designed by Douglas Coupland and unveiled in 2008, the monument includes two Styrofoam sculptures over a stone plinth, and commemorat ...
'', 2008, Fleet and Bathurst streets,
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
*''The Red Canoe'', 2008, Canoe Landing Park,
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
*''Heart-shaped Stone'', 2008, Canoe Landing Park,
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
* ''Float Forms'', 2007, Canoe Landing Park,
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...


Museum exhibitions

In 2014, the
Vancouver Art Gallery The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) is an art museum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The museum occupies a adjacent to Robson Square in downtown Vancouver, making it the largest art museum in Western Canada by building size. Designed by Franc ...
organized a major retrospective of Coupland's art, entitled ''everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything''. The Vancouver iteration of the show was captured on Google Street View. In 2015, the exhibition was shown in Toronto in two venues: the Royal Ontario Museum and the
Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art The Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (MOCA), formerly known as the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA), is a museum and art gallery in Toronto, Ontario. It is an independent, registered charitable organization. ...
(now the Museum of Contemporary Art, Toronto). The monograph from the exhibition was published by Black Dog Publishing, London. In 2015 to 2017, ''Bit Rot'' was exhibited. It is described as "A internationally traveling art exhibition, a catalogue accompanying that exhibition and a very large compendium of essays and fiction to be published in October 2016". It was shown in
Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"Ne ...
at the
Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art Kunstinstituut Melly is a contemporary art gallery located in a former school building on Witte de Withstraat, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It was founded in 1990 and originally named after the street it was located on. It presents curated exhi ...
from September 11, 2015, to January 3, 2016. ''Bit Rot'' was then exhibited at the
Villa Stuck The Villa Stuck, built in 1898 and established as a museum in 1992 and located in the Munich quarter of Bogenhausen, is a museum and historic house devoted to the life and work of the painter Franz Stuck. In contrast to the Classical architectu ...
in München from September 29, 2016, to January 8, 2017. In 2016, ''Assembling the Future'' was exhibited at The Manege in
St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
, Russia. The exhibition was organized and curated by Marcello Dantas. Also in 2016, Coupland's works were exhibited in ''It's All Happening So Fast : A Counter-History of the Modern Canadian Environment'' at the
Canadian Centre for Architecture The Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA; french: Centre Canadien d'Architecture) is a museum of architecture and research centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located at 1920, rue Baile (1920, Baile Street), between rue Fort (Fort Street ...
. In 2018, Coupland collaborated with
Ocean Wise The Vancouver Aquarium is a public aquarium located in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In addition to being a major tourist attraction for Vancouver, the aquarium is a centre for marine research, ocean literacy education, cli ...
to highlight ocean plastic pollution in ''Vortex'', a major sculpture exhibition that was unveiled at
Vancouver Aquarium The Vancouver Aquarium is a public aquarium located in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In addition to being a major tourist attraction for Vancouver, the aquarium is a centre for marine research, ocean literacy education, cl ...
in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
, Canada on May 18. This year-long exhibition ran until April 30, 2019. On June 29, 2018, ''The National Portrait'' opened at the
Ottawa Art Gallery The Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) is a municipal gallery in Ottawa, Ontario that opened in 1988 at Arts Court. The gallery has a permanent collection of over one thousand works, houses the City of Ottawa-owned Firestone Collection of Canadian Art, and ...
in Ottawa, Ontario. This large-scale exhibition was made from hundreds of 3D-printed portraits which Coupland created from volunteers at Simons stores across Canada from July 2015 until April 2017. Each volunteer received a hand-sized version of their own 3D-printed bust. The exhibition ran until August 19, 2018. In addition to showing his own works in museum exhibitions, in 2005 Coupland curated ''Super City'' for the Canadian Centre for Architecture, and in 2019, with Hans-Ulrich Obrist, he curated ''Welcome to the Age of You'' for the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto.


Select group exhibitions

*''Art in the Age of Anxiety'',
Sharjah Art Foundation The Sharjah Art Foundation ( ar, مؤسسة الشارقة للفنون) is a contemporary art and cultural foundation based in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates, founded in 2009 by Hoor Al Qasimi, daughter of Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, a me ...
, 2020 *''It's Urgent''
LUMA Foundation, Arles
2020 *''IN FOCUS: Statements''
Copenhagen Contemporary
2020 *''Electronic Superhighway,''
Whitechapel Gallery The Whitechapel Gallery is a public art gallery in Whitechapel on the north side of Whitechapel High Street, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The original building, designed by Charles Harrison Townsend, opened in 1901 as one of the fir ...
, London, 2017 *''It's All Happening So Fast'',
Canadian Centre for Architecture The Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA; french: Centre Canadien d'Architecture) is a museum of architecture and research centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located at 1920, rue Baile (1920, Baile Street), between rue Fort (Fort Street ...
, Montreal, 2016 *''The Heart Is a Deceitful Above All Things'', HOME Contemporary Arts Centre,
Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
, 2015 *''The Fab Mind'', 21 21 Design Sight, the
Issey Miyake was a Japanese fashion designer. He was known for his technology-driven clothing designs, exhibitions and fragrances, such as '' L'eau d'Issey'', which became his best-known product. Life and career Miyake was born on 22 April 1938 in Hiroshi ...
Foundation,
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
, 2014 *''Do It'', Ciclo (Cycle), Centro Cultural do Brasil,
São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
, 2013 * ''Billboard'',
Biennial of the Americas The Biennial of the Americas is an international festival of ideas, art, and culture hosted in Denver, Colorado every two years. According to its website, the Biennial strives to provide a platform for people from across the region to examine ma ...
,
Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, 2013 *''Supersurrealism'', 2012
Moderna Museet Moderna Museet ("the Museum of Modern Art"), Stockholm, Sweden, is a state museum for modern and contemporary art located on the island of Skeppsholmen in central Stockholm, opened in 1958. In 2009, the museum opened a new branch in Malmö i ...
, Stockholm, 2012 * ''Posthastism'', Pavilion Gallery, Beijing, 2011


Journalism

Coupland has written extensively for ''
Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character t ...
'' magazine and writes a column for the '' Financial Times FT Magazine''. He also regularly contributes to
Edge.org The Edge Foundation, Inc. is an association of science and technology intellectuals created in 1988 as an outgrowth of The Reality Club. Its main activities are reflected on the edge.org website, edited by publisher and businessman John Brockma ...
. and has contributed to
Artforum ''Artforum'' is an international monthly magazine specializing in contemporary art. The magazine is distinguished from other magazines by its unique 10½ x 10½ inch square format, with each cover often devoted to the work of an artist. Notabl ...
and
Flash Art ''Flash Art'' is a contemporary art magazine, and an Italian and international publishing house. Originally published bilingually, both in Italian and in English, since 1978 is published in two separate editions, Flash Art Italia (Italian) and Fl ...
and online art journals, such as
e-flux e-flux is a publishing platform and archive, artist project, curatorial platform, and e-mail service founded in 1998. The arts news digests, events, exhibitions, schools, journal, books, and art projects produced and/or disseminated by e-flux ...
and ''
DIS Magazine DIS is a collaborative project based in New York City. It was founded in 2010 by Lauren Boyle, Solomon Chase, Marco Roso, David Toro, Nick Scholl, Patrik Sandberg and Samuel Adrian Massey, and publishes ''DIS Magazine'', a twist on a lifestyle and ...
''.


Design work

In the summer of 2010, Coupland, in collaboration with
Roots Canada Roots Corporation (doing business as Roots) is a publicly held Canadian brand that sells apparel, leather bags, small leather goods, footwear, athletic wear, and home furnishings. The company was founded in 1973 in Toronto, Ontario, by Michael ...
designed a well-received collection of summer streetwear for men and women, and a line of leather and non-leather accessories. The collection was sold in the avant garde clothing store
Colette Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (; 28 January 1873 – 3 August 1954), known mononymously as Colette, was a French author and woman of letters. She was also a mime, actress, and journalist. Colette is best known in the English-speaking world for her ...
in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
in September 2010.


Television

In 2007 Coupland worked with the CBC to write and executive-produce a television series based on his novel ''jPod''. Its 13 one-hour episodes aired in Canada in 2007. The show was cancelled despite a major viewer-initiated campaign to save it. Girlfriend in a Coma is being developed as a limited series.


Film

2005 marked the release of a documentary about Coupland called ''
Souvenir of Canada ''Souvenir of Canada'' is a 2002 book written by Canadian author Douglas Coupland. A feature film based on the book was released theatrically in 2006. In the book's introduction, Coupland states his intention was to author a book about Canada "th ...
''. In it, Coupland works on a grand art project about Canada, recounts his life, and muses about various aspects of Canadian identity. 2006 brought the release of ''
Everything's Gone Green "Everything's Gone Green" is the third single by the English rock band New Order (band), New Order, released in December 1981. As usual per New Order and Joy Division's releases, the recording date and location of the music is not disclosed on th ...
'', a
comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
starring
Paulo Costanzo Paulo Costanzo (born September 21, 1978) is a Canadian actor. He is best known for playing Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill (Ax) in the TV series '' Animorphs'', the roles of Rubin Carver in the comedy film ''Road Trip'', Alexander Cabot in '' Josie a ...
, directed by Paul Fox, and written by Coupland. The film was produced by Radke Films and True West Films. The distributor is THINKFilm in Canada and
Shoreline Entertainment Shoreline Entertainment is an independent film production company and international sales agency that was founded in 1992 by CEO and film producer Morris Ruskin. Partial filmography *''Sir Billi'' *'' The American Side'' *'' 7 Boxes'' *'' The ...
elsewhere. The film, Coupland's first screenplay, won the award for best Canadian feature film at the 2006
Vancouver International Film Festival The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for two weeks in late September and early October. The festival is operated by the Greater Vancouver International Film Fest ...
.


Charity

Coupland is involved with Canada's
Terry Fox Foundation The Terry Fox Run is an annual non-competitive charity event held around the world to raise money for cancer research in commemoration of Canadian cancer activist Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope. The event was founded in 1981 by Isadore Sharp ...
. In 2005,
Douglas & McIntyre Douglas and McIntyre (2013) Ltd. is a Canadian book publishing firm. Douglas & McIntyre was founded by James Douglas and Scott McIntyre in 1971 as an independent publishing company based in Vancouver. Reorganized with new owners in 2008 as D&M P ...
published ''
Terry Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence (given name), Terence or Terrier (masculine). People Male * Terry Albrit ...
'', Coupland's biographical collection of photos and text essays about the life of legendary one-legged Canadian athlete
Terry Fox Terrance Stanley Fox (July 28, 1958 June 28, 1981) was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. In 1980, with one leg having been amputated due to cancer, he embarked on an east-to-west cross-Canada run to raise money ...
. All proceeds from the book are donated to the foundation for cancer research. ''Terry''s format is similar to that of Coupland's '' City of Glass'' and ''
Souvenir of Canada ''Souvenir of Canada'' is a 2002 book written by Canadian author Douglas Coupland. A feature film based on the book was released theatrically in 2006. In the book's introduction, Coupland states his intention was to author a book about Canada "th ...
'' books. Its release coincided with the 25th anniversary of Terry Fox's 1980
Marathon of Hope Terrance Stanley Fox (July 28, 1958 June 28, 1981) was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. In 1980, with one leg having been amputated due to cancer, he embarked on an east-to-west cross-Canada run to raise money ...
. Coupland codesigned Canoe Landing Park, an eight-hectare urban park in downtown Toronto adjacent to the Gardiner Expressway. The park, opened 2009, is embedded with a one-mile run called the Terry Fox Miracle Mile. The Miracle Mile contains art from ''
Terry Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence (given name), Terence or Terrier (masculine). People Male * Terry Albrit ...
''. Coupland has raised money for the
Vancouver Art Gallery The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) is an art museum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The museum occupies a adjacent to Robson Square in downtown Vancouver, making it the largest art museum in Western Canada by building size. Designed by Franc ...
and the
Western Canada Wilderness Committee The Western Canada Wilderness Committee (often shortened to Wilderness Committee) is a non-profit environmental education organization that aims to protect Canada's wild spaces and species. Paul George, along with Richard Krieger, were the foundin ...
by participating in advertising campaigns. Coupland is also a regular contributor to
Wikipedia Wikipedia is a multilingual free online encyclopedia written and maintained by a community of volunteers, known as Wikipedians, through open collaboration and using a wiki-based editing system. Wikipedia is the largest and most-read refer ...
; during his appearance at the
Cheltenham Literary Festival ''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times'' Cheltenham Literature Festival, a large-scale international festival of literature held every year in October in the English spa town of Cheltenham, and part of Cheltenham Festivals: also responsible for t ...
(UK) in 2013, to promote his novel ''Worst.Person.Ever.'', Coupland said that he gives $200 a year to the online encyclopaedia.


Personal life

Coupland lives and works in
West Vancouver West Vancouver is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. A member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District, West Vancouver is to the northwest of the city of Vancouver on the northern side of English Ba ...
,
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
.


Bibliography


Novels

* '' Worst. Person. Ever.'' (October 2013) *'' Player One'' (2010) (Novel adapted from 2010 to 2011 Massey Lectures, long-listed for the
Giller Prize The Giller Prize (sponsored as the Scotiabank Giller Prize), is a literary award given to a Canadian author of a novel or short story collection published in English (including translation) the previous year, after an annual juried competitio ...
) * '' Generation A'' (2009) (finalist for the 2009 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize) *''
The Gum Thief ''The Gum Thief'' is Canadian author Douglas Coupland's twelfth novel. It was published on , by Random House Canada in Canada and Bloomsbury Publishing in the United States. An epistolary novel, ''The Gum Thief'' is written as a collection of j ...
'' (2007) *''
jPod ''JPod'' is a novel by Douglas Coupland published by Random House of Canada in 2006. Set in 2005, the book explores the strange and unconventional everyday life of the main character, Ethan Jarlewski, and his team of video game programmers wh ...
'' (2006) (1st Hardcover Ed. ) (long-listed for the
Giller Prize The Giller Prize (sponsored as the Scotiabank Giller Prize), is a literary award given to a Canadian author of a novel or short story collection published in English (including translation) the previous year, after an annual juried competitio ...
) * ''
Eleanor Rigby "Eleanor Rigby" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1966 album ''Revolver''. It was also issued on a double A-side single, paired with " Yellow Submarine". The song was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to L ...
'' (2004) *'' Hey Nostradamus!'' (2003) *''
God Hates Japan ''God Hates Japan'' (神は日本を憎んでる, ''Kami wa Nihon wo Nikunderu'', in Japanese) is a 2001 novel by Douglas Coupland. It was released solely in Japan and has little English text in it. The book was published by Kadokawa Shoten and ...
'' (2001) (Published only in Japan, in Japanese with little English. Japanese title is ''神は日本を憎んでる'' (Kami ha Nihon wo Nikunderu)) *'' All Families Are Psychotic'' (2001) *'' Miss Wyoming'' (2000) *'' Girlfriend in a Coma'' (1998) *''
Microserfs ''Microserfs'', published by HarperCollins in 1995, is an epistolary novel by Douglas Coupland. It first appeared in short story form as the cover article for the January 1994 issue of ''Wired'' magazine and was subsequently expanded to full nov ...
'' (1995) *''
Shampoo Planet ''Shampoo Planet'' is Douglas Coupland's second novel, published by Pocket Books in 1992. It is a thematic followup to Coupland's first novel, '' Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture''. The novel deals with Tyler, a Global Teen, who sh ...
'' (1992) * '' Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture'' (1991) *


Short stories and story collections

* ''Binge'' (2021) * '' Highly Inappropriate Tales for Young People'' (2011) (with Graham Roumieou) *"Fire At The Ativan Factory" (1998), short story featured in '' Disco 2000'' *''
Life After God ''Life After God'' is a collection of short stories by Douglas Coupland, published in 1994. The stories are set around a theme of a generation raised without religion. The jacket for the hardcover book reads "You are the first generation to be ra ...
'' (1994)


Non-fiction

* ''It's All Happening So Fast: A Counter-History of the Modern Canadian Environment'' (2017) (Contributor) *''Photography at MoMA: 1920 to 1960'' (2016) (Contributor) *''Machines Will Make Better Choices Than Humans'' (2016) (Foreword: Michel Van Dartel) *''Bit Rot'' (catalog, 2015; expanded edition, 2016) * ''The Age of Earthquakes: A Guide to the Extreme Present'' (2015) (with Shumon Basar and
Hans Ulrich Obrist Hans Ulrich Obrist (born 1968) is a Swiss art curator, critic, and historian of art. He is artistic director at the Serpentine Galleries, London. Obrist is the author of ''The Interview Project'', an extensive ongoing project of interviews. He is ...
) *'' Kitten Clone: Inside Alcatel-Lucent'' (2014) *'' Shopping in Jail: Ideas Essays and Stories for the Increasingly Real 21st Century'' (2013) *'' Extraordinary Canadians: Marshall McLuhan'' (2009) * ''
Terry Terry is a unisex given name, derived from French Thierry and Theodoric. It can also be used as a diminutive nickname for the names Teresa or Theresa (feminine) or Terence (given name), Terence or Terrier (masculine). People Male * Terry Albrit ...
'' (2005) *''
Souvenir of Canada 2 ''Souvenir of Canada'' is a 2002 book written by Canadian author Douglas Coupland. A feature film based on the book was released theatrically in 2006. In the book's introduction, Coupland states his intention was to author a book about Canada "th ...
'' (2004) *''
School Spirit School spirit is the sense of identity and community shared by members of an educational institution. This can apply to any type of school, from elementary schools to universities. Members of a school can manifest spirit in the exhibition of ...
'' (2002) *''
Souvenir of Canada ''Souvenir of Canada'' is a 2002 book written by Canadian author Douglas Coupland. A feature film based on the book was released theatrically in 2006. In the book's introduction, Coupland states his intention was to author a book about Canada "th ...
'' (2002) *'' City of Glass'' (2000) (updated version 2010) *''
Polaroids from the Dead ''Polaroids from the Dead'' is a collection of short stories and essays by Douglas Coupland. The theme is that each story is written from a collection of old Polaroid photographs that Coupland found in a drawer. It is an attempt to describe the 1 ...
'' (1996)


Drama and screenplays

* '' All Families Are Psychotic'' (2009) Announced on 9 February 2016, based on the novel of the same name. * ''
jPod ''JPod'' is a novel by Douglas Coupland published by Random House of Canada in 2006. Set in 2005, the book explores the strange and unconventional everyday life of the main character, Ethan Jarlewski, and his team of video game programmers wh ...
'' (2008) (TV series) Premiered January 8, 2008 on CBC . Canceled on March 7, 2008. Final airing April 4, 2008. *''
Everything's Gone Green "Everything's Gone Green" is the third single by the English rock band New Order (band), New Order, released in December 1981. As usual per New Order and Joy Division's releases, the recording date and location of the music is not disclosed on th ...
'' (2007) *''
Souvenir of Canada ''Souvenir of Canada'' is a 2002 book written by Canadian author Douglas Coupland. A feature film based on the book was released theatrically in 2006. In the book's introduction, Coupland states his intention was to author a book about Canada "th ...
'' (2005) (writing and narration) *''
September 10 Events Pre-1600 * 506 – The bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. *1419 – John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy is assassinated by adherents of the Dauphin, the future Charles VII of France. * 1509 – An eart ...
'' (2004) *'' Douglas Coupland: Close Personal Friend'' (1996)


Criticism and interpretation


Essays

* Doody, Christopher. "X-plained: The Production and Reception History of Douglas Coupland’s Generation X." ''Papers of the Bibliographical Society of Canada'' 49.1 (2011): 5–34. *Jensen, Mikkel.
Miss(ed) Generation: Douglas Coupland’s ''Miss Wyoming.''
''Culture Unbound 3 ''(2011): 455–474. *McCampbell, Mary. "GOD IS NOWHERE. GOD IS NOW HERE: The Co-existence of Hope and Evil in Douglas Coupland's ''Hey Nostradamus''. ''Yearbook of English Studies'' 39.1 (2009): 137–154. *Dalton-Brown, Sally. "The Dialectics of Emptiness: Douglas Coupland's and Viktor Pelevin's Tales of Generation X and P." ''Forum for Modern Language Studies'' 42.3 (2006): 239–48. * Steen, Marc. "Reading ''Microserfs'' : A story of research and development as a search for identity." ''Proceedings of SCOS 2005 Conference'' ( Stockholm, 8–10 July 2005): 220–232. * Katerberg, William H. "Western Myth and the End of History in the Novels of Douglas Coupland." ''Western American Literature'' 40.3 (2005): 272–99. *Tate, Andrew. "'Now-here is My Secret': Ritual and Epiphany in Douglas Coupland's Fiction." ''Literature & Theology: An International Journal of Religion, Theory, and Culture'' 16.3 (2002): 326–38. *Forshaw, Mark. "Douglas Coupland: In and Out of 'Ironic Hell'." ''Critical Survey'' 12.3 (2000): 39–58. * McGill, Robert. "The Sublime Simulacrum: Vancouver in Douglas Coupland's Geography of Apocalypse." ''Essays on Canadian Writing'' 70 (2000): 252–76. * McCampbell, Mary. "Consumer in a Coma: Douglas Coupland's Rewriting of the Contemporary Apocalypse" in ''Spiritual Identities: Literature and the Post-Secular Imagination'' . Eds. Arthur Bradley, Jo *Carruthers, and Andrew Tate.


Books

* Zurbrigg, Terri Susan. ''X = What? Douglas Coupland, Generation X, and the Politics of Postmodern Irony''. VDM Verlag, 2008. * Giles, Paul. ''The Global Remapping of American Literature''. Princeton University Press, 2011 ontains discussion incorporating ''City of Glass'', ''Generation X'', ''Shampoo Planet'', ''Polaroids from the Dead'', ''Microserfs'', ''Girlfriend in a Coma'', ''Miss Wyoming'', and ''J-Pod'' *Hutchinson, Colin. ''Reaganism, Thatcherism and the Social Novel''. Palgrave Macmillan., 2008 ontains sections covering ''Generation X'', ''Shampoo Planet'', and ''Microserfs'' *Tate, Andrew. ''Douglas Coupland''. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2007 mphasis on religious elements *Grassian, Daniel. ''Hybrid Fictions: American Literature and Generation X''. McFarland & Co Inc, 2003 ontains lengthy discussion of ''Microserfs''


See also

*
Postmodern literature Postmodern literature is a form of literature that is characterized by the use of metafiction, unreliable narrator, unreliable narration, self-reflexivity, intertextuality, and which often thematizes both historical and political issues. This sty ...


Notes


References


External links

*
Douglas Coupland's NY Times Blog: Time Capsules


''Contemporary Authors, New Revision Series.'' Gale. 2008. (Retrieved January 14, 2013 from
HighBeam Research HighBeam Research was a paid search engine and full text online archive owned by Gale, a subsidiary of Cengage, for thousands of newspapers, magazines, academic journals, newswires, trade magazines, and encyclopedias in English. It was head ...
) *
Douglas Coupland's
entry in
The Canadian Encyclopedia ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' (TCE; french: L'Encyclopédie canadienne) is the national encyclopedia of Canada, published online by the Toronto-based historical organization Historica Canada, with the support of Canadian Heritage. Available f ...

2013 essay by Coupland on the writing of Generation X
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coupland, Douglas 1961 births Living people 20th-century Canadian novelists 21st-century Canadian novelists 21st-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights Canadian male novelists Canadian gay writers Gay artists LGBT artists from Canada McGill University alumni Members of the Order of British Columbia Officers of the Order of Canada Writers from Vancouver Wired (magazine) people Canadian fashion designers Artists from British Columbia Writers from British Columbia Postmodern writers Emily Carr University of Art and Design alumni LGBT dramatists and playwrights Canadian LGBT novelists 20th-century Canadian sculptors Canadian male sculptors 20th-century Canadian male artists Canadian male screenwriters Canadian male dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Canadian male writers 21st-century Canadian male writers 20th-century Canadian screenwriters 21st-century Canadian screenwriters 21st-century LGBT people Members of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts