2. Douglas Coupland Born December 30, 1961 in West Germany. Family relocated to Vancouver, Canada in 1965. Graduated from the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in 1984 after studying sculpture.
3. Douglas Coupland He later attended the European design Institute in Italy and Hokkaido College of Art and Design in Japan where he majored in courses in business science, fine arts, and industrial science. One of his first jobs out of college was a magazine writer just to pay bills.
4. Coupland’s Big Break Moved to the Mojave Desert originally to write a nonfiction handbook for St. Martins Press. He received $22,500 in advance to write the handbook but instead wrote “Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture.” The book was rejected by publishers in Canada but was eventually picked up by an American publishing company in 1991.
5. Later After the release of “Generation X,” he was proclaimed as “The spokesman for a generation.” He is currently residing in Vancouver British Columbia with his life partner David Weir. His next big appearance will be at the 2011 Massey Lecture.
6. Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture The story is broken up into three chapters. Part One introduces the reader to the main characters Andrew, Dag, and Claire. All three moved to Palm Springs, California to get away from an overly commercialized world and rediscover themselves.
7. Generation X Part two introduces the reader to the other characters who influence the main characters’ lives. Each character represents a different culture. Claire’s friend Elvissa always seems to reminisce about the past. Tobias is caught up in the hippie generation. All their neighbors represent the older and more conservative generations.
8. Generation X In part three, the reader follows the main characters through different personal experiences. Claire leaves California to visit New York. Andy takes a not so enjoyable trip to see his family for Christmas.
9. Generation X Culture: Movies Movies in the 60’s: Psycho (1960) Lawrence of Arabia (1962) To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Easy Rider (1969)
10. Movies Movies in the 70’s: The Godfather Part I and II (1972/1974) Jaws (1975) Taxi Driver (1976) Rocky (1976) Star Wars (1977) Saturday Night Fever (1977)
11. Culture: Music Music: Bob Dylan The Beatles The Rolling Stones Bob Marley and the Wailers Jimi Hendrix The Grateful Dead Janis Joplin Pink Floyd
21. President Johnson ordered bombing raids on North Vietnam, and Americans begin protesting the war. 1968: On April 4th,Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Two months later, Senator and civil rights leader Robert F. Kennedy is assassinated in Los Angeles, California. 1969: Half a million people show up to a 600 acre farm in Woodstock, New York for a three day concert festival with 32 bands.
22. Major Events of the 70’s 1970: The Beatles break up. 1971: The VCR is introduced to the world. 1972: Terrorist murder eleven Israeli team members at the Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. Watergate scandal begins. 1973: U.S. pulls out of Vietnam.
23. The 70’s 1974: President Richard Nixon resigns from office. 1977: Elvis Presley is found dead. 1978: John Paul II becomes Pope. 1979: Iranian revolutionists takes 53 American hostages in Tehran.
24. Questions What dry place did Douglas Coupland move to when he wrote “Generation X?” In the book “Generation X” where does Clair travel to? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech the same year President Kennedy was assassinated; what was that year? Approximately how many people went to the Woodstock Festival in 1969?
