Several People Are Typing: A GMA Book Club Pick

Excellent and unique novel. While odd, the premise is intriguing and kept me interested enough to finish it in one sitting. It's a great read for anyone who works in an office, or with a mixture of remote and in-office colleagues. It's science fiction-y but is hilariously relatable. I think it would be best enjoyed by individuals who are tech savvy and familiar with instant messenger/chat rooms. I could definitely see how someone unfamiliar with Slack, Teams, etc., could get lost. There were points where I had to just keep going even if I felt confused because the confusion is part of the plot. I bought this as a recommendation from a funny books list. I didn't find it super laugh out loud funny, but definitely humorous. I actually purchased this for a white elephant, blink book date, and couldn't part with it. I recommended it to all of my millennial friends.

Interesting style using netspeak blurbs to deliver the plot/subplots. Man-caught-in-the-machine is a bit of a sci-fi trope. Interesting to read but not a keeper.

Funny book and a fast read however I did not like the end of the story as it seemed the editors insisted that there be some sort of sexual storyline that really wasn’t needed as the story could have stood on it’s own without that added in at the end like an afterthought. Still it is a good read but be aware as probably not appropriate for younger audiences. Use your own judgement.

Calvin Kasulke hooked me with an excellent premise, this being the author's first book. Unfortunately, the story disintegrated into bawdy predictability. Based on the lackluster conclusion to this story, I'm not sure if I will approach Kasulke's works in the future.Although the story was truly entertaining, with sarcastic barbs approaching the nihilism of a great existential thought experiment, it crumbled at the end. I really wanted to overlook the lazy closure of the story or rationalize the author's choices, but it's a crash-and-burn conclusion to an otherwise entertaining read about the absurdities of corporate jargon masquerading as real human connection.

idk how to feel about what i just read tbh like what was that?? it had some interesting points and themes but overall wtf

"Several People Are Typing" is such a fun read. It consists entirely of chat messages on Slack, and things go haywire. I like the format and plot, and they really complement each other. I received the book in the mail, decided to flip through it, but ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting. Readers who like unique formats and tech-based sci-fi will find this book interesting.

This is a weird book. It’s not totally successful. But it’s very entertaining.Gerald is having a bad day. After a malfunction with a spreadsheet about the most attractive coats, he’s been uploaded into his company’s social network. That’s only the beginning of the weird things. If you’ve ever felt trapped in a dead end job, or not felt at home in your body, or just needed a break from life, you’ll understand the feeling. The different office types are all relatable and god knows jobs really are like a cult where you get paid.My main problem is that certain very important elements never get explained or resolved. It would be one thing if a minor element wasn’t addressed but HUGE IMPORTANT THINGS are not followed up on. So while I was delighted by Gerald and Pradeep and Co., I didn’t leave feeling completely fulfilled.

This was a uniquely written book with an interesting plot twits.An allegory in our modern times? Perhaps.

This was a fun quick read but as a library/info sci person also interesting to reflect on and think about. I appreciate that it could *seem* fluffy, but :eyes: the discussion guide helps reinforce the seriousness of the topics that come up throughout. So :thumbs-up: not :dusty-stick: to this book. :smile:

A modern variation on the epistolary novel. The voices are very authentic, the plot scary and funny and wild. A very quick read, but recommended!

The story went pretty far out. I’m sure if I worked in an office I’d either be more amused or more offended at how the author lampooned my livelihood.

I like a format with instant messages or diary so I was drawn to this book, but it was a little weird.

Interesting concept, but I got lost in the dialog. It might be because I'm OLD. However, it may very well be a cautionary tale in this work-from-home age.

I wonder what you'd think of this if you don't use slack or something similar!I do use slack (and other messaging tools) every day.I also have worked in tech for over 30 years.This book resonated well and was an enjoyable read, and I was particularly delighted with where it went.

I wasn’t impressed with how slow it went but it is still addictive because we want to know what happens!

Let’s get one thing straight: this book is targeted toward those who work in modern day corporate setting. If you haven’t used Slack, you really wouldn’t understand. While the concept was clever, the story and ending left much to be desired.

I chose this book because it suppose to be a sign of the times. Instead, it was boring due to the fact that it is long winded. This type of writing could have been much shorter to get the point across about today's communication methods.

I read it until the end and I really did not like it. I thought it would be more interesting but the ending really disappointed me. The slack messages didn’t bother me, just the story and how it plays out.

Hard to follow did not make sense . No flow to the story I have no idea what actually happened in this book

I loved it! Interesting premise, unique format and very topical for anyone that has worked in an office forced to use Slack "for office efficiency." Calvin's a very talented writer and I look forward to his next book.