Author: Tamara Shopsin
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication Date: October 19th,
Book Description: From the incomparable New York Times and New Yorker illustrator Tamara Shopsin, a debut novel about a NYC printer repair technician who comes of age alongside the Apple computer—featuring original artistic designs by the author.
NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2021 BY LIT HUB.
LaserWriter II is a coming-of-age tale set in the legendary 90s indie NYC Mac repair shop TekServe—a voyage back in time to when the internet was new, when New York City was gritty, and when Apple made off-beat computers for weirdos. Our guide is Claire, a 19-year-old who barely speaks to her bohemian co-workers, but knows when it’s time to snap on an antistatic bracelet.
Tamara Shopsin brings us a classically New York novel that couldn’t feel more timely. Interweaving the history of digital technology with a tale both touchingly human and delightfully technical, Shopsin brings an idiosyncratic cast of characters to life with a light touch, a sharp eye, and an unmistakable voice.
Filled with pixelated philosophy and lots of printers, LaserWriter II is, at its heart, a parable about an apple.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Review: The quirky story of Claire who has just obtained her dream job for nineteen working at the tech repair shop TekServe in the 1990’s. When we meet Claire she is looking for a job at the infamous shop to help repair Macs. Her family has owned every Apple Computer since it’s inception, she figures she is a shoe-in for the job. She quickly realizes she has no knowledge on how to actually repair computers and the interview is over.
She does eventually get the job doing intakes of computers and printers and is promoted to repairing laser printers. The team and Claire quickly realize she is quite good at this, and give her some of the most complex jobs.
That really is the gist of this book. It is kind of mundane, yet for some reason I could not stop reading this. The 90’s references are so good in this book, and Shopsin wrote a rich narrative of what it was like to work in that environment during that time.
Of course, all things must come to an end, as does TekServe and Claire’s short career there, however I was left wanting to read more. I am not sure everyone will love this story, but this one sure did leave me smiling.
Thank you NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Obsessed Bookaholic 