Things: A Story of the Sixties

Things: A Story of the Sixties chronicles the lives of a young Parisian couple in the mid-1960s through their relationship with material possessions and consumer culture. The novel, which won the Prix Renaudot in 1965, marked Georges Perec's literary debut. The narrative focuses on objects and spaces rather than traditional character development or dialogue. Physical descriptions of apartments, furniture, and consumer goods occupy the foreground, while the human characters remain in the background. The text employs an unusual progression of grammatical tenses - from conditional to present to future - to capture the protagonists' desires, dreams, and eventual reality. This experimental work examines the role of materialism and consumption in modern life, questioning how objects shape identity and influence human relationships in an increasingly commercialized world.

Readers note the book's sharp critique of 1960s consumerism and materialism through its portrayal of a young couple's obsession with possessions. Many connect with the characters' relatable desires and aspirations despite finding them somewhat unlikeable. Readers appreciate: - Clear, methodical prose style - Detailed descriptions that mirror advertising language - Commentary on class and social status - Documentary-like quality of the narrative Common criticisms: - Slow pacing, especially in early chapters - Characters can feel cold and distant - Some find the message heavy-handed - Abrupt ending leaves questions unresolved Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (80+ ratings) One reader called it "a meticulous examination of how objects shape our identity." Another noted it was "like reading a catalog of middle-class desires." Several reviewers mentioned struggling with the deliberate repetition and lists but acknowledged their thematic purpose.

The Mezzanine by Nicholson Baker The microscopic examination of everyday objects and consumer items during one man's lunch break mirrors Perec's focus on material culture.

White Noise by Don DeLillo This novel dissects American consumer culture and suburban life through the lens of a professor and his family's relationship with supermarkets, media, and material goods.

Pattern Recognition by William Gibson The story follows a marketing consultant through a world defined by brands, products, and corporate symbols in ways that echo Perec's exploration of commercialism.

The Department of Speculation by Jenny Offill The fragmentary narrative structure and focus on domestic spaces and objects creates a portrait of modern life through material details.

Model Home by Eric Puchner The examination of a family's relationship with their possessions and living spaces during economic downturn connects to Perec's themes of materialism and class aspiration.

🔸 Georges Perec wrote this novel at age 29, marking his literary debut and instantly establishing him as a significant voice in French literature. 🔸 The book's French title "Les Choses" was inspired by a line from Karl Marx's "Das Kapital" about the fetishization of commodities. 🔸 The novel was published in 1965, during France's post-war economic boom known as "Les Trente Glorieuses," which saw unprecedented growth in consumer spending. 🔸 Perec wrote most of the novel in the future and conditional tenses, a highly unusual stylistic choice that emphasizes the characters' constant state of yearning. 🔸 The book's protagonists, Jérôme and Sylvie, were based on market researchers Perec met while working in a social science research laboratory, lending authenticity to their consumer-focused mindset.