E Squared

A long awaited sequel to the cultishly popular//e//,//e squared// is a zany, off-beat, and cruelly spot-on razzing of the train-wreck of modern working life. Anyone who's ever worked in corporate America can't help but to laugh at the tongue-in-cheek antics of the cast from Meerkat360, a hip avant-garde British ad agency. Long-time fans will be delighted at the return of familiar characters, all a little older, with newer technology but definitely not wiser. Beaumont has not lost his touch. This satirical novel, composed entirely of e-mails, text messages, e-bay alerts, blog posts, IMs and just a few voice mails intermingled for a touch of extra spice will keep you chuckling and snorting to yourself from page one to the end. From the first offering of mini-cigarettes designed for child-like hands to Big Brother, very little is considered out-of-bounds. Exaggerated caricatures (or at least I hope so) of common folks found in corporate life, from the stuffy white bread CEO with an anger management problem, to the manager who is never in the office as she's attending an endless stream of self-improvement seminars, make it tough to pick a single favorite character. Set some time aside, once you pick up //e squared// you won't want to put it down. Reviewed by Lanine Bradley

I was intrigued by the concept of this book so I had to give it a go. I had not read "e", but since it seemed successful, I thought this might be worth it. It was entirely worth it! I had expected just a series of emails, but was surprised to find emails, IMs, texts, etc. not only from the staff themselves, but also including family, friends, and anyone who can provide an angle on the story. At first I thought I would get lost in the maze of communication and maybe even have to start a list of the characters to keep it all straight. But after a bit I realized that I did not even need to read the "To" or "From" lines anymore; I knew who was writing by the style and the issue. It felt much more voyeuristic than a conventional book; making me feel somewhat like I was sneaking around with stolen correspondence. The format also encouraged me to fill in the missing bits with my imagination rather than spoon-feeding me everything the author thinks I *should* know. Now I cannot wait to read "e"! I highly recommend this book to anyone who finds the concept at all intriguing. I sincerely believe that you will not be disappointed.

I read Matt Beaumont's first entry in the E series quite some time ago. I was eager to get my hands on this, his latest, though slightly concerned that I wouldn't remember enough about the characters to make sense of the story. I needn't have worried. The novel functions very independently. And it's absolutely hilarious. I don't typically find myself laughing out loud at even the funniest novels. But this one was different. It's probably the funniest, most absurd, and utterly engrossing thing I've read this year.

Ever wonder what people in the office are REALLY like? This is the book for you! The book is set up in such a way that you read email's to understand the story. Not unlike the excellent Bob Randall book (long OOP, sadly) "The Fan" from 30 years ago - the story moves along as you read the communications between people. The Ad agency framework makes this more fun, as you have creative types (good and bad) who are not adverse to "drama" in the office/workplace. This is an excellent read for most any age - I think office politics have existed in all generations, and are frequently pretty funny. I promise that you will will find people similar to those you know and love....or detest! The format of the book is one that you probably will read through in one sitting - it is THAT kind of book. The kind that you "stay up late to finish, and hope for a continuation/sequel ", if you get me. It is that good. Easily one of the best book's I have read this year, with a snarky sense of humor, and a plot that is unique and expressive. Well worth your consideration.

But only *slightly*. If you've ever worked in marketing, worked for someone who's worked in marketing, lived with someone who's in the industry, or read an advertisement -- you've love this book. I sat down yesterday to glance through it and four hours later, found myself neck-deep in the hilarious lives of these fictional advertisers, at an agency that could have been any one of a hundred just in this area. It's fairly clear that Beaumont is an ad man; his caricatures of the way things work in modern agencies are just too spot-on for him not to. Better, the way the story is told is original. A series of emails, texts, and IM conversations between the major players -- a little odd and hard to follow at first (for me, at least), but it felt a little like the reader's allowed to play peeping tom, minus the creepy factor, by the end. In addition, Beaumont's style is laugh-out-loud funny, and in places, I had to actually close the book to avoid losing my place from the tears in my eyes. (And I wondered, just a *little*, if he'd been to my agency. I think I know some of these people. And we're not far from Galax, VA. Which won't make any sense unless you read the book, which you definitely should.)