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X Saves the World: How Generation X Got the Shaft but Can Still Keep Everything from Sucking

The Rocky

Published March 28, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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South Park was created by Gen Xers from Colorado.

South Park was created by Gen Xers from Colorado.

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* Nonfiction. By Jeff Gordinier. Viking, 179 pages, $21.95. Grade: A

Book in a nutshell: Anyone in Generation X, almost by definition, shies away from embracing that label, or any label. Still, there are millions born in the '60s and '70s who have tired of all music, news and conversations being dictated by the boomers, with their seemingly endless fascination with Vietnam, Inagaddadavida, and "changing the world, man."

Enter Gordinier, an immensely talented Gen X writer. As an Xer, Gordinier probably wouldn't have attempted a book that generalizes about his generation, but it was written shortly after his second child was born: "I was so sleep deprived," he said in an interview, "that I didn't have all my usual filters on."

Thus, Gordinier pieced together first one essay, then a collection that all fans of quality social commentary will find brilliant.

In X Saves, the author argues for the greatness of his generation. He offers generational musical analysis and pop- culture insights - clearly illustrating, in the process, his take that Xers are happily free of the endless narcissism of boomers, who continually talk about changing the world. Instead, they just go out and invent stuff like Google that really does change the world. "Don't be evil" is about as close as Xers come to a mantra.

Best tidbit: A surprising number of Gordinier's essays/chapters have Colorado as a touchstone. There's Columbine, of course, and South Park, the cartoon series by a couple of guys from the Denver suburbs. He also speaks at length with an important arbiter of popularity, an Xer originally from Littleton who edits Us Weekly.

Pros: Gordinier is terrific at drawing distinctions between boomers and Xers and in breaking new ground in the differences between Xers and the next generation, the Millennials, who have Paris Hilton as their role model.

Cons: Millennials who have recently learned they won't be getting the promotion they demanded after three months on the job will not like Gordinier's snipes at them. Oh, wait, that's a "con" for them - but a "pro" for the book.

Final word: Describing Hilton's infamous sex tape, Gordinier notes that it's " the one in which she interrupts the rapture of coitus to answer the phone." "Rapture" may be a strong word for how you'll feel reading this book, but you probably will be annoyed if your cell phone rings. I know I let several calls go to voicemail just so I could finish a chapter of his fine, funny work.

Scott C. Yates