Rating downgraded because of continual use of foul language. This story follows the life of Wayne, a Scottish fast food worker from approximately 2000-2011. The opening section shows the dead end life of working class (or lower? living in slums) young adults and their consequent focus on drinking, trying to find sex, and rebellion against the establishment. Some of Wayne's acquaintances have read enough socialist, communist, anarchist, and other polemic to base their arguments on, but Wayne pretty much doesn't have a clue. They do follow the news enough to be aware of world events, such as the WTO protests in Seattle, WA, or giving support to Albanian immigrants in France. The prior bombing at a Scottish airport is referred to in an aside when they travel to other EU countries.
Wayne's stepsister, attending college, is a stepping stone for him to move to London where he is involved in more protests and meets a French woman who apparently has enough family money that she can cover their living and travel expenses. The only mention of drugs, other than smelling a whiff of pot while passing some group, comes late in the book as that woman & her new lover get into cocaine.
This story is told as a rambling narrative, chapter shifting between different time periods as Wayne tries to tell his story and backtracks to explain different relationships. About halfway thru the book it is 2011 and he remarks how pointless all the protests and activist marches and street fighting was. Nothing has changed. They had been fooling themselves that they could make a difference in the world. At the end of the book, he is depressed. His friends offer some help, but grow tired of his drunken behavior. One friend, Spocky (nicknamed for his Asperger-like focus on a single topic: politics), asks him if he cares for anyone besides himself, then "What makes a men?" Wayne can't (or won't) understand the question, unable to recognize that we need to synthesize our experiences, accept responsibility, act with respect and a view for the future generations. Spocky leaves in disgust.
This book was leant my by my 40's son. I presume he found it spoke to his lived experience. I'll see if I can get some comment from him about it's value. He has somehow found a way to step outside of capitalism, as much as possible, by learning a craft and country living skills. That still begs the question of what do millions of young people do who have no access to the healing power of living close to nature where they can provide for their basic needs. ( )