American writer Courtney Maum’s first novel of this decade is a modern take on an age-old problem: consumerism, and the resultant need for more of it. Its title character, Alan Anderson, is an ad exec used to winning – so when his seemingly foolproof advertising pitch starts to fall apart, he’s in trouble.
His redeemer comes in the unexpected form of a Gen Z dairy farmer who his hopes had been pitched on. Alan discovers that less is more, begins to question the purpose of his life, and decides to – yes – opt out, going back to basics to the extent of stopping wearing shoes.
Wife Vivian, though, is a cleverly drawn foil as she comes to terms with her husband’s newfound lifestyle while focusing on keeping up appearances with the neighbours – one of whom holds the keys to Vivian becoming part of the neighbourhood’s elite Queen Anne’s Club – and her daughters’ own burgeoning ambitions. (One has an unusual relationship with wildlife and conservation; the other wants to write plays.)
Family tensions rise as Vivian tries to balance her life and keep everyone happy. But as her husband is mentally purging his brain of advertising, cut off from his phone and laptop, something unusual begins to happen. As Alan’s ambition wanes, new values begin to surface. Could it be that people start to want the very thing Alan isn’t selling?
Alan Opts Out is an enjoyable read with a satirical edge, cleverly dealing with our relationship with materialism, the need for power and the hope for happiness. Seen from two different angles, it focuses on the family nucleus and the need for praise and approval from others, even those we don’t really like: a quirky, witty and engaging read, with some laugh-out-loud moments.
