Hi all,
Two books recently got to me about the nature of the commute. I don't think it's really brought up enough of how soul crushing it can be. I figured you guys would get a kick out of them.
The first book is the Power Broker. It's about Robert Moses' power in New York. He refused to spend money on improving public transit and building it, (insisting on parkways and car driven infrastructure), which led to the deterioration of the Long Island Rail Road. This passage in particular stuck out to me. Particularly the line, “The implications of that reply should be considered.” Oof.
The second is actually a new book on the modern day long island rail road, aptly titled, 'DON'T FORGET TO SCREAM'. It's a series of poems that follows the journey of a young guy who starts commuting into NYC and follows him for over a year as his brain turns to mush. I think this poem from it is a good indication of what the rest of the book is like.
Any other books that capture the feeling?