Transcription: A Novel by Ben Lerner
The narrator goes to visit Thomas, aging academic who served as his mentor. Shortly before the interview, he ruins his phone by dropping it in water. He learns to navigate the world without the phone. Since that was to be his recording device, he has the conversation with his mentor without recording. Later he gives a talk and confesses to relying on memory and fabrication to write details of the mentor interview. The book then pivot's to Thomas's son, Max, and his family. Max's daughter refuses to eat. The family tries to be healthy and technology restrictive, but they will let anything go to get the daughter to eat. One time she does surprise them by eating a lot - only to throw up.
The book explores our dependence on technology and the flakiness of memory. It is very short, though a bit pretentious.
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