Lisa Hsiao Chen

This book is a meditation on the intersections of life and time – how we pass time, spend time, waste time, and consume time through activities of daily living. There are two main storylines. Narrator Alice analyzes the life of performance artist Tehching Hsieh and his “projects.” He believes that performance art seems acceptable to others only if it is called a project or an experiment. Alice and her sister are arranging care for their stepfather, who is declining mentally due to dementia. These two storylines are woven together in an almost mesmerizing way.

It is told in a fluid stream-of-consciousness style and is not for anyone looking for a straightforward story. The timelines are constantly shifting, and random characters enter the narrative without introduction or context. Alice and her sister deal with their stepfather’s gradual decline, and these sections are heart-wrenching.

The parts related to Hsieh’s performance art are not directly connected to the family drama; however, his one-year performances highlight the passage of time and how it is intricately tied to the living of a life. It seems to be pointing out how the everyday activities contain the most meaningful moments, and this observation informs the relationship between Alice and her stepfather. I found it unusual and creative, bordering on philosophical. I am not sure exactly why this book works, but it certainly worked for me.… (mais)