Invisible
By: Connor Lenahan
One of my favorite things in the world to do is to plug myself into an audiobook and walk around Boston. When I’m not in Boston I drive around my hometown doing the same thing. I just like to explore the world and listen to a story. It’s peaceful and oddly interactive with the story. It’s strangely rewarding versus watching a movie quietly in one seat.
Recently I have been re-listening to a few books by my favorite author of all time Chuck Klosterman. Over my vacation I listened to Downtown Owl; Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs; and Chuck Klosterman IV. Tomorrow afternoon I will begin another listen through of Klosterman’s 2011 novel The Visible Man. The story deals with a man who has come across the ability to make himself invisible to the naked eye thanks to a body suit developed for military purposes. With this suit he decides to conduct his own form of social experiment about how people act when they are alone – or in this case, when they think they are alone.
The book tells stories of the lives of the people observed. It’s fascinating and stunningly accurate on the lives of those that live entirely on their lonesome like myself. I loved this book and can vividly remember spending five hours of a road trip to and from Penn State’s campus listening to the story.
The most appealing part about it aside from the book itself was the trailer above. I was already reading The Visible Man when that trailer premiered, but it changed my perception of the book. It suddenly dictated how the story would be translated into the images in my mind. And you know what? I loved the book because of it. Even if you never intend on reading The Visible Man watch the trailer above. At the very least you will be asking yourself one important question.
Wouldn’t this make an incredible movie?
I cannot wait to wake tomorrow to a world where men are secretly observing my solemn lifestyle. I can’t believe I wrote that sentence either.
Connor Lenahan (@ConnorLenahan) is a sophomore at Boston University, majoring in journalism.