AVERAGE CIVIL EMPLOYEE

A civil servant journals about the mundanity of bureaucracy in Wallace’s novel.

Ace works at an unnamed federal agency in Washington, D.C. A new administration strives to usher in an era of productivity: They “assumed anything done before they arrived was bad, so only those of us who don’t do much are left.” When Ace is given the baffling, counterproductive task of journaling to improve his efficiency, he begins to record his experiences at the office. While he occasionally touches on his home life with his wife, Reima, most of the journal highlights the various ways in which the red tape of bureaucracy beleaguers employees. Alongside Ace are some fellow federal misfits: his friend, NuPol, who repeatedly worms his way out of being fired; Negativa Diva, whom Ace describes as a harbinger of “gloom and foreboding”; and Mini, Negativa’s bootlicking minion. Unaccustomed to making an effort at work, Ace is in for a change when his supervisor is sent to a training program and names Ace as acting director in his stead. Unfortunately, his new position puts him directly at odds with his coworkers, particularly NuPol, disrupting the “functional dysfunctionality” of the office. Wallace’s story is a humorous look at the grinding realities of the typical bureaucratic career, satirically skewering earnest attempts at greater efficiency that can further decelerate processes and stymie workers. The author deftly evokes the dullness of the job, with elucidations on initialisms and conference room seating, and he conducts a gimlet-eyed examination of office life. Work relationships grow contentious with new status or titles; colleagues’ quirks become the sum of their personalities for the length of a workday; rivals who lack power elsewhere engage in petty dramas. Wallace conveys this milieu with sarcastic brio: “Oh, no, my happy ponderings about lunch were interrupted by an unfair expectation to contribute.” Wallace’s story is funny and charming, even if the actual state of our government agencies is grimly depressing.

A fun cast of characters animates a relatable premise.