Ben Lerner is an incredibly talented author, one who continues to push the boundaries of what can be considered literature and who is unafraid of taking risks. As in his other works (Leaving the Atocha Station, The Topeka School), Lerner debatably features in his own novel 10:04, which combines autobiography, memoir, confessional and (very postmodern) fiction. Think of this Lerner composition as akin to Knausgård on steroids. In 10:04, Lerner is keen to explore the notion—noted at the outset—that "the world to come... everything will be as it is now, just a little different." In other words, think of 10:04 as being about future and unintended consequences—how little we understand not only about ourselves and our own paths in life, but also about those of others and all the world around us. Lerner is far too clever for any of the above to become trite or philosophical in a student-dorm sense of the term. Rather, through interlinked anecdote, deft wordplay and set pieces (giving sperm sheltering from a storm), he is able to combine consideration with levity. How 'real' is any of our experience? How 'manufactured' is it? This is also examined through the same lens. The novel's title is twofold, reflecting both our inability to capture time and also our acknowledgement (in the above context) of 'Back to the Future', itself a work about different possible worlds and Marty McFly. None of the above truly does 10:04 justice. Go ahead and (re)read it.
By Ben Lerner