by Ellen Ullman - £8.99 Pushkin Press (2013)
paperback
ISBN 13: 9781908968142 | ISBN 10: 1908968141
"Ethan Levin, programmer at a database start-up in the mid 1980s, has a serious bug to find, one that freezes the whole program. However, the elusive bug cannot be reliably reproduced; it seems to rear its ugly head only during high-stakes demonstrations for venture capitalists and prospective clients. As the bug continues to elude Levin and Roberta, the software tester, the idea that it has a life of its own seems less and less a joke (even to fellow employees), and more believable. While this novel can be enjoyed for its humor (albeit in a wry and dark sort of way), there is undoubtedly deeper meaning behind the individual trials of Levin and Roberta.
Ullman's poetic and philosophical inclination shine through a story that is, on the surface, about technology. Readers may [also] gain a closer understanding of the way people interact with technology, the way small things can have huge ripple effects that profoundly affect people's lives, the way life itself reveals its meaning"
(Booklist)
(Price & availability last checked: September 2019)
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