Leave Society by Tao Lin

Reading Leave Society was a rare occasion where not a whole lot seems to happen, at least in the first half, but I turned the pages with ease. The book’s narrator, Li (a fictional substitute for Lin himself) chronicles three years between his life in Manhattan and his long and frequent visits to see his parents in Taiwan. He is slowly withdrawing from his former life and looking inward – physically and spiritually – with the aid of LSD and cannabis, obsessively researching ancient health practices, Aboriginal cosmology and traditions of goddess worshipping.

At the time of reading this, like the narrator, I was with my family and away from my life in a large metropolis, in my own way (though not nearly as radically) attempting to leave society. At the very end of the book, Lin describes leaving society as “going beyond… instead of away”. Li experiences something of an ego death, which the reader is privy to, as he transcends the confines of modern life. He falls in love (which unexpectedly touched me), and ultimately reminded me of the spiritual power that love carries in our lives. Leave Society is ultimately a positive tale – a true journey of enlightenment – should you approach it with patience and an open mind. It is also VERY funny.