Books like All families are psychotic by Douglas Coupland

In 2001, the Drummond family reunites for the first time in years at Cape Canaveral to watch their daughter and sister Sarah launch into space. Amid Florida’s bright tourist backdrop, they stumble into a series of illicit activities—kidnapping, blackmail, gunplay, and black-market dealings—each mishap revealing the family’s tangled relationships and shared fallibility. Coupland portrays their frantic, often humorous descent into chaos while reminding readers of their humanity, blending cultural critique with a narrative that spans modern topics such as thalidomide, AIDS, born‑again Christianity, drugs, divorce, and the internet, all tied together by the fragility and love of family. The novel is a sharp, humor‑laden examination of dysfunctional family dynamics set against the surreal atmosphere of Florida’s space launch culture, highlighting how the Drummonds’ personal dramas mirror broader societal issues.

First publish date: 2001