“I Only Cry with Emoticons” by Yuvi Zalkow (2022)
Portland writer Yuvi Zalkow captures today’s simultaneously awkward and endearing digital age with “I Only Cry With Emoticons.” The novel’s protagonist Saul is so device-obsessed that he can’t seem to connect with his son, his almost-ex-wife, the boss at his cushy high-tech job, the new woman he’s dating — or anyone, for that matter.
Read the book to follow Saul’s path to bettering his communication skills, even though he might cause secondhand embarrassment along the way.