I'm depressed. Years ago, I came up with this idea for my future novel--a tale told from the viewpoint of several characters who barely knew each other, which would ultimately fit together so the reader would understand their connections while the characters had no idea at all. 
 It was brilliant. And then Jennifer Egan did it better than I ever could. 
 Do you ever think you're insignificant? Do you ever think you don't make a difference, that everyone else has this glorious, fabulous life? Yeah, they think so, too. A Visit from the Goon Squad starts out simply enough--a girl with issues who gets a thrill from stealing. And you think this would be her tale, which would be interesting enough, but then the point of view switches completely to someone she's only vaguely connected to. And each story expands upon that, digging itself further into these people's lives, these people who are bored or suicidal or feeling worthless and it makes them incredible. 
 Each chapter is a story in itself, and it jumps around a lot. Not just between characters, but between generations. Decades. This is important, too--just when you think the past is past, some random guy you dated twenty years ago finds himself standing outside your apartment thinking, "What if?" And you don't even know he's out there. You're not even thinking of him. Or maybe you are, and you don't know why. 
 That is this entire book. And that doesn't even describe it.