swingbeat: 1/26: Aloft by Chang-rae Lee
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I wasn't sure how to start reading this book. The author is a Korean-American in his 30's, and the narrator of the book (first person) is Jerry Battle, a caucasian 59 year old grandfather. It was hard to just think of this guy as "just another author", as opposed to an "Asian-American author". Those were my first thoughts. Plus, this book takes place in Long Island, NY, where I'm from. Even though I didn't grow up in a such a neighborhood, whenever I think of Long Island, I think of salty-aired beaches and gray skies (not necessarily a fair or true characterization).
This book starts off with Jerry Battle in his private plane, and it's just the story of his life. Really, that's all it is. He married and Asian-American female (Daisy) who died while the children were young, and he had a relationship with a Hispanic female (Rita) for 20-odd years afterwards. He has a father in a nursing home, and two adult children who have complex relationships with him. The plot takes place during a period of a few months in Jerry's life, when lots of things (good and bad) happen to him and the Battle family. His son, Jack, runs the family landscaping business that Jerry left for him. His daughter, Theresa, is engaged to a struggling Asian-American writer, and she is the rebellious one in the family. There are lots of issues in this dysfunctional family, and the author just walks us through, with a denouement that satisfies and provides closure.
To be sure, I can tell you more about the plot, but anything coming from me would sound dull and drab. The enjoyable part of this book comes from the beautiful writing. I would compare it with George R. R. Martin's, although it is wordier, but not as wordy as Nicholson Baker's writing. Chang-rae Lee teaches writing at Princeton, and there were times when I thought to myself, "if I were there, I'd definitely take his course." He constructs (there is no other word for it) his prose well, and there were various times I thought to myself, "Dang, that is quotable, I better write this down" but I never bothered because to do so would require me breaking the flow of my reading. I was amazed at Lee's ability to step into the mind of his main character Jerry. Chang-rae Lee is obviously not a 59 year old man with grandchildren, whose experiences did he draw from to create this character and to mold him and his motivations and the minutiae of his thoughts? I'd like to know how he does this - I was truly impressed.
Throughout the middle of the book, though, I found myself not being as drawn into it. Maybe it was my state of mind, but sometimes your mind just isn't prepared to read Lee's writing - e.g. if you're sleepy you might have to read the sentence twice. But if you're wide awake and are interested in getting an influx of new ideas, metaphors, imagery, and whatnot into your head, then Lee does very well in this respect.
Recommended. It's not as good as "A Game of Thrones" that Bridget reviewed below, but worth a read.
I wasn't sure how to start reading this book. The author is a Korean-American in his 30's, and the narrator of the book (first person) is Jerry Battle, a caucasian 59 year old grandfather. It was hard to just think of this guy as "just another author", as opposed to an "Asian-American author". Those were my first thoughts. Plus, this book takes place in Long Island, NY, where I'm from. Even though I didn't grow up in a such a neighborhood, whenever I think of Long Island, I think of salty-aired beaches and gray skies (not necessarily a fair or true characterization).
This book starts off with Jerry Battle in his private plane, and it's just the story of his life. Really, that's all it is. He married and Asian-American female (Daisy) who died while the children were young, and he had a relationship with a Hispanic female (Rita) for 20-odd years afterwards. He has a father in a nursing home, and two adult children who have complex relationships with him. The plot takes place during a period of a few months in Jerry's life, when lots of things (good and bad) happen to him and the Battle family. His son, Jack, runs the family landscaping business that Jerry left for him. His daughter, Theresa, is engaged to a struggling Asian-American writer, and she is the rebellious one in the family. There are lots of issues in this dysfunctional family, and the author just walks us through, with a denouement that satisfies and provides closure.
To be sure, I can tell you more about the plot, but anything coming from me would sound dull and drab. The enjoyable part of this book comes from the beautiful writing. I would compare it with George R. R. Martin's, although it is wordier, but not as wordy as Nicholson Baker's writing. Chang-rae Lee teaches writing at Princeton, and there were times when I thought to myself, "if I were there, I'd definitely take his course." He constructs (there is no other word for it) his prose well, and there were various times I thought to myself, "Dang, that is quotable, I better write this down" but I never bothered because to do so would require me breaking the flow of my reading. I was amazed at Lee's ability to step into the mind of his main character Jerry. Chang-rae Lee is obviously not a 59 year old man with grandchildren, whose experiences did he draw from to create this character and to mold him and his motivations and the minutiae of his thoughts? I'd like to know how he does this - I was truly impressed.
Throughout the middle of the book, though, I found myself not being as drawn into it. Maybe it was my state of mind, but sometimes your mind just isn't prepared to read Lee's writing - e.g. if you're sleepy you might have to read the sentence twice. But if you're wide awake and are interested in getting an influx of new ideas, metaphors, imagery, and whatnot into your head, then Lee does very well in this respect.
Recommended. It's not as good as "A Game of Thrones" that Bridget reviewed below, but worth a read.
posted by Jay at 2:08 AM
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