Now, I would have posted here much earlier, but as I have been very busy with the rigamarole in my little corner of our little universe and the fact that the last two books I have read were unworthy, this is it. Just so you are up-to-date: returned from South America, new computer, an ailing grandparent who passed away (may she rest in peace), a eulogy, sister's graduation, sold my car, got a new car, packed up all my worldly belongings, moving to Colorado, and don't bother with Juan Carlos Onetti's "A Brief Life" or Joseph Conrad's "Lord Jim". That's about the skinny of it. Let's move on.
So, for the first installment in my electronic literary sounding-board: Junot Diaz's "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" (2007).
As the winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award, Junot Diaz's debut novel arrived with much sound and fury. For months, it seemed like, the book took over the arts section of the NY Times and was the talking point for every freakin' show on NPR (gotta give a shout-out to my girl Terry Gross: holla!). This was a big deal in the book world (which means nothing in the real world, but still). The book came with alot of luggage, and I have been wanting to read it for some time now. In my mind, books very rarely actually pass the litmus test for media accolades, and that generally stigmatizes the book for me before I ever even crack it open. But this really was a good one.
Usually I like to start on a positive note and break down the book from there, but I am going to do the opposite here. I feel compelled to start a discussion about the book with the language/style that Diaz employs. Using a myriad of street slang, ghetto speak, Dominican and Spanish words, and pop-culture references, Diaz attempts to write the book in a colloquial, informal style that harkens to the street. Well, admittadly, I am from the suburbs. I did not grow up in New Jersey and my parents are certainly not black Dominicans. But, I did know all the turns-of-phrase that he used, was familiar with most of the slang, and even understand some Spanish. In the end, it didn't work for me, though. The cadence and rhythm of the writing seemd clunky and unbalanced most of the time, and unnatural pretty much all of the time. I wasn't really into it. Though very different in its respective style, I felt the same way about alot of "Middlesex" by Jeffery Eugenides (another Pulitzer Prize winner). Good writing should wipe clean the opaque lens separating the reader and the writer. This doesn't imply simplicity, necessarily; but rather, good writing should enhance the reader's understanding of the writer's thoughts, emotions, etc. Diaz tried to do this. He used his vernacular and his wording to attempt to draw the reader into his world. I just think he didn't do a great job of it.
Now, on a more positive note, this book had alot of great redeaming aspects: vibrant and refreshingly unique characters, a good story, interesting changes of point of view, a lot of cultural information about a country I knew nothing of (namely, the Domican Republic), accessibility, meta-fiction, storytelling, and brief, wondrous sections of prose (I am so funny). The title character is way into comics, fantasy, graphic novels, and science fiction. I liked that, because I think that all of these genres are greatly underappreciated for their humanity, beauty, and artistry. I like learning more about them, and I think they should be more popular. The ending, though vaguely foreshadowed throughout the book, offered a nice twist. And like all good literature, the book incorporates a vast array of human experience: sex, savagery, dominance, mysticism, violence, family, love, the immigrant experience, etc. This book really has a lot to offer, and I think, in the end, presents an all-around great piece.
I gues it's just that I don't really expect "The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" to be an important member of our canon of American Literature. Of course I wouldn't even bother to say that if the book hadn't won the Pulitzer Prize. It's fun, moving, good storytelling, and dynamic, and I would suggest it to friends. It's all of the above. Unfortunately it won that stupid prize and now I have this little droplet of discontent because it feel short of my expectations.
In closing, there was only one quotable that I found in the book, so here it is:
(note: quote comes as an elder's traditional saying, found in a footnote)
"Anything uttered for the first time summons a demon."
I am now reading China Mieville's "Perdido Street Station", which came highyl recommended from an Irish couple I met. It is classified as "steam punk" literature. Sounds like fun, and I am looking forward to writing about it soon!
Until then: don't take no wooden nickels!!
