A Good American
The author is an immigrant to Missouri. There lies his main interest of the book. The book is narrated by James who ' was the only one who had nowhere but to look back'. He is the grandchild of the German immigrant couple who are fortunate to meet helpful people.
The narrator writes of an eventful life of his family, ancestors and the community. The book is interesting to read but not something that will leave an indelible impression on your mind. The first generation's struggle has the reader spell bound with how things are going to work out for them. I kept wondering how would Joseph's success story be. The book delivers with its unexpected twists and the narrator learning his own story while yarning out the rest of the town's. The story always stays within the town limits. The extremes are provided in the stories by making the families incomplete with either a father or mother sacrificed for the story. In every alternate chapter, theres a death.
With a lot of 'tiger mom' gusto to music, I expected something grand from the family members. 'A Good American' seemed a good context for the first generation's story to hinge on. For Joseph looked at America as a place where 'future was the only thing that mattered'.But the later on generations had too quotidian a life.
Author's interest in jazz music, playing sax and cooking/eating are all reflected in the book with a bar with live music turned to a restaurant back to bar.
4/5
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