*****reviewed by gatogordo
I really enjoyed the book "Short Girls," by Bich Minh Nguyen. It is the story of two 2nd generation Vietnamese sisters, whose parents came to the U.S. from Vietnam in the mid-seventies. One sister is the stereotypical overachieving Asian student who becomes an immigration lawyer, and seems to have accomplished the American dream upon her marriage to a fellow lawyer. The other sister is more of a free-spirit who hasn't yet settled down to a career or relationship. Their father is an eccentric inventor whose main goal is to invent and successfully market gadgets targeted at short people. With a precise, accurate narrative style, Nguyen easily conveys the complicated and nuanced dynamics that exist for the Luong family. She captures the fears, hopes, and dreams of many immigrants; as well as the concern over maintaining a distinct cultural identity while adopting an "American" lifestyle. There is subtle allusion to the changed landscape for immigrants in a post-911 environment. The characters are believable and easy to identify with, regardless of the reader's own background.
SAXTON B. LITTLE FREE LIBRARY
