Book Review- Wajahat Ali's Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on how to Become American

Thank you to LibroFM and Recorded Books Inc for a copy of Wajahat Ali’s memoir, Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful recommendations on How to Become American.

Wajahat Ali grew up in the San Francisco Bay area to parents who immigrated from Pakistan. In Go Back to Where You Came From, Ali writes about being raised in America and the difficulties that his family faced with assimilation in their new country. Ali details that despite being born in the United States, he has always been seen as an outsider, an immigrant.

This impact was most profound when his parents were arrested for financial crimes shortly after September 11th, with elements of their arrest appearing to reflect the distrust that Americans have towards muslims. For a majority of his childhood, Ali lived in upper-middle class comfort, but the arrest of his parents thrust him into financial worry. He was nearly finished with college at the time and suddenly found himself in charge of the family business and caring for elderly grandmothers. I am the same age as Ali and as I was listening to him tell his story, I kept imagining our parallel lives in the years following the fall of the twin towers. I can’t imagine the stress he faced, both from the strain of his parents in prison and from his social position in American society. As a white American, I felt that his perspective was important to hear and to try to understand- to listen.

Ali’s story takes an interesting twist as he struggles to get his life back on track, becoming both a lawyer and a playwright. Boldly producing his play on the anniversary of September 11th, it features a Pakistani- American muslim family in conversations that include the terrorist attacks. Ali got started running his play locally, in the reception rooms at Indian restaurants, building a following that included bigger donations and eventually, an off-broadway run.

I found Ali’s journey in the first part of his life ( hey, we are only middle-aged, lots more to come) to be inspiring and surprising. Ali has a sharp sense of humor and a keen eye for observing human behavior. Go Back to Where You Came From is an important memoir for people, especially those who have white privilege, to read and absorb. I grew up in a very diverse neighborhood in Los Angeles and I feel that Ali helped me better understand the immigrant experience that some of my friends and their parents might have faced living in the United States.

Book Review- Jade Chang's The Wangs vs. the World

Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing me with an advanced copy of Jade Chang's novel, The Wangs vs. the World, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT - Charles Wang's life is imploding. The immense fortune from his cosmetics empire, a business that he built from the ground up when he immigrated from China, is gone. Due to bad investments, his business, his cars, house, and most of his savings are gone. Charles must break the news to his three children, all of whom were born in America and who have never known poverty. 

His fashionista, youngest daughter, Grace, is pulled out of her private boarding school. Andrew, his son who has aspirations of being a comedian, is forced to drop out of college. Charles takes his spoiled wife, Barbra and his kids, on a cross-country road trip, to the home of his eldest daughter, Saina. Saina, an artist in New York, is the only family member with assets. Unbeknownst to his family, Charles has a grander scheme of returning to China to reclaim his family ancestral land that was lost during the Cultural Revolution. 

LIKE-  Chang has written a modern day The Grapes of Wrath. I love Steinbeck and his masterpiece is one of my favorite classic novels, so I do not give this praise lightly. The similarities are not just a journey story, but more in the way that Chang focuses on the impact this new circumstance has on each of her characters, how they both bond together. and have their private revelations. The theme is change, in all of its forms.

Wangs vs. the World has a slow build and like peeling back the layers of an onion, Chang slowly reveals the layers. After the first third of the story, I was completely captivated by these characters, especially Charles, who has seemingly lost everything, but keeps pushing forward. Charles is a bold contrast to his children, who also have big dreams, but are unsure of themselves. Their sudden change in circumstance makes them question their ambitions, rather than take notice of their father, a self-made man. What's interesting about Charles, is when he has lost what he has built, he looks towards reclaiming the land that his family has lost, which seems like a far more difficult goal than rebuilding his business. Maybe that's the point; Charles reaching for the sky. Chang has filled her story with complex characters, who are struggling to find a course for their lives, as they deal with family, cultural, and economic issues. 

I think it's fairly obvious that a major theme of the story would be Charles realizing that despite his wealth, he is a lucky man for his family. However, Chang doesn't write such an trite story. The Wangs have their differences and normal family misunderstandings, but this is never a family that lacks love or takes each other for granted. The kids are not simply spoiled rich kids and Charles is not the hardworking businessman who sacrifices his family to build a business. The bonds run deep in the Wang family.

Chang lightens the mood with a frequent dose of humor, often due to an awkward or uncomfortable situation. The story heads in unexpected and kind of zany directions. I never knew where Chang was going to take her story next, which is a huge part of the charm. 

DISLIKE- I didn't  immediately get into the story, it took about a hundred pages to hook me. The characters take awhile to grow on me. If I hadn't been given an advanced copy, I'm not sure that I would have stuck with it. I'm glad I did though.

RECOMMEND- Yes. Chang is an immense talent. The Wangs vs. The World is an epic ride with a lot of heart. I found Charles, with his plucky spirit to be inspirational.