As I’ve mentioned in one of my previous posts, I like to take full advantage of the literary scene in Pittsburgh – I am reacquainted with familiar favorites and introduced to an expansive world of authors unfamiliar to me. The authors of two of my recent favorite novels will be in Pittsburgh in the upcoming months. Both were new to me, but I will be happily retracing their steps and catching up on their previous work. These two novels differ vastly in their scope – one takes place over 70 years and the other over one weekend – but the centrality of family and questions of identity permeate both. Be sure to check the schedule for the Page Turners book group at our Main library in Oakland for the exact times and dates when we will be discussing these two books!
Big Angel buried his mother and is celebrating his last birthday on the same weekend. His messy, chaotic relatives converge on his home for the festivities and although the occasion is full of bittersweet sadness, there is a frenetic energy that comes from being part of a truly devoted and expansive family.
A National Book Award Finalist, Pachinko is a sweeping novel that follows four generations of ethnic Koreans beginning with the Japanese annexation of their country. As the family moves from Korea to Japan, their lives are touched by kindness and faith, but also by prejudice and struggle.