The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

It is so interesting to read a recent bestselling book.  The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz was a brilliant mix of current day life, historical recount of the Dominican Republic political turmoil of the 1900s, and three generations of one family.  Always nice to have some discussion on residence hall living on a college campus --- yes Rutgers (Demarest Hall http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demarest_Hall), it has special interest housing now, but in the book home to students who need special accommodations of sorts…  Diaz interweaves these three perspectives through the voices of two characters who are attracted to each other sexually, but do not end up together.  Both are mainly tied together through Lola’s brother Oscar, a very heavy young Dominican, who has never experienced a real relationship with a woman until he visits his grandmother in DR.  Unfortunately for him, he chooses a whore for his first love.  I guess no one ever really chooses what type of person to fall in love with, but when you don’t have many options, this is one I certainly wouldn’t choose.  Another added interest in the story was my own learning on DR.  I learned about the dangers in the DR for those who opposed the leadership.  A Columbia U student back in 1950’s was later taken away and killed after he published his dissertation when “thugs” came to NYC and abducted him and returned him to DR.  The language and culture that Diaz shares shows that many Dominican males are pretty ruthless and sex driven, actually almost all of his male characters, except Oscar who has the opposite experience, but is also pretty violent.  I have enjoyed reading books that give me a glimpse into the culture and history of their heritage.  I enjoyed this book a great deal, though there was a great deal of rape, brutality and murder, it was juxtaposed by humor at times.  The character of Oscar was certainly reminiscent of many students I have interacted in my time on college campuses who turn inward when they do not connect with others through use of their artistic, creative, and adventurous side.  Oscar’s pre-occupation with comics, dungeons and dragons, and sci-fi fantasies painted a picture of the student who is thwarted by others and escapes into a world created by others in the future. A world that students have no other place to turn when no one else gives them the time of day.  Many interesting levels in this book.  A few surprises, and a few tears.  A great read!