Fiction exploring cultures and cultural identity

[Chimera]

As a book and travelling/discovering new cultures lover, I like to mix my two passions. I find that books are a great way to travel in my head and to explore other cultures and cultural identities. I thought it might be nice to have a thread to exchange reading ideas on these themes...

 

One I particularly enjoyed was Digging to America by Anne Taylor. This is the story of two couples, one pure bred americans and the other of Iranian origin (but also american), who adopt two korean little girls, meet in the process and decide to see each other again. The book follows them as their families grow closer, intermingle, and sometimes fight.

 

It explores the american culture and what it means to be american, but more than that it shows how different cultures can intermingle and reject each other at the same time, how someone can be torn between its origins , national culture, that of its friends... and how that person ends up building his own culture by mixing it all up and keeping the best from each. Take Susan for instance, a korean born, iranian adopted, american raised little girl, how should she define herself?

 

It is increadibly insightful and at the same time a wonderful, very funny read.

 

Anyone else interested in this? Do you have any suggestion as to what I might read next?

[Guest ii]

It's an interesting angle and it's far too late for me to think of it properly right now, but I just wanted to suggest, before I forget, a book called Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews. It's about a girl who grows up in a religious Mennonite society in Canada. I enjoyed it thoroughly!

[Chimera]

Thanks! I just saw the review you posted on your 'blog', it does sound great and like something I'd enjoy.

[Freewheeling Andy]

My favourite book for this is Ivo Andric's "Bridge Over The Drina" which works 700 years of Balkan history and the related conflicts into a novel set around the cultures and lives of people who are related to one bridge in Bosnia. It's a great, great book. Won him the nobel prize in 1961, too.

[Chimera]

It sounds good Freewheeling Andy, thanks! Both your and ii's suggestions are now on my tbr list.

 

Another one I loved in this theme is Madame B

Edited November 9, 2008 by Chimera
typo...

[Guest ii]

If you checked out my reading blog, you may have noticed the book called Waiting by Ha Jin. Brilliant! *makes a note about Madame Bâ*

[Chimera]

Actually I hadnt gone that far in your blog Thanks for pointing it out! *shakes head contemplating her ever groing TBR list which was all nice and empty before joining BCF*