Happy Birthday or Whatever: Track Suits, Kim Chee, and Other Family Disasters
by Annie Choi
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Read in January, 2008
I love Annie Choi's blog; love it. Love her funny voice and unique perspective on things. So I thought I'd really, really love this memoir.
Well...it was okay, I guess. Good for a few laughs here and there. There was just too much emotional distance for me to really connect with it, though. Like, this big major thing happens in her family, and from reading the back of the book, it's a major turning point. Up till that point, Choi has mostly just made fun of her mom (and sometimes her fat brot...more
Well...it was okay, I guess. Good for a few laughs here and there. There was just too much emotional distance for me to really connect with it, though. Like, this big major thing happens in her family, and from reading the back of the book, it's a major turning point. Up till that point, Choi has mostly just made fun of her mom (and sometimes her fat brot...more
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I've looked at this book about three times in the stores...but have yet to buy it. (Only because I know that I should be spending reading time doing "school stuff," but that is SOOOO less fun than pleasure reading! :)
It's another memoir...I am thinking along the lines of the "But Enough about Me" book...so here's the blurb from the back of the book:
Meet Annie Choi. She fears cable cars and refuses to eat anything that casts a shadow. Her brother thinks chicken is a v...more
It's another memoir...I am thinking along the lines of the "But Enough about Me" book...so here's the blurb from the back of the book:
Meet Annie Choi. She fears cable cars and refuses to eat anything that casts a shadow. Her brother thinks chicken is a v...more
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There's nothing wrong with this book, which is a collection of aurobiographical stories about growing up as a first-generation Korean in the U.S. There also isn't much to make the book exceptional. With the emphasis on the family's purportedly hilarious yet incessant sniping and bickering, it is somewhat monotonous. Where Choi manages to bring some emotional complexity to the work, in recounting some of the events related to her mother's health, she is a pale imitation of Amy Tan, who told very ...more
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Read in March, 2008
recommends it for:
everyone
I just finished reading the memoir "Happy Birthday or Whatever." It was really good; very humorous, but revealing as well. It's by a young woman--I think it's Margaret Choi-- whose parents are Korean immigrants. So she explains, quite humorously but also there is some pathos in there, about dealing with lots of cultural conflicts.
For ex., she had to wear these awful hand-me-downs from all her Korean cousins. One of these horrible outfits had the slogan, something like, "Fun of ...more
For ex., she had to wear these awful hand-me-downs from all her Korean cousins. One of these horrible outfits had the slogan, something like, "Fun of ...more
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
everyone
This book is hilarious! I picked it up at the bookstore and had to buy it then and there. I read passages to anyone who will listen, and to anyone who can tolerate the interruptions of my laughter and wheezing.
This book is a collection of stories and anecdotes about being Korean-American, but you don't have to be Asian to appreciate Annie Choi's writing. She takes serious subjects like cancer and relationships and makes them humorous, manageable.
For anyone who has:
* been forgotten on ...more
This book is a collection of stories and anecdotes about being Korean-American, but you don't have to be Asian to appreciate Annie Choi's writing. She takes serious subjects like cancer and relationships and makes them humorous, manageable.
For anyone who has:
* been forgotten on ...more
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
korean american girls everywhere
at first, i was afraid this book was all margaret cho-esque, as in, based solely on the humor of mom's inability to speak english. and it started out that way. but then, it got better. and it actually got funnier. it was witty and humorous but also something deeper than that. and of course, as a korean american 2nd generation girl, it resonated with me. i don't know that it would resonate as well with people from different backgrounds, though, especially as i noticed in many places the korean wo...more
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
anyone with an Asian/Pacific Islander mother
Anyone, especially female, who grew up with an Asian and/or Pacific Islander mother should read this book. Having a Filipino mother, I know what it's like to feel like I'm trapped in an Amy Tan novel. It's a book of memoirs of her life, totally and completely hysterical and just a pleasure to read. I was laughing out loud pretty much the whole time, pointing at each paragraph saying "My mom did that too!" Annie Choi has a blog, too: www.annietown.com. She's brilliant. I love her...more
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Read in April, 2007
recommends it for:
everyone
Makes me wish I had written this book, except I'm nowhere near as funny and talented as the author. Growing up Asian American, I've seen all sorts of embarrassing shit I've tried to bury in my past. Annie Choi brings that stuff front and center. Makes me think my family was way normal by comparison. But it's not just for people with a chinky background. Everybody will find something they can identify with, poke fun at, and even get choked up over. It's a quick read, but a lot of fun and ev...more
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Read in April, 2007
recommends it for:
Anyone who enjoys a light, humorous read.
This book was filled with a lot of humor. The "Birthday" chapter (the first chapter) in particular was so funny that it made me laugh out loud. I'm a tough critic when it comes to humorous writing. I had to delete one star from my review because there were some chapters that felt a little padded out and probably could have been left out altogether (the "Yut" game chapter). I also think the author held back a little bit. She was writing about her family, after all, and fe...more
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Read in June, 2007
Everyone's family is crazy, but it takes a special author to make you, the reader he or she has never met, love their crazy family, laugh at the craziness, and kinda want to hang out with them.
David Sedaris has this special gift. Annie Choi has is in spades. Whether talking about her mother's battle the breast cancer, failing Korean school, or surviving the entire family on New Year's day, Choi will have you squirting milk out your nose with laughter.
David Sedaris has this special gift. Annie Choi has is in spades. Whether talking about her mother's battle the breast cancer, failing Korean school, or surviving the entire family on New Year's day, Choi will have you squirting milk out your nose with laughter.
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Read in April, 2008
One of the best memoir essay collections I've read. It's cohesive as a whole but each piece stands alone as well. Unlike most other collections I've read, each story has a depth and a purpose beyond a "here's a funny story" retelling. Characters are allowed to unfold organically and situations build on previous essays. I found myself drawn into the pieces and found satisfying the overall build of the collection.
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If you are Korean-American, or know someone Korean-American, or are dating someone Korean-American, you MUST read this book. My boyfriend thinks he understands my family (and my drama) because of this book. He doesn't of course (not fully anyway), but he is much closer than he used to be. Also, it is HILARIOUS. Well, if you are not Korean-American, the word "shocking" may be more fit than 'hilarious'. =)
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Read in March, 2008
Very funny book. Anyone who can relate to the Asian culture will completely get this book. It was very funny and self-deprecating. What I enjoyed most is that I've been to most of the San Fernando Valley places that author Annie Choi mentioned in the book! Funny and fast read!
Disappointed with the ending, though. I thought she needed a stronger ending. Felt like she just wanted to finish the book.
Disappointed with the ending, though. I thought she needed a stronger ending. Felt like she just wanted to finish the book.
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After only eleven pages this books owns me. I will write a detailed review when I finish, but I just wanted to jot this down because I'm like in love with this amazing book. Okay, so I finished this book last night at work and I had to keep biting my lip so people wouldn't realize I was laughing. It was hysterical and touching and so pitch perfect. A great read for the summer.
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in January, 2008
recommends it for:
David Sedaris fans who grew up in the '80s
This book was so funny, I don't even know what to say about it. I laughed hysterically in public so many times -- although I admit sometimes it was more out of horror than humor! But that's part of what makes it so good. It's about real life, which can be horrible, and also sad (I cried quite a few times, also in public), but then funny and happy and sweet all over again.
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Read in July, 2007
I really enjoyed all of this book. The dimensions of her family where very entertaining and many parts I could relate to. The name of my favorite chapter was Spelling B+. The book really never failed to entertain me.
It's fun to check in with her at http://www.annietown.com/ on her blog.
It's fun to check in with her at http://www.annietown.com/ on her blog.
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Read in August, 2007
The inevitable comparison is Margaret Cho and this just doesn't rank up there with Cho's crazy family. The mother is more sophisticated and nuanced, but it just didn't have the zing. It was a decent read and kept me engaged, but I wouldn't necessarily tell anyone they should read it.
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Read in November, 2007
A funny look at life with a typical Korean family. I found myself chuckling and empathizing completely. Annie's writing style is delightfully light and funny and her portrayal of her family is one I'm sure most of us can relate to, Korean or not!
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Read in May, 2007
recommends it for:
moms with daughters.
I loved it, it's so funny. It's about the struggles of growing up with a Korean mother, and being Korean-American. More importantly, it's about the communication between mother and daughter. Or miscommunication, I should say.
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
anyone who needs a laugh
Very light and funny. Great anytime read. Hilarious story of growing up and early 20's. Great book to keep around and pick up when you need a laugh or are just feeling down. Easy to relate to. Will definitely have you smiling.
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