Anne Tyler is a consistently wonderful writer. Her books are intimate stories of people you know, or can imagine knowing. Her latest title, Digging to America, has been selected as the 2008 All Iowa Reads selection. The committee aims to chose a book that is easily accessible and that will promote discussion about themes of interest to Iowans. Digging to America is the story of two middle-class couples who meet at the airport when their adopted Korean daughters arrive on the same flight from Asia. They appear to have little in common, but attachments strengthen over the years between the sterotypical white American suburbians, and the Iranian immigrants. Culture and family are universal themes explored in the novel.

Bitsy and Brad work very hard to make sure their daughter, Jin-Ho, stays in touch with the culture of her birth country, while Sammy and Ziba hope that their daughter, Susan, fits in and is an "American." Grandparents on both sides add their own stories to the melting pot. The relationships between and among these families are authentic and perceptive. --Susan

From ICPL Staff Picks Blog