false 72049067 259202 2629628 1594483299 9781594483295 339 http://www.goodreads.com/images/books/26/628/2629628-m-1255571632.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/images/books/26/628/2629628-s-1255571632.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2629628.The_Brief_Wondrous_Life_of_Oscar_Wao 3.90 1348 Amazon Best of the Month, September 2007: It's been 11 years since Junot Díaz's critically acclaimed story collection, Drown, landed on bookshelves and from page one of his debut novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, any worries of a sophomore jinx disappear. The titular Oscar is a 300-pound-plus "lovesick ghetto nerd" with zero game (except for Dungeons & Dragons) who cranks out pages of fantasy fiction with the hopes of becoming a Dominican J.R.R. Tolkien. The book is also the story of a multi-generational family curse that courses through the book, leaving troubles and tragedy in its wake. This was the most dynamic, entertaining, and achingly heartfelt novel I've read in a long time. My head is still buzzing with the memory of dozens of killer passages that I dog-eared throughout the book. The rope-a-dope narrative is funny, hip, tragic, soulful, and bursting with desire. Make some room for Oscar Wao on your bookshelf--you won't be disappointed. --Brad Thomas Parsons]]> 55215 3.91 28328 6742 2007 4 0 false Sat Sep 26 11:00:52 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 21 17:17:00 -0700 2009 Sat Sep 26 11:00:52 -0700 2009