Habeshaviews’s Weblog

How to read the air November 8, 2010

Another great book from Dinaw Mengistu.  ‘How to read the air ‘  is a novel that narrates the experiences of an Ethiopian family living in the US.  I feel the book is able to link what Dinaw’s first book,  ‘ The beautiful things that heaves bears ‘, failed to do.  It links up first and second generation Ethiopian migrants and their experiences. I love and love Dinaw’s detailed accounts and humorous expressions.

Here is a new york times critique about the book which I kind of agree with :

“….At times Mengestu doesn’t seem to trust his reader to get his point, while the momentum of poetic prose, of a well-turned phrase or astute observation, often continues two clicks too long, detracting from the narrative’s velocity.”

Thanks Dan for being so cool and sending this