By T. Cooper
My mother gave this book to me. She grew up in Amarillo, Texas, where a lot of the story is set. Of course, if anyone from Amarillo makes any waves in the world, everyone from Amarillo is going to know about it. The novel is a fictionalized account of the author's Russian Jewish immigrant family. Starting at the turn of the century, it follows them as they almost get swallowed by America. It's actually two stories that collide, with this line: "That's not the end. This is the end." Suddenly you've jumped to the present, and one descendant is an Eminem imitator in New York. I can't say it's a seamless transition—but I was knocked out by this book.
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From the September 2008 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine
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