Chang, Leonard

Average customer rating:

Chang's candid portrayal of a dark urban world
in the heart of the heart of the tension
Similarities to THE STRANGER
I thought it really hit deeply
wild and violent

The Fruit 'n Food
Leonard Chang
Manufacturer: Black Heron Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Dispatches from the Cold: A Novel
Over the Shoulder: A Novel of Intrigue
Native Speaker
Fade to Clear: An Allen Choice Novel
Yellow: Stories

ASIN: 0930773799

Book Description

A drama of society's perpetual struggle for renewal and reconciliation. It is an elegant story of the zone of conflict between African and Asian Americans and, in the central character, the poignancy and contradictions of tribalism and graternity are vividly proved.

Customer Reviews:

Chang's candid portrayal of a dark urban world.......2000-07-10

Enter Thomas Pak, isolated Korean-American set apart from the world by circumstance, by generational boundaries. He is an individual that becomes inextricably tied to the Fruit N' Food, a job that offers him human connections, as well as money, for a basic need: survival & life. However, the racial rage that envelops this mileu brings to it a certain sacrifice: racism begets racism in this world, and often brings down everyone within it. With a clear, meticulous literary voice, Chang describes this setting with a stylistic candor; bringing to the fore themes of the Asian "American-dream", race, hate and class struggle. Tom Pak is rendered through a Stranger-eque portrait with sometimes graphic observation, only for us to realize his lost role in a society that bewilders him even further.

in the heart of the heart of the tension.......1999-08-06

everyone's fighting the hell out of each other trying to get at that American Dream and it's not a pretty sight...crab cage with the claws out chopping and clamping and poor old Tom Pak is getting the crap beaten out of him...this is the closest i've seen to some writer getting at the screwed-up racial mess the cities are going through and i'm glad he wrote this...

Similarities to THE STRANGER.......1999-06-20

I kept thinking of Camus when I read this novel, but I don't think the existential underpinnings were fully explored by the author. I think he subordinated the idea of the quotidian existence for the flash and excitement of racial tension (and the boycotts). He also took Sartre's idea of NAUSEA a little too literally, I thought. Nevertheless, this was much more ambitious than most first novels coming out these days...

I thought it really hit deeply.......1998-12-18

This is pretty hard-hitting stuff. But even so, I thought there WAS hope and redemption at the end, because even in the ruins, the characters knew what to do, where to go--what was next. There was forwardness in their vision. Mrs. Rhee even has that tough, I-will-kick-ass viewpoint at the end. I thought it was great.

wild and violent.......1998-12-04

Although the subject matter and themes seem very important, I found myself repelled a bit by the violence and utter desperation of the characters. The writing was often great, but I wished there could've been more uplift, more hope. Or is that too naive?

Average customer rating:

Another Knock-Out of a Mystery
Standout Well Written Mystery
Solid choice of the mystery
So when's the next Allen Choice novel coming out??????
This is a superb new series!

Underkill: An Allen Choice Novel
Leonard Chang
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

Fade to Clear: An Allen Choice Novel
Over the Shoulder: A Novel of Intrigue
Dispatches from the Cold: A Novel

ASIN: 0312308434

Book Description

Every bit as edgy and engrossing as Leonard Chang's acclaimed debut crime novel Over the Shoulder, Underkill finds Korean Ameri-can investigator Allen Choice on a harrowing new case that proves to be a transformative personal journey. Now Allen follows his girl-friend Linda into the Los Angeles underworld of drugs and raves to examine her brother's suspicious death, hoping to repair their deteriorating relationship and aiding her as she once helped him.

Customer Reviews:

Another Knock-Out of a Mystery.......2004-02-26

This is a series that continues to improve and reward the reader. Leonard Chang is writing some of the best current detective fiction now available in these books. And it doesn't hurt that he's also able to address issues of race and alienation at the same time. _Underkill_ brings back reluctant investigator Allan Choice to look into the apparently accidental death of his girlfriend's younger brother. The investigation takes Choice into the underground rave scene and competition between ecstasy dealers, which may have had something to do with the death. At the same time, Allan's relationship with his girlfriend, Linda, seems to be unravelling and try as he might, he can't figure out how to prevent it. This is an excellent, fast-paced mystery that left me wanting more--Bring on Book #3!

Standout Well Written Mystery.......2003-07-05

I'm a literature grad student, and I've had the opportunity to follow Chang's writing for some time now. His first two novels were clearly attempts to delineate the racial dynamics in America (Asian/African American as well as class issues), and with this Allen Choice series he seems to be trying to write about Korean Americans in a similar but almost subterranean way. He is writing about an Americanized Korean American man as a Private Investigator, a man who looks into the grit of American lives (Korean American lives in Over the Shoulder, and now the L.A. Underground and ecstasy scene in Underkill) all the while investigating his own life, both external and internal life. Allen Choice has no ethnic or racial ties--he's afloat and alone. He actually has NO ties (familial or relationship), which on some level echoes Chang's previous novels. The archetype of the PI is the isolated man, and here Allen Choice is isolated on so many levels it's dizzying, because family, race, profession, and now relationships have served to separate him from conventional society. Chang has taken the model of the PI and used this to exploit his other themes of alienation. This takes not only mystery fiction but Asian American fiction to new levels. I highly recommend this series for readers looking for exciting, well-written stories with a bit more substance than the usual genre entertainments.

Solid choice of the mystery.......2003-05-10

Korean-American executive protection expert Allen Choice has doubts about his failing romance with Hispanic reporter Linda Maldonaldo while concerned with his weak business. The adrenaline that fueled the beginning of his relationship with Linda (see OVER THE SHOULDER) is gone along with the thrill. The lack of executive protection clients in the Bay area has forced Allen to accept sleazy sleuthing that he knows is way below his skill level, but allows him to eat.

Adding to his depression is his feelings of guilt for not being there when Linda's brother died in a drug-related car crash. To ease his remorse Allen travels to Malibu to be there for his girlfriend. Already feeling like a fish out of water, instead of finding a family mourning a tragedy, Allen walks into a nasty Internet child pornography venture that could leave him as the next accident victim.

Readers who took delight in Allen's first tale will enjoy this story, but will quickly realize that it is not quite on a level with its predecessor. Perhaps it is the change of location, but Allen seems out of place in Malibu because he fits so well in San Francisco. Still readers will appreciate his self-deprecating doubts about himself and Linda, and enjoy his latest investigation just not the first choice.

Harriet Klausner

So when's the next Allen Choice novel coming out??????.......2003-05-04

Wow. I was up all night reading this. I loved Over the Shoulder, and found Underkill to be equally engrossing. Chang does an incredible job of writing literary fiction (his use of language is just gorgeous) that's propelled by a real, page-turner plot. I wish more books combined being this well-written with being this suspenseful.

Choice makes a great reluctant protagonist, and his thoughtful, candid narration is enough to make this book worth reading by itself (even without the raves, car chases, and gun fights!).

This is a superb new series!.......2003-05-04

This series is turning out to be one of the best and most interesting ones I've read, and I've read a lot of them. I love Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane and Sue Grafton and a bunch of others, and this one definitely ranks up there because Allen Choice is a very realized and intriguing character. I was trying to tell a friend about this series and found it hard to describe because it's so centered on the character instead of just the mystery. It's almost like this is a regular novel about an investigator and so there's naturally a mystery because it's his job, but it's not about the mystery...it's about the guy himself. The writing is awesome.

Average customer rating:

A Masterful Novel from Leonard Chang...
Chang just gets better and better
Man, What a Great Novel!
Complex characters
terrific private investigative urban noir

Fade to Clear: An Allen Choice Novel
Leonard Chang
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Underkill: An Allen Choice Novel
Over the Shoulder: A Novel of Intrigue
Dispatches from the Cold: A Novel
Choke Point: A Brinker Mystery (Brinker P.I.)
The Fruit 'n Food

ASIN: 0312308450

Book Description

Hailed as 'high-caliber,' 'riveting,' and 'fast-paced,' Leonard Chang's series continues in this next exciting installment, which finds Allen Choice, now a full partner at Baxter Choice Investigations, distressed by the reappearance of his ex-lover Linda. As he reluctantly takes on the job of finding Linda's niece, who was abducted by her father in a bitter divorce battle, and starts to unearth links to drugs and money laundering, he becomes the target of larger, deadlier forces that strike a tragic personal blow.

Customer Reviews:

A Masterful Novel from Leonard Chang..........2006-10-17

Fade To Clear, $23.95 US, was penned by Leonard Chang. Thomas Dunne Books published this title in 2004. This novel is the third entry in the Allen Choice Series. The two books preceding it are Over The Shoulder and Underkill. Allen Choice is a thirtysomething private investigator living in San Francisco, just trying to succeed in the world.

As we enter this new installment, we find Allen Choice is now a full partner in Baxter & Choice Investigations. The story launches in an Oakland warehouse chock full of stolen computers and peripherals, where Allen and his partner Larry Baxter are being held at gunpoint by a fast-talking Jamaican gangster. Maybe breaking in here wasn't such a bright idea?

Despite being surprised by the thug, Allen and Larry outsmart him long enough to get away before even more armed criminals arrive. B&C bring the police in on the multimillion-dollar fencing operation after fleeing the warehouse. However, Allen isn't enjoying this work very much. His employment seems tenuous at best; he's also unsure where he stands with his girlfriend Serena.

Enterprising though he may be, Allen is actually overly introspective compared to protagonist in other series fiction I've read. He's fixated on the works of Kierkegaard and other philosophers -- when he isn't working as a P.I. -- and he's also obsessed with long-distance running. Oh, did I mention? He's Korean-American, but speaks no Korean, and feels guilty about this.

These identity paradoxes intrigue me and I find Chang's writing fascinating. Allen's father died while he was young, so he was raised outside Korea by Aunt Insook. He's Korean but he doesn't feel Korean. He feels American. It bothers him when people bring up ethnicity. Serena is Korean. Ex-girlfriend Linda wasn't. He seems conflicted about his race -- fitting in.

Of course, I can't recall any other character in series fiction that's been assimilated into another culture. Can you? Broadcast and newspaper coverage about immigration seems abundant in 2006. Present-day immigrants (legal or otherwise) typically don't assimilate; they reside in `language enclaves' and resist learning any English. Allen Choice represents the antithesis of these trends; ergo Chang's novel feels sophisticated.

Complications arise for Allen when Linda Maldonado reappears in his life. Needless to say, Serena doesn't like it when Allen agrees to take on a case regarding ex-girlfriend Linda's abducted niece Nora. Allen's ambivalence about the case is tempered by the urgent need to locate Nora; she's merely a little girl caught in the crossfire of a bitter divorce battle.

Looking into Nora's abduction requires Allen to scrutinize Linda's former brother-in-law Frank. This guy was rich -- he was going to lose a fortune in any divorce -- so when Linda's sister Julie started playing hardball in the custody case, Frank decided to liquefy his assets, grab Nora, and flee to Mammoth Lakes with the help of his family and business associates.

Eventually Allen realizes Frank Staunton is a bad seed. He's involved in drug smuggling and money laundering through shell corporations. Frank's got a nasty brother (named Rick) that's running interference for him when Allen sniffs around and his sister (Deirdre) and parents in Seattle (Doug and Marilyn) aren't much help to B&C either. Allen ultimately locates Nora by investigating Staunton family contacts.

As you might know, excellent writers like Chang assign characters at least one major problem they must solve before the end of the book. Chang wisely hinders Allen Choice with two major obstacles. The first involves an arson fire that destroys his office (foreshadowing) during the abduction investigation; the second involves the unexpected death of a beloved friend. I won't divulge whom.

Readers will find that Leonard Chang pens dark crime novels that defy the conventional. If you're studious, you'll realize this nuanced novel has mass-market appeal. My one recommendation to Leonard would be that he may want to double or triple his chapter count, and concentrate on writing shorter chapters. More `action' and `less literary' would signify the ideal way forward.

______________________________________________________________________

The Book:
Fade To Clear,
Thomas Dunne Books

ISBN:
0312308450 or
9780312308452

Pages:
322 Pages

Rating:
5 Stars

Chapters:
29 Numbered Chapters

If You Like Fade To Clear, you might enjoy:
Choke Point
Country of Origin
Little Girl Lost
The Interpreter
The Wake-Up

Recommended:
Yes

Chang just gets better and better.......2005-05-06

All of Chang's books are worth reading. This one, the third in the Allen Choice series, is no exception. The plot is well crafted, the characters well-rounded and believable, and the suspense written perfectly. I'd be hard-pressed to come up with a better contemporary crime novel. To top all of this off, Chang's use of voice, and the change of point of view in this novel (third person here, first in the previous two), make for an interesting literary read as well as for a page-turning crime yarn.

The sad part? The rumors are that this is the last in the series for a while. Maybe the publisher deserves some emails?

Man, What a Great Novel!.......2004-05-25

The third Allen Choice mystery is the best yet. I'm so glad I discovered these books and gave them a try. If you haven't read these yet, you've got some pleasant reading waiting for you.

Choice is a great character, easy to identify with. You want the best for him, even when it looks like things can't possibly work out. He knows he should be paying more attention to his current girlfriend, Serena, but can't help himself when former girlfriend, Linda, featured in the previous two novels, comes looking for his help in finding her niece, kidnapped by her estranged father during a custody dispute. Linda seems to have some sort of hold over him, yet the more he thinks about it, the more he realizes how much he loves Serena and that he wants to be with her.

Allen is an introspective, lonely guy who is quietly becoming something of a success in his chosen profession of private detective. Yet he still finds it hard to fathom other people and he hasn't quite figured out why Serena keeps getting so mad at him during his investigation. There's a philosophical undercurrent running through things, too, as Allen keeps coming back to the Kierkegaard he's been reading and trying to fit it into his everyday life.

There are some dangerous bad guys at work, and bad things happen to the people he cares about, but Allen is ultimately able to solve the mystery and make a real step forward in his relationship with Serena. Here's hoping this series lasts a long and satisfying time. Highly recommended!

Complex characters.......2004-05-10

What is really interesting about this novel and the others by Leonard Chang is how they are not just about solving a crime. These novels are about a lonely man trying to figure out his relationships and his place in the world. He just happens to be a PI now. It's not as hardboiled as I usually like my crime novels, but it's deeper and more thoughtful than pretty much any other crime series out there. Smilla's Sense of Snow is similar. Henning Mankell's series are close. I also like these novels are about a Korean-American guy, but not overdoing the race issue. He's Everyman.

terrific private investigative urban noir.......2004-04-29

Two years ago, then San Jose Sentinel reporter Linda Maldonado worked with private investigator Allen Choice on a case (see UNDERKILL). They became lovers, but eventually she ended their romance without explanation. Saddened he moved on professionally and personally.

Linda comes to Oakland where Allen is a partner in Baxter & Choice, a private investigation firm because her niece has been abducted by her nasty abusive father. She wants to hire Allen to rescue nine-year-old Nora from Frank Staunton, who snatched the child because he loathes his former wife and will do anything to hurt her. Allen's current girlfriend Serena Yew would prefer he not accept the case because of his previous affair with the client that he may not have gotten over. Allen himself knows how dangerous the rescue would be as the target is mean and cruel, but a pussy cat next to the guy's killing machine brother. Though facing Hobson's choice, Allen accepts the challenge in which law enforcement at all levels have failed.

FADE TO CLEAR is a terrific private investigative urban noir story starring a delightful protagonist, who is a hodgepodge of conflicting emotions that make him endearing to the audience (don't tell Choice what I called him). The story line is action-packed yet at times quite humorous as the bewildered Allen often leads with his chin in spots that could prove deadly when the case turns out even more dangerous than dealing with the lunatic Staunton siblings.

Amazon.com

"That I am a nobody doesn't bother me as it might some people. I prefer anonymity, unobstructed movement through a crowd with neither a first nor a second glance in my direction." Anonymity is both existential goal and survival skill for Allen Choice, who may call himself a Korean-American but who isn't particularly comfortable with the label. A Silicon Valley security specialist (don't call him a bodyguard), Choice drifts through life the way he drifts through crowds: detached, isolated, neither particularly fulfilled nor particularly unhappy. He notes wryly, "I used to think I was in inertial rest, a body at rest remaining so. Once an outside force applied itself to me, I would be in motion. I liked this idea. It freed me, relieving me of the responsibility. I just had to wait for an outside force. But I soon realized this was an illusion... I decided to call it the inertial deception. I can't succumb to it."

But in Over the Shoulder, Leonard Chang's brooding neo-noir novel, circumstances conspire to administer an outside force of momentous proportions when Paul Baumgartner, Choice's partner, is killed in front of him. Paul's family, his employers, and the police all assume the hit was directed at the executive the pair were protecting. But Linda Maldonado, a reporter looking for a hot story to catapult her from the thigh cream comparisons and doggy-daycare features of the Lifestyles pages, hectors Choice into investigating Paul's death.

His investigation is quickly fractured by treachery and deception, as he uncovers strange links between Paul's death and that of his own father, an immigrant who died in a warehouse accident when Choice was 8. Elegantly captured in Chang's restrained prose, secrets and memories rise slowly to the surface, forcing Choice to confront both the long-hidden scars of familial bitterness and the poignancy of his father's quest to preserve his dreams of a medical career, even as he succumbed to the exhausting drudgery of physical labor.

Chang's first two novels, The Fruit 'N Food and Dispatches from the Cold, garnered praise for their starkly realistic portrayal of racial tension and quotidian ennui. Over the Shoulder, though leavened with a touch of dry humor, doesn't pull any punches either, as Chang lays bare his protagonist's frailties and fantasies. --Kelly Flynn

Book Description

A hybrid of crime and literary novel that explores issues of honor and family history, Over The Shoulder offers a unique view of the American protagonist and reluctant investigator, shaken from the doldrums of his insulated life.

Choice and his partner, Paul Baumgartner, are security specialists for Silicon Valley executives.When Paul gets killed on the job, Choice and an inexperienced Bay Area reporter, Linda Maldonado, begin looking into the puzzling circumstances of the murder. As they work together to unravel the intricate threads of lies and half-truths, they discover that his death might be linked to an older, more personal one -- the mysterious death of Allen's father some twenty years earlier.

With his self-described "philosophy of removement" as his frame of reference, Choice searches for the hidden, long-buried answers, only to be outmaneuvered at every juncture. Against this backdrop of violence and deception, Choice soon discovers secrets that alter his understanding of his father, of his family -- secrets that lead him to a buried history of betrayal.

A new direction for noir fiction, Over the Shoulder is an examination of the past and the present, of long-simmering familiar tensions and the subtle conflicts of race and class; it is a story about the awakening of memories and an understanding of the self.

Customer Reviews:

Fast paced and true to modern day Silicon Valley.......2006-09-24

Chang's novel is fast paced and very true to modern day Silicon Valley. Although this book is an action-thriller, it is really a Korean-American's self-discovery as he uncovers his family's past and his partner's murderer. The conflicts and tensions that have to do with class and race are thoroughly explored, which make this book much more than a just a thriller.

Excellent Mystery and a Sweet Romance.......2003-08-19

The title might lead one to expect a spy novel, but this is the debut of Allen Choice, a Korean-American security specialist who becomes something of a reluctant private eye, as he investigates the drive-by slaying of his partner, Paul Baumgartner. Paul is killed in what at first looks like a hit on one of their corporate clients, but as Allen digs into the mystery, he begins to realize that Paul was doing a bit of moonlighting and that one of his clients might be behind the killing. Also, his investigation leads Allen to explore the events surrounding his own father's "accidental" death twenty years before.

This was a great book, with Allen's introspective, lonely thoughts at the forefront. There's a lot about what it means to be different or "other" in America, as well as Allen's personal alienation (he was brought up by an aunt who viewed him as a nuisance) and his own personal emptiness, which are at the heart of the book. Other than his job, he doesn't have much going on in his life and when his investigation threatens his employment, things don't look good for Allen.

Luckily, he has the help of an inexperienced lifestyles reporter for a local paper, Linda Maldonado, in unraveling the mystery. Besides offering a compelling mystery, this book also features a sweet, unexpected, slowly-developing romance between the two (the clueless Allen doesn't realize why Linda is going out her way, risking her life and career to help him, until almost the very end). An excellent mystery debut and I'm strongly looking forward to the second book in this series, _Underkill_.

A strong thriller with other issues........2001-03-15

With the overtones of Greek Tragedy, the themes of the sins of the father reaching the son, OVER THE SHOULDER takes a lyrical and heartfelt view of what happens when the son begins learning about his father, whom he never really knew. Occasionally overeaching with respect to the pseudo-existential musings of Choice, Chang (Choice/Chang? Choice=Sartre?) delves into the world of bodyguards and hidden secrets, of guarding the body of truth, of the "choice" of the past and the "choice" of the guard. We can read this novel on a few different levels, the easiest being the thriller elements, the more complicated being the issues of race and family legacies, of the disjunction between generations and how the past interferes with the relationships of the present. I was reminded of Walker Percy since the elements of the Search (Percy's term), congregation, and connection are all present. With Percy, in the Moviegoer, we have movie culture as a frame with which to view Binx's relationship with the world, whereas in Over the Shoulder we have the world of security protection (protect Allen's security, his blanket of armor) as the frame. I'm afraid most serious readers might avoid this novel for its lurid cover (What is a novel of "intrigue"? When is a good novel not "intriguing"?), but for those interested in a complex and complicated story with thematic elements echoing Sophocles, all layered with a very well-written mystery, you might try this one.

I liked this cool departure........2001-02-08

I've read Mr. Chang's other two novels (one for an Asian-American lit class, another on my own), and was really surprised to see him try this kind of novel. It's a thriller and love-story and it's so different from his other works. I really liked it. At first I was confused, not even sure it was the same author, but then I saw the same kinds of themes he handles, like dealing with past secrets and people being lonely and isolated. I also saw him turning up the plot elements, which was fun. I think most people will like this novel a lot, because it's exciting, and also looks deep into what it means to be alone in the world. I guess I kind of fell for Allen Choice.

Blown Away.......2001-02-08

This absolutely terrific novel totally subverted my expectations of what an "Asian American" or crime novel ought to be. It's engrossing, fast-paced and intriguing in ways that you won't expect. The crime format provides Chang an opportunity to explore race, class and family without being bogged down by the weight of those issues. And Chang fleshes out Allen's character and touches upon racial issues without ever derailing the fast-paced storyline. And yet, at the same time, this is NOT simply a crime novel, either. It's a blend of both--something really innovative and different.

Don't be put-off because Chang has the courage to move away from stock issues played out by other KA writers. While some people think that Chang Rae Lee is be the best KA writer out there, let it be said: Leonard Chang is BETTER than Chang Rae Lee. In fact, he's a better fiction writer than most of the Asian American writers out there as well. Beacuse he's a WRITER'S writer, i.e. he cares about his craft and not about selling out to mainstream tastes of what an Asian American novel should be. Of course, because he doesn't write about KAs whose mothers happen to be comfort women, intergenerational conflict or "honor killings," Chang will be somewhat underrated and underappreciated by those who prefer sappy melodramas about Asian Americans. Which is a shame because he's one of the most talented and interesting writers to ever come out of Korean America. Read Over the Shoulder. It's truly an immensely enjoyable and exciting novel that will be sure to blow you away.

Dispatches from the Cold: A Novel
Average customer rating:

A book about the endless downward spiral of race and hatred

"Taxi Driver" in New Hampshire?

Finally! An Asian American writer who has other themes!

This is a strong novel.

epistolary tricks

Dispatches from the Cold: A Novel
Leonard Chang
Manufacturer: Black Heron Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Similar Items:

The Fruit 'n Food

Over the Shoulder: A Novel of Intrigue

Fade to Clear: An Allen Choice Novel

Underkill: An Allen Choice Novel

ASIN: 0930773497

Book Description

What would you do if strange letters began appearing in your mailbox? Read them? When the narrator of this novel opens misdirected letters, he enters the harsh, disturbing world of Farrel Gorden who hates his new Korean-American boss and is on the verge of losing control of his hatred. As we watch the narrator reconstruct the recent events in Gorden's life, including an affair with his boss' wife and the wrenching consequences that follow, the paths of these two disparate characteres - letter writer and letter reader - converge violently as each intrudes in the life of the other. This is a story that blurs the distinction between the real and the imaginary, and negotiates the exterior world and interior workings of a vengeful mind.

Customer Reviews:

A book about the endless downward spiral of race and hatred.......2000-01-14

The cover says it all. A man spiraling out of control. The book weaves together some of the major issues of our time in a story about relatively simple people: race, hate, adultery, revenge, ambition, and the ravages of lost dreams. Leonard Chang describes the characters as if there's a microscope upon them, until you can tell what they're feeling through his subtle descriptions. An altogether excellent book by an up and coming writer.

"Taxi Driver" in New Hampshire?.......1999-06-20

Reminded me a little of the films of Paul Schrader, with the disaffected, alienated, and angry man brooding at the world. The spin on this novel was the letters and the outside narrator. Well-written, and interesting, but kind of a downer.

Finally! An Asian American writer who has other themes!.......1998-12-03

Finally we get an Asian American writer who doesn't just write about race or ethnicity. Am I the only one getting tired of all that "woe is me" ethnic angst? This guy is writing some good fiction. Not "ethnic fiction" but GOOD fiction.

This is a strong novel........1998-08-13

I read Leonard Chang's first novel, The Fruit 'N Food, and thought it was okay. But this one is so sophisticated and interesting. I'm really curious to see what he does next.

epistolary tricks.......1998-06-04

This novel begins with the former biology teacher reading letters meant for a previous tenant, and soon envisions the life of the intended recipient. It's an ingenuous new angle on the epistolary novel, and this device shows us the strange possibilities of narration and storytelling. The main character, Gorden, is odious but compelling, and you watch him with a voyeuristic fascination as he slowly unravels. The narrator/writer, the other part of the story, comments and describes his own life that's an interesting counterbalance to Gorden's deteriorating life. A smart and fascinating book.

John K. Fairbank and His Critics in the Republic of China

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John K. Fairbank and His Critics in the Republic of China
Leonard H. D. Gordon , and Sidney Chang
Manufacturer: Journal of Asian Studies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Pamphlet
ASIN: B000NE6GIS

All Under Heaven: Sun Yat-Sen and His Revolutionary (Studies in Economic, Social, and Political Change, the Republic of China)

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All Under Heaven: Sun Yat-Sen and His Revolutionary (Studies in Economic, Social, and Political Change, the Republic of China)
Sidney H. Chang , Leonard H. D. Gordon , and Hsu-Hsin Chang
Manufacturer: Hoover Inst Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Electromagnetic Waves and Curved Structured (Iee Electromagnetic-Waves Ser No 2)

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Electromagnetic Waves and Curved Structured (Iee Electromagnetic-Waves Ser No 2)
Leonard Lewin , and Donald C. Chang
Manufacturer: Peter Peregrinus Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

All Under Heaven: Sun Yat-Sen and His Revolutionary Thought (Studies in Economic, Social, and Political Change, the Republic of China)

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All Under Heaven: Sun Yat-Sen and His Revolutionary Thought (Studies in Economic, Social, and Political Change, the Republic of China)
Sidney H. Chang , and Leonard H. D. Gordon
Manufacturer: Hoover Inst Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Bibliography of Sun Yat-Sen in China's Republican Revolution, 1885-1925

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Bibliography of Sun Yat-Sen in China's Republican Revolution, 1885-1925
Sidney H. Chang , and Leonard H. D. Gordon
Manufacturer: Univ Pr of Amer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Bibliography of Sun Yat-Sen in China's Republican Revolution, 1885-1925, Second Edition provides the most up-to-date and complete bibliography on the life and revolutionary career of Sun Yat-sen, including newly discovered works and correspondence. he materials include: bibliographical and reference works, the writings of Sun Yat-sen, articles, papers and symposia, translated works, documentary collections, doctoral dissertations, masters theses, selected newspaper and magazine accounts, and films and videotapes. Essential aquisition for libraries, research institutes, archives and those studying topics pertaining to Sun Yat-Sen and the late Qing and early Republican periods in China.

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