Digging to America
Tyler, AnneTwo families meet by chance at the Baltimore airport when their adopted Korean daughters arrive on the same flight from Asia. The Donaldsons personify American middle-class suburbia, while the younger Yazdans are part of a large and lively Iranian immigrant community. Bitsy Donaldson impulsively invites the Yazdans to an "arrival party", and the annual multicultural party for the girls becomes a shared tradition. The families and their sometimes eccentric relatives become ever more closely linked. But, when Bitsy's widowed father begins to show romantic interest in the Yazdan grandmother, cultural differences are brought to a head.
Comments from Groups
Great read, everyone enjoyed and made for a good discussion. Auckland 157 Thought it was a good 'light read'. Lots of discussion about traditions, cultures and expectations. Coromandel 003 Very mixed on this...what was liked was the description of 'ordinary' everyday life in very insightful observations. Auckland 230 Great discussion on immigrant communities and transitions to new places but overall this book didn't live up to expectations. We had previously enjoyed other books by Anne Tyler. Morrinsville 001 Generally considered an easy read. Disappointed there wasn't more about the adopted girls. Tauranga 019 We enjoyed Ms. Tyler's ability to develop characters rather than racial stereotypes. Auckland 105
Pages
277
277
Year
2006
2006
Reviews
28-09-2022
Group discussion was very positive about the book. Written well and an interesting portrayal of the two families involved, and how they raised their overseas adopted children.
29-06-2022
A great read.
29-01-2021
Most people liked the book although some had reservations, and thought it was not the best she'd written. The assimilation of all the different cultures was fascinating.
29-01-2021
Our group was split about this book. Some were disappointed that there was not more about the adoption of the two Korean orphans to the land, and the families they found themselves in. Others enjoyed the humour of the story and the characters.The question as to what is "national identity" is a fixed one, even here in New Zealand.
29-01-2021
All were disappointed that there was nothing about the children as such ( their perspective). But there were interesting stories of each family.
29-01-2021
Opinion divided over this book! Some thoroughly enjoyed it, others less so!
29-01-2021
Most enjoyed but found the ending less so; the chapter on the "dummy party" was a bit long and involved and off the topic. We wanted to know what the girls were like when they were older.
29-01-2021
We all enjoyed this book as we all enjoy Anne Tyler's writing. This is no exception. All the characters were likeable, despite their quirks and human qualities, which Tyler portrays so well. The everyday events that are described are interesting in their detail and funny eg. the dummy episode! However, there were serious themes of adapting to a different culture, preserving the customs of one's upbringing and the conflicts that this can present at times. A satisfying read.
29-01-2021
There were mixed responses to this book e.g. The author didn't take the opportunity to give background on adoption processes; but some people loved the story and thought it was an interesting comment on immigrants and their challenges.
06-11-2019
This book (and its themes) was enjoyed by the group. It led to some good discussion on migration and belonging!
15-07-2019
An interesting reflection on mixes of culture and different relationships. It isn't really about the adopted kids but about the people around them. It is about love and many different ways of being together.
22-06-2019
A very popular choice, enjoyed by everyone in the group, plus a good discussion book.