Good Americans - Book Review

Good Americans by Tejas Desai offers devastatingly passionate portraits of individuals who represent today's jaded citizenry of America's society. It's a collection of stories about the great diversity that exist in America and how it effects the very fabric of our nation. With the world reeling from bloody conflicts driven by the unacceptance of divergent views, nationalities, religions or skin colors--Desai's book is a great study of how we must learn to accept and embrace diversity or live in a world of chaos. Desai probably didn't write Good Americans with the idea of having it mean anything more than viginettes of life in America, but I saw that the stories really expressed that diversity is real and growing and how it conflicts with the very nature of people who like the staus quo. Today prejudices are talked about more than ever, yet these feelings are ingrained in us as Desai's tale of Old Guido illustrated. Only time will really erase these prejudices--a long, long time. His first story is about an Italian who hates the changes to his neighborhood that have happened over the years. He no longer feels the pride he once felt about the community he has always lived in. Now it is a place where cultures coexist, giving most of its citizens a lingering sense of being either insiders or outsiders. I found his stories quite entertaining, especially "Bridgett's Brother", a tale that talked about gay life and even an ingrained feeling that someone of German descent has some sort of Nazi DNA still alive in their blood. I give the book two thumbs up. It is poignant, sad, entertaining and eye opening.

About Tejas Desai

Tejas Desai was born in New York City. He is a novelist, short story writer, blogger, educator, librarian, and the founder of The New Wei Literary Movement and Collective. He has won the Wesleyan Fiction Award, sponsored by Norman Mailer, and has been a honorable mention in the Princeton Poetry Contest. He holds both a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing/Literary Translation and a Master of Library/Information Science.

Other Books:

Comments