Annie Choi

I think the person who recommended this book to me thought I would really relate to the author, who, like me, was also born in 1976 to a couple who recently immigrated from South Korea to Southern California. But really, I didn't. Some of her stories sounded familiar to Margaret Cho, who I actually adore. But this subject does not appeal to me in a memoir. This is just something my friends and I laugh over a couple of pitchers of Hite and soju cocktails. Actually, I spent most of the book wondering how two similar beginnings could have two such different outcomes.… (mais)

This book was so-so. It wasn't the best memoir I've ever read but it certainly wasn't the worst (COUGH [b:Klonopin Lunch: A Memoir|13153472|Klonopin Lunch A Memoir|Jessica Dorfman Jones|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333576864s/13153472.jpg|18331644] COUGH).

Annie is just about as stereotypical as you could get, in a lot of ways. A vegetarian Berkeley graduate who disappoints her Korean parents, frequently. There were some cute essays that really make you adore her parents, but she herself sounds like a very boring person to know.

She wrote about trips to Korea that she didn't appreciate, she wrote about family functions that made herself out to be a really spoiled bratty woman. (She threw fits about not getting to have her coffee, argued with her Mom about dressing conservatively to family functions). She really ended up coming off fairly unlikable.

That being said, I grew up around a fair amount of Korean families and friends. So there were many parts of the book that were funny, endearing or just awkward enough to make you chuckle. I'd say that anyone who has had experience/exposure to cultural flubs will enjoy this book a lot more than those who haven't.
… (mais)