Crossing California

Crossing California
by Adam Langer

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Book Summary Information

Author: Adam Langer
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2005-05-03
ISBN: 1594480818
Number of pages: 512
Publisher: Riverhead Trade

Book Reviews of Crossing California

Book Review: Surprisingly entertaining
Summary: 4 Stars

I will be the first to admit that I expected to hate this book. It seems to be everything in a novel I dislike, from the slightly pompous blurb that implies deep meaning and intensity all the way to a subject I didn't think would interest me in the slightest (especially reading the other reviews). Now, as a disclaimer, I know nothing about the neighborhood this is purported to take place in, so I treated it as a complete work of fiction. Whether or not it is an accurate portrayal does not figure in my review.

And while I am usually very much a plot person (I mostly enjoy very plot-driven books), this novel intrigued me. Perhaps it was the blend of characters (some hated, some liked, and some that swung between the two), the good dialogue, or the subtle plotline... or a combination of all three. Because despite being a rather slow, lazy novel, it was very compelling. If you want to use a worn out clich? of a phrase it's a 'slice of life' novel, presenting you with a small window into the lives of these people. Were some of the situations outrageous? Yes. Unbelievable? Yes. Entertaining? Yes.

It's interesting that I read this as part of a book club, and those that thought they would like it (the more refined literature group) did not enjoy it as much as I did. It almost feels like this book is slightly off-marketed. So if you don't think it's your cup of tea, try it, you might be surprised. I'd liken it to... (if you'll pardon the crossing of mediums) those teenager sitcoms. Bits of That 70s Show and The Wonder Years sort of thing.

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Summary of Crossing California

Set in Chicago's Jewish neighborhood of West Rogers Park, this is the story of three families--adults and children alike--coming of age during the tumultuous, turbulent days of the Iran hostage crisis. At the close of the 1970s, the Rovners, the Wasserstroms, and the Wills-Silvermans will have to shed their pasts to cross into that new, shining decade of hope: the 80s.

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