This is How You Lose Her

Junot Diaz was recently quoted: "Mother****ers will read a book that's 1/3 Elvish, but put two sentences in Spanish and white people think we're taking over." It is a funny quote. He is reacting to some people's comments regarding his writing style, which peppers Spanish words and sentences throughout his narrative. This style is evident in his latest collection of stories entitled "This is How You Lose Her." These connected stories tell of a Dominican family that emigrates to Northern New Jersey in the late 1970s or early 1980s. The stories are told either in the first or second person and pop with energy, passion and wit. Some of my non-Spanish speaking friends find the "Spanglish" device annoying at times, but appreciate the authenticity that the author brings to the characters' voices. There are some stereotypical depictions of Dominican men as cheaters and the women being either long suffering or opportunistic. However, the protagonist's journey is fascinating. Yunior is clearly an alter ego for the author. His arrival as a child in the US, his assimilation into American society, his adolescent and early adulthood struggles, mistakes and adventures with his family and girls form the emotional core of these stories. At his root, Junot Diaz is exploring what it means to be an American. It is wrong to think about these simply as Latin stories. These are American stories.