Aloft Reviewed
INTRODUCTION
At 59, Jerry Battle is coasting through life. His favorite pastime is flying his small plane high above Long Island. Aloft, he can escape from the troubles that plague his family, neighbors, and loved ones on the ground. But he can't stay in the air forever. Only months before his 60th birthday, a culmination of family crises finally pull Jerry down from his emotionally distant course.
Since the day his wife died, Jerry has turned avoiding conflict into an art form—the perfect expression being his solitary flights from which he can look down on a world that appears serene and unscathed. From his comfortable distance, he can't see the messy details, let alone begin to confront them. But Jerry is learning that in avoiding conflict, he is also avoiding contact with the people he loves most.
Written with a captivating urgency, Aloft is a witty social critique of contemporary suburban America and a deft portrait of a man struggling to balance his responsibilities with his freedoms. It is the story of Jerry Battle learning to cope with life's messy details, and the redemption he finds when he finally chooses to immerse himself in them.
ABOUT CHANG-RAE LEE
Chang-rae Lee burst on the scene with Native Speaker, which won numerous awards, including the PEN/Hemingway Award. His second novel, A Gesture Life, established him as one of the preeminent writers of his generation. Now, with Aloft, Lee has expanded his range and proves himself a master storyteller, able to observe his characters' flaws and weaknesses and, at the same time, celebrate their humanity.
That is their take…now here is mine.
Honestly, there is nothing special or even unusual about the main character, Jerry. To me he resembles the typical, I'm-From-Mars-Man. I am not saying that ALL men are like Jerry…just that he resembles the stereotypical male that all of the Vagina Monologue man-hating jokes are based on. . He is self-centered and avoids situations that make him uncomfortable. He also avoids indepth conversations and can’t understand why the women, in his life, get so upset with him.
Personally, I never felt there was anything about this book that was unique (as the review implies) or captivating. I pretty much was ready for it to be done the minute I picked it up. I kept thinking, “this has to be going somewhere…this has to get better”.
So, without giving anything away, I will recommend this book, to you, only if it is being offered by a friend, free, for some long journey in which you need lots of books and don’t want to buy any. And, if your friend does not want the book back, then just leave it at your hotel so that you can save some room in your suitcase.
At 59, Jerry Battle is coasting through life. His favorite pastime is flying his small plane high above Long Island. Aloft, he can escape from the troubles that plague his family, neighbors, and loved ones on the ground. But he can't stay in the air forever. Only months before his 60th birthday, a culmination of family crises finally pull Jerry down from his emotionally distant course.
Since the day his wife died, Jerry has turned avoiding conflict into an art form—the perfect expression being his solitary flights from which he can look down on a world that appears serene and unscathed. From his comfortable distance, he can't see the messy details, let alone begin to confront them. But Jerry is learning that in avoiding conflict, he is also avoiding contact with the people he loves most.
Written with a captivating urgency, Aloft is a witty social critique of contemporary suburban America and a deft portrait of a man struggling to balance his responsibilities with his freedoms. It is the story of Jerry Battle learning to cope with life's messy details, and the redemption he finds when he finally chooses to immerse himself in them.
ABOUT CHANG-RAE LEE
Chang-rae Lee burst on the scene with Native Speaker, which won numerous awards, including the PEN/Hemingway Award. His second novel, A Gesture Life, established him as one of the preeminent writers of his generation. Now, with Aloft, Lee has expanded his range and proves himself a master storyteller, able to observe his characters' flaws and weaknesses and, at the same time, celebrate their humanity.
That is their take…now here is mine.
Honestly, there is nothing special or even unusual about the main character, Jerry. To me he resembles the typical, I'm-From-Mars-Man. I am not saying that ALL men are like Jerry…just that he resembles the stereotypical male that all of the Vagina Monologue man-hating jokes are based on. . He is self-centered and avoids situations that make him uncomfortable. He also avoids indepth conversations and can’t understand why the women, in his life, get so upset with him.
Personally, I never felt there was anything about this book that was unique (as the review implies) or captivating. I pretty much was ready for it to be done the minute I picked it up. I kept thinking, “this has to be going somewhere…this has to get better”.
So, without giving anything away, I will recommend this book, to you, only if it is being offered by a friend, free, for some long journey in which you need lots of books and don’t want to buy any. And, if your friend does not want the book back, then just leave it at your hotel so that you can save some room in your suitcase.
posted by Marlawanda at 4:52 PM
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