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Title: Funny, fascinating--a great read
Review: Stop the publishing industry, I want to get off! By shoveling out tons of derivative crap like Nicole Krauss' "History of Love," real gems are getting overlooked. Despite the off-putting title, "Harmony Silk Factory" is one such gem, a very pleasant surprise that much outperforms the ritualistic pap that's come to dominate so much "Asian-American fiction." Tash Aw is a truly gifted writer who manages to weave together fascinating tidbits of Malaysia's history and culture with the story of a screwed-up family. Best of all, he tells the story in the voice of a terrific, stereotype-busting character-a pedantic, vain and genuinely funny riff on a dutiful son, a kind of Tristram Shandy who finds himself in Southeast Asia. None of these all-wise, all-suffering stock characters who have come to dominate this psuedo-genre. Aw is a great talent, and I hope he finds the readers he deserves. Please try this book!
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