Stuff This Person Liked
Lorraine López’s hilarious and heartbreaking The Gifted Gabaldón Sisters: A Novel (Grand Central Publishing) hits the top of this year’s favorite reads. While the novel starts when the titular Gabaldón siblings are young and full of life, as it moves through time, the ache of lost loved ones, burning family secrets, and the harshness of adult realities creep in like a storm. Yet López’s book never loses its heart. And her ear for talk, particularly the convoluted conversations among family, simply delights. My second favorite read was the wickedly funny Stuff White People Like: The Definitive Guide to the Unique Taste of Millions (Random House) by Christian Lander. With entries such as “Being an Expert on Your Culture,” “Knowing What’s Best for Poor People,” and (my personal favorite) “Public Transportation That Is Not the Bus,” nonwhite readers will chortle with satisfaction until they hit entries such as “Coffee,” “The Sunday New York Times,” and “The Wire.” At this point, you realize Lander’s book is really an observation of a certain class of overeducated liberals/progressives of which you have matriculated, whether you like it or not. But if you’re really worried, you can take the “How White Are You?” test in the back of the book. You’ll have to translate to determine if you’re still down with la raza or have brothah/sistah cred, but what else is new? – Belinda Acosta
This article appears in 2008.
