Drown by Junot Diaz - Would like to discuss this book

[Indian Boy]

I just finished reading Drown, by Junot Diaz. The book consists of ten short stories about life in the Dominican Republic as well as life in New Jersey. I've never been much of a literature guy but lately, due to unemployment, I've been reading many books and this one really strikes me as a very well written book. I was wondering if anybody else has read this book, and if so I'd like to hear some other opinions.

[FalseReality]

I finished it last weekend. I really liked it, mostly because I'm from New Jersey (in fact one short story is named after my town of Edison) and readily recognize the places described.

The message I took out of the book is "life sucks everywhere;" that America is not a panacea or even a dream.

In the ten short stories, I didn't find much of the humor that he put into the Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which to me is far superior.

[annatak]

In many ways, Drown seemed like a study for what became Oscar Wao. The same edgy tone and raw vignettes are better developed in the plot and story of Oscar Wao.