Aloft (Hardcover)

By focusing on character, especially that of Jerry, rather than plot, and telling the story from Jerry's point of view, author Lee has created enormous challenges for himself. He must engage the reader's interest in a man who is not really interested in much of anything--a man who does not see family emergencies as the dramatic and heart-wrenching events that they would be to other people and who has no real interest in changing. So successful is the depiction of Jerry's phlegmatic point of view that the reader, too, may not see these events as very compelling or dramatic until Jerry himself starts to respond to them. Yet Lee's novel succeeds in its characterization. His depictions of Jerry and his family strike chords of recognition as he explores the universal questions of how we become the people we are and how we affect the generations which follow.

Beautifully written, and full of penetrating observations and felicitous turns of phrase, the novel is a sensitive and often painful exploration of the human condition, filled with characters who are utterly isolated at key turning points in their lives. Subtle in its development, and rich in imagery and obvious symbolism (Sir Harold Clarkson-Ickes's attempt to fly a balloon around the world, the Discovery Channel's story of the defeat of a lion king), this quietly complex novel by a prodigiously gifted author offers evidence that even a man as determined as Jerry Battle to remain above the fray must ultimately connect with the earth. Mary Whipple

His children also don't seem to know what to do with him. His son, Jack, is a solid guy who is married to an All-American blonde named Eunice, has two children and lives in a ridiculously over-decorated house they can't quite afford. Jack is running the family business into the ground but neglects to discuss this with Jerry directly. Theresa, who is by far a more colorful and interesting character, is Jerry's daughter. She is an overeducated professor, also cursed with thinking too much, and is engaged to Paul, an Asian-American poet who has a serious case of writer's block. Theresa calls her father by his first name and adamantly refuses treatment when she finds out she is simultaneously pregnant and has cancer.

All of this is compounded by the fact that Jerry unintentionally befriends strangers --- such as the couple who sell him his airplane --- but is removed from those he loves the most. Truth be told, everyone thinks Jerry is lazy and aloof. He ruminates about all the neighbors he was cordial with, all the girls he ran around with in his youth and anyone else who might have passed his way in 60-odd years of living. Yet Jerry feels he doesn't have real friends and tries desperately to get back together with Rita.

The novel starts off slowly. There are a lot of unnecessary details about minor characters and it's initially hard to feel sympathy for the protagonist. Once the conflicts of the story are presented and Jerry decides to take some action for once, the pace quickly picks up and doesn't dissipate. Though the story is plot-heavy and meanders right up until the last page (pg. 343), it is immensely readable. Whether it's a lunch celebrating Paul and Theresa's engagement or Jerry remembering his childhood, the details are so vivid and plentiful that the reader will relate to the Battles immensely, even if they've never met anyone like them.

This could have easily been a novel about illness, but Lee is nothing if not ambitious. The author of two previous, critically acclaimed novels about Asian-Americans, Lee tackles race from the perspective of privilege. Daisy was Asian, Jerry's children are half-Asian, Paul is Asian and Jerry has a co-worker whom he calls "the resident Hispanic." But by and large, everyone is white and, true to his character, Jerry thinks about race a lot and shares those thoughts with the reader. Not that Jerry focuses only on people of color. He is equally baffled by women, including Kelly, who hails from the South. Through reminiscences and dialogue, Jerry analyzes the way men treat women without delving into a decisive diatribe.

Chang-rae Lee could have easily (and understandably, depending on your perspective) written a story about how badly white men treat the rest of the world. In interviews, Lee has been quoted as saying that he identifies with his protagonist despite the racial and age differences (Lee is in his 30s). It shows. Lee has written a wonderful story about an imperfect family who love each other at the end of the day.

--- Reviewed by Jane Van Ingen

With wit and insight, Lee has created not only a memorable character, but an unforgettable novel. The interior nature of the first person narrative might disappoint readers looking for more pizzazz to the plot, but the intimacy created as Jerry leads the reader through his thoughts - on everything from his young wife's death to his father's "years of being a pigheaded domineering irascible bull in the china shop of life" to his tender. confused feelings for his son and daughter - makes up for the lack of action. The emotional depth Lee provides is stunningly full. Although the imagery can be heavy-handed with its references to flight and being grounded, Jerry's wry acknowledgment of these elements rescue them. The decadence of contemporary culture and the melting pot of Long Island provide strong foils to this novel essentially about a fifty-nine year old man coming of age.

Admittedly, this excellent novel is not for everyone. Its detailed examination of mundane but revelatory moments might get tedious for some. However, for those who like the quiet realism and intimacy of a man's struggle against his own nature, this will be one of the best novels of 2004.