Moonglow
by Michael Chabon
I know we run a column here on Ground Control called I Wanna Be Literated but the fact is we’re not literary guys here on the site. We know what we like, but we’re not going to argue for or against an Oxford comma, for example. One thing is clear, though: this reviewer definitely has a soft spot for Michael Chabon.
I first heard about Chabon on the Simpsons (again, we are NOT literary guys) and I’ll go on record as saying that the Yiddish Policemen’s Union is a more enjoyable book than Kavalier and Clay, even though the latter was broader in scope. Regardless, Michael Chabon has been able to churn out book after book and still keep impressing me after all these years (Gentlemen on the Road notwithstanding). He just knows how to write deep characters and tug at your heartstrings no matter what the themes might be: music, Jewish heritage, or World War II.
With Moonglow, Chabon stays the course while taking a more personal approach. Based (loosely?) around the life of his grandfather, Moonglow crafts its story while slowly piecing together the major events in his grandfather’s life. It’s like building a puzzle by slowly working on each corner. Moonglow has stories of war, friendship, love, madness and space travel and makes them all sweet, touching, funny, and unpredictable. You’ll even get a couple of twists to keep things interesting.
Whether you’re a fan of Chabon or not, this book will hit the spot as only he can. Moonglow manages to tell a story so big that it’s almost impossible to believe they ever fit inside one man.
Get it wherever you buy books.
