THE SUBMISSION: AMY WALDMAN

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I thought I would really like this book and I did.  I am going to miss it, something I rarely say about a book.  It centers on the controversy resulting from choosing Mohammad Khan, a Muslim's, design to honor those who died on 9/11.  Everything was done to include everyone interests in the decision, going so far as to come up with a jury, a blind draw, as fair as fair could be.  It just so happens that Mo as he's called in the novel, a Muslim American has the best design.  Everything results from this choice, as we see the effects this has on the families of those who died in 9/ll, Americans in general, and more closely, the effect on the lives of five people: Mo, the architect, Claire, the wife of a banker who died in the  attack, Sean, a blue collar worker, needy and out to prove he's as good as his brother who died, Paul, the astute, confident leader of the jury, and Asma, a poor illegal immigrant from Bangladesh, whose husband also died in the attack.  The five represent various points of view, in depth, and all must face the consequences of this choice: hate, intolerance, jingoism, the worst kind of patriotism, and yet, understanding, support, and empathy.  Whether the memorial gets built is the question, as politicians with lots to gain and lose step in as well.  I felt Waldman really understood the various points of view, and it was difficult to tell whose side she was on.  About 3/4's of the way through, I began to worry about how it would end, perhaps because I have read too many light novels lately with 'cheesy' endings.  Well, never fear, as it ended in a totally unexpected way, in short, perfectly for my taste.  Waldman writes wonderfully, appears to understand both the East and West, their strengths and weaknesses, and has constructed a tight, closely plotted novel, filled with insights into this multi cultural world. Read it!