Two weeks into summer vacation, and I've knocked off two books (and 1200+ essays): Bloomsday by Christopher Buckley and Greetings From Bury Park by Sarfraz Manzoor.
Buckley's responsible for Thank You For Smoking, and Bloomsday finds him in familiar satirical territory. This time, a young PR rep puts together a modern-day modest proposal to handle the challenge of an aging American population. It seems there are too many Baby Boomers who are sucking up the nation's Social Security funds. Her solution? Voluntary Transistioning. I'll let you figure it out.
Manzoor's memoir describes his quest to discover himself through the music of Bruce Springsteen. Born in Pakistan then raised in England, Mazoor is caught between the traditions of his homeland and the pull of Western culture. While he peppers his story with Springsteen anecdotes, the memoir is a rather uneven effort. For me, it's a lack of a clear voice in his writing. Having said that, it's still a good read, as Manzoor's story begins to jell in the final few chapters.
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