Digging to America

by Anne Tyler

Paperback, 2007

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Genres

General Fiction

All Topics

Fiction

Publication

Ballantine Books (2007), Edition: X, Paperback, 304 pages

Description

Two families awaiting the arrival of their adopted infant daughters from Korea meet at the airport. The families lives become interwined after the Donaldsons, a young American couple invite the Yazdan's, Maryam, her son and his Iranian American wife to an arrival party, which becomes an annual event. Maryam, who came to this country thirty-five years earlier, feels her values threatened when she is courted by a newly widowed Donaldson. A penetrating light on the American way as seen from two perspectives, those who are born here and those who are still struggling to fit in.

Media reviews

The New York Times

in "Digging to America," Tyler's characters face the future, not the past, so she doesn't let the freight of personal history freeze their forward motion, although it sometimes slows them down.

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The Guardian

All these parties provide Tyler with the set pieces at which she so excels - although after the third or fourth farcical arrival ceremonies, the reader begins to tire of them as much as some of the family members. This also contributes to the sense in some of Tyler's more recent fiction that the

parts, deliciously funny and sharply observed, are more satisfying than the whole.

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The Independent

There is so much truth here, as Tyler strips away the issue of ethnic difference to reach the heart of her complex and compelling matter.

The Guardian

Point of view is passed on from chapter to chapter in a subtle dance. This is beautifully done, but the effect of multiple viewpoints is to muffle the distinctiveness of the first.

User reviews

LibraryThing member cbl_tn

A chance meeting at an airport arrival gate leads to a cross-cultural friendship between two adoptive families. One family is typically American, and the other is Iranian American. Both families have adopted Korean babies who arrive on the same flight. Each year the Donaldsons and Yazdans celebrate

their daughters' adoptions with an elaborate Arrival Party. Each year's party is viewed from the perspective of a different family member.

This was my first Anne Tyler novel. I didn't know what to expect when I started the book, and it was a pleasant discovery for me. I identified with most of the characters. Like the Yazdans, I've lived in a culture as an outsider. Like Maryam, I found it was easier to become friends with other cultural outsiders, even when we didn't share the same cultural background. Like the Donaldsons, I've helplessly watched the decline of a parent and grandparents caused by cancer. As a child, I was part of a welcoming party for an adopted cousin. I know several families who have adopted internationally and/or inter-racially. Reading this book reminded me of those relationships and experiences and how they have enriched my life.

Although I liked this book very much, I'm not sure it's one I'll read again. I think a lot of its impact came from the gradual revelations of character as the book progressed, as well as a few surprises along the way. I don't think a re-reading would have the same effect since I would know what's coming. Even though I won't be re-reading this one, I will be adding more of Tyler's work to my TBR list.

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24 more

LibraryThing member phoebesmum

A story of two quite different couples who happen both to adopt Korean orphans at the same time; it's about family, and friendship, and food, and love, and loss, and cultural identity, and, for that matter, it's about pride and about prejudice – but mostly it's about people, and it's beautiful.

LibraryThing member dreamreader

There was a time when the release of a new Anne Tyler or John Irving novel made my heart race with anticipation. However, her more recent works - Ladder of Years, Back When We Were Grownups, Amateur Marriage - fade in memory as an amorphous mass of sameness, while his have degenerated into aimless

ramblings that try the patience of his staunchest fans. Sad to see one's favorites lose their touch. With an entirely new array of characters, Digging to America held so much potential, but sadly became just something to fill the reading void while waiting for a much more promising work by a new favorite, Julia Glass. We are given a modicum of back-story for Sami & Ziba, and for Bitsy & Brad. Maryam is the central character, and yet she, too, despite Tyler's effort at character development, remains largely an enigma. The complexity of her budding romance with Dave is skimmed oh-so lightly, while a drawn-out farewell to a baby's binkies is detailed ad nauseam. And the ending just feels pasted on like a Lifetime movie approaching its time limit. Perhaps Ms. Tyler, like Mr. Irving, has simply exhausted her reservoir of talent. In the hands of a more energetic writer, Digging to America could have struck gold.

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LibraryThing member mbergman

Tyler never disappoints, though this one's a little different than her usual. She usually introduces quirky characters that I know I wouldn't like in real life & makes me care about what happens to them. This book begins with two families--one mainstream suburban extended family; one couple & the

man's mother, all Iranian immigrants--waiting at the Baltimore airport for the arrival of two Korena infants for adoption. We follow these families as they struggle to raise these girls & to develop an uneasy friendship through shared ritual occasions between the two extended families. Gradually, the story's focus shifts somewhat to the Iranian grandmother, who struggles with her "outsider" status in America, and her relationship with the widowed grandfather from the other family. Tyler is perhaps the most reliable writer I read regularly, & this book is no exception even though she's stretching herself.

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LibraryThing member DSlongwhite

Wonderful novel in typical Anne Tyler style. Two families meet at the airport as their adopted daughters are delivered from Korea. They become friends. The book follows their friendship for five years.

LibraryThing member booksbooks11

So, if you are longing for that feeling of being totally engrossed in a book go out and get this one. Anne Tyler is such a wonderful writer, her characters are just so real I was really living in this story. It's her 17th novel so I'm going to have to add a few more of hers to my list, so make that

1018 to go.
The themes are around cultural differences, emmigration, assimiliation and also family and personal relationships - so are there any others left? I loved the portrayal of the infatuation of a couple, particlarly the wife with another family; but mainly the grandmother and narrator is such a warm and realistic character.
I'd like to know more about Anne Tyler, did she come from another cultural background, because her insights into assimilliation just seem so poignant.
So now I've started on Kafka by the Shore, so then I can finally start crossing off the 1001 list; it by the way has really grabbed me. Isn't reading just a million times better than TV, how many shows can you say you really enjoy, most of it is a bunch of mind numbing rubbish. Books on the other hand, are a whole different story.

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LibraryThing member harveywals

In my experience, Anne Tyler is ALWAYS worth reading, and this novel is no exception. AT has a way of communicating the vulnerabilities of her characters that makes us care deeply about them. She's funny and refreshing in her outlook on the human condition. This story of two families - one white,

one Iranian, who develop a friendship after adopting baby girls from Korea on the same day, is poignant and satisfying.

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LibraryThing member KarentheLibrarian

I am not a big fan of Anne Tyler, but as an adoptive parent, I really enjoyed this book.

LibraryThing member seasidereader

It's been about a decade since I read an Anne Tyler, and I think that perhaps with her work more than some others', where one is with life experience and attitudes influences how well it is received.
Digging to America had me laughing out loud listening to the marvelous narrator (Recorded Books,

available as a rental) render Bitsy's relentless optimism, and in Tyler's hands, the detailed descriptions of everyday life, imparted with massive doses of dialog, manage to escape becoming tedious.

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LibraryThing member TPLThing

Anne Tyler’s latest novel on two topics immigration & adoption is really very interesting. It begins with two families meeting at Baltimore airport, both awaiting the arrival of their adopted daughters from Korea. The story follows the two families, one an American family & the other an Iranian

American family. Tyler’s subtle observations about the immigrants & the way they try to assimilate themselves to the American life is perfect.The characters seem so real & believable. The story seems to slow down with the day to day descriptions, but keeps up to an interesting ending.

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LibraryThing member mhgatti

Digging To America (like 2004's The Amateur Marriage), is noticeably different from her earlier work. This change in tone (to a much more serious one) and scope (still centered on families, but taking on society's larger issues) may reflect a post nine-eleven worldview or perhaps is just a natural

maturation of Tyler's writing style. Whatever the reason, the change allows readers to better appreciate Tyler despite (or more likely, due to) not knowing what to expect style-wise.

Unlike Tyler's usual exploration of her character's role in their family, Digging uses the adoption of two Asian babies by two dissimilar families to explore one's place in their family and their country (both their native and adopted). The two families become friends but raise their children quite differently, all the while keeping an eye on how their child's development compares to the other's. Tyler also spends quite a bit of time on the grandparents to show how a parent's upbringing affects their own childraising methods.

Even though issues are taken more seriously and more directly here than in past Tyler books, it's just as well written as her previous novels. You might think more and laugh less, but Tyler's writing is just as strong and enjoyable in Digging as it is in the best of her earlier works.

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LibraryThing member libmhleigh

In 1997, two infant girls were adopted from Korea by American families. One family, the Donaldsons, are determined to raise their daughter Jin-Ho with as much of her native culture as possible, while the others, the second-generation Iranian-American Yazdans, attempt to make their new daughter, and

themselves, as American-seeming as possible. There night the girls arrive on the same plane bonds the two families together, as they celebrate a commemorative “arrival party” every year. Although they do not always understand one another, they do become aware that they each have a lot to learn from the other.

Quote: “The child asleep in Polly’s lab bore almost no connection to the baby on the screen. The sudden ache she felt was very like grief, as if that first Jin-Ho had suddenly passed out of existence.”

I thought this book was excellent- definitely one that I could come back to. Experiencing the same process and life events with two different- very different- families was interesting, particularly because they are continually drawn to each other. The book follows individuals from four distinct cultures: the U.S., Iran, Korea, and, eventually, China, and considers their “Americanness” and their “otherness” together- how they have a huge number of differences, but are ultimately the same.

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LibraryThing member goldiebear

I had a hard time relating to certain topics in the book, but others just seem to hit home. I have never been a big "baby" person personally. So for me, I get bored when that seems to be the topic at the time. But on the other hand, working with immigrant and refugees, I love the story line of the

Iranians, especially the mother.

I did however enjoy the character development. Tyler does an excellent job at letting the reader get a glimpse into each characters world. It adds a lot of depth to the book.

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LibraryThing member bobbieharv

One of her best later books, though more serious and not as funny as her very early ones. About two couples, one Iranian and one American, who each adopt Korean babies and the cultural assimilation process. Astute observations of Americanism.

LibraryThing member momofpets

Liked this very much, finished it in three days.
No central character but you get involved with each one and form your opinions about them. About 2 families adopting Korean children and their lives.

LibraryThing member LadyN

Two culturally differing couples adopt babies from Korea, and forge a friendship based only on this common ground.

I very much enjoyed this book, although it didn't quite take me in the direction I expected to go. Despite the very different attitudes to raising their adopted children, I felt that

the two families still inhabited a very insular world, with little or no influence any source other than their own families.

That said, I don't think the characters could have developed in the way they did had it not been for that seeming isolation from external influence forcing them to forge relationships only with each other.

Tyler has created some beautifully drawn characters - the older generation particularly, and I would recommend Digging to America as a quick, fun read.

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LibraryThing member banksh99

A good read, easy reading, nothing deep. I always enjoy Anne Tyler. I enjoyed the insights into Iranian-Americans.

LibraryThing member Daisydaisydaisy

An enjoyable read. I liked the insights into immigrant life and cultural differences.

LibraryThing member franoscar

New (2007) book about adopting babies from Korea. Apparently, from the reviews, the adoption stuff is very badly distorted. Plus the characters are made of cardboard, they aren't people but just collections of characteristics.

LibraryThing member jules72653

I didn't love this book. It grew tiresome and I was glad when it was over.

LibraryThing member Twynnie

The characters in this are the focus of the book and all are believable if not always likable. They are very human.

The Donaldsons and Yazdans meet at the airport as each family picks up a tiny Korean baby to become a part of their family. They forge an uneasy friendship and a year later Bitsy

Donaldson creates the arrival day 'tradition' which brings the extended families together year after year. The differences between the two families and how they still manage to build meaningful relationships is what the book is all about. Bitsy is typical pushy Mother, she disapproves of Ziba Yazdan working and sending her daughter to playschool, she insists on planning the arrival celebration 'her way' when it is staged at her house, despite what others suggest. She also insists on dressing her daughter in Korean outfits and keeping her original name ('Jin Ho). The Yazdans on the other hand immerse their daughter in their own hybrid American/Iranian culture and rename her 'Susan'. Neither of the children seems to suffer from the differences (although Jin Ho is determined to rebel against the Korean outfits and arrival day video) and they become sharply drawn individuals as much as the adults in the story do, each with their own distinct personality.

A major theme of this book is 'foreignness' and how the characters react to it. Maryam (Sami Yazdan's Iranian Mother) in particular is very conscious when other people react to her 'foreignness) and this is a stumbling block for her blossoming relationship with Dave (Bitsy's Dad). Jin Ho's rebelling against arrival day is basically from the same root - a desire for her 'foreignness' not to remarked upon above anything else.

The book doesn't have a driving plotline but just covers the lives of the families for the first few years after the girls arrive. It is all based on small observations of the everyday lives of the families and their interactions. This a not a book fo rthose who need books to be 'about' something or those who only like fast-paced plots. On the other hand it is perfect for those who enjoy getting to know each new set of characters and following their lives at a more leisurely pace.

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LibraryThing member kitch240

not enough conflict for me. Character development is a little weak. Couldn't figure out what it was about, or who it was about. Don't think I'll try Anne again - 2 strikes and she's out for me.

LibraryThing member carmarie

I really enjoyed this book. If you can believe, this was my first Anne Tyler book that I read, even though I have many of her titles, yet never got to them. This one grabbed me from the start! I loved the way she really dug deep and you saw each character clearly, without judgement. I will now READ

all those other Ane Tyler books that are collecting dust on my shelf!!

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LibraryThing member kambrogi

Anne Tyler reaches a bit beyond her usual population when she investigates the lives of two Baltimore couples who adopt Korean babies. One of the couples is a classic WASP family reaching beyond their own stereotypes, and the others are young members of an Iranian immigrant community. Both of the

extended families are also very much a part of the mix, so the young couples’ lives reach out to impact numerous others. The story begins when the two families meet at the airport on the day they will receive their babies, and continues to document the friendship they forge as the years pass, the children grow up, and the families weather the usual crises, celebrations, deaths and misunderstandings. Like all of Tyler’s tales, it is a simple but thoughtful story, full of human growth, but not high-speed action. Ultimately, it examines what it means to be American, and how each member – native-born or not – must forge his or her own path to membership, his or her own definition of national identity. I thought it was excellent.

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LibraryThing member autumnesf

An interesting book about two families that adopt from Korea (and later one from China) that become friends. One of the families is your average middle class American and the other family is made up of immigrant Iranians. The thing that brings the families together is meeting at the airport when

the Korean adoptee's are delivered to their new families, and one family makes it a point to start a relationship and celebrate "Arrival Day" for the girls. As adoptive parents, you will recognize the familiar clashes in child raising practices between the two families (working vs. non-working mothers, etc.) and seeing how the girls assimilate into their new families. Also, you get a look at how the Iranian immigrants adapt to life in America and how some always feel very much like an "other" instead of fitting in. That aspect is interesting as the adoptee's will also deal with this in some form as they grow up. I wonder if the Iranian parents will be more in-tune to those feelings when the children are older?

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