by Chang-rae Lee
This is a family drama---which usually means a "chick lit" type of book. However, make no mistake: this is a guy's book. Even more specifically, it is a middle aged guy's book. I doubt that I would have found much to interest me if I read this at 20, but at 50 it resonated as closely as stories ...
Aloft is narrated by Jerry Battle, a retired landscaper with two grown children, whose girlfriend of 20 years has just left him for a childhood rival. Jerry has a laissez-faire attitude towards life, never investing much in relationships with his family and friends. Living 'Aloft', as it were, until...