The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
This novel tells the story of Oscar de Leon, an overweight Dominican boy growing up in New Jersey who is obsessed with science fiction, fantasy novels, and falling in love, but is perpetually unlucky in his romantic endeavors. The narrative not only explores Oscar's life but also delves into the lives of his family members, each affected by the curse that has plagued their family for generations. The book is a blend of magical realism and historical fiction, providing a detailed account of the brutal Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic and its impact on the country's people and diaspora.
The 154th greatest book of all time
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- Published
- 2007
- Nationality
- Dominican
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 300-400
- Original Language
- English
- Avg User Rating
-
(4.0)
- Alternate Titles
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- A Breve E Assombrosa Vida De Oscar Wao
- Het Korte Maar Wonderbare Leven Van Oscar Wao
- Het korte maar wonderbare leven van Oscar Wao
- La Breve Favolosa Vita Di Oscar Wao
- La Maravillosa Vida Breve De óscar Wao
If you're interested in seeing the ranking details on this book go here
This book is on the following 21 lists:
- 1st on The 21st Century's 12 Greatest Novels (BBC)
- 6th on A Premature Attempt at the 21st Century Canon (Vulture)
- 11th on The Millions: The Best Fiction of the Millennium (The Millions)
- 22nd on The New Classics - 100 Best Reads from 1983 to 2008 (Entertainment Weekly)
- 36th on 50 Books to Read Before You Die (Complex)
- 59th on The Greatest Books of All Time (Reader's Digest)
- 62nd on Harvard Book Store Staff's Favorite 100 Books (Harvard Book Store)
- 97th on The 100 Best Books of the Decade(2000) (Times)
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)
- 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime (Amazon.com (USA))
- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers (Parade)
- 22 of the Funniest Novels Since ‘Catch-22’ (New York Times)
- From Zero to Well-Read in 100 Books (Jeff O'Neal at Bookriot.com)
- Modern classics: 11 novels that belong in the classroom (Today.com)
- National Book Critics Circle Award - Fiction (National Book Critics Circle)
- Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (Pulitzer Prize)
- The 50 Books Everyone Needs to Read, 1963-2013 (Flavor Wire)
- The 75 Best Books of the Past 75 Years (Parade Magazine)
- The Best Books of the 2000s (The Onion AV Club)
- The Great American Novels (The Atlantic)
- The Great American Read (PBS)