Good Movie Gooder Book

The Motel

We watched a very good movie last night which we (of course) had to work at getting a copy of (lovely grammar). "The Motel" I probably describe a lot of movies like this, but it was funny and touching & the actors all were fabulous. It's about a 13 year old Chinese boy who is discovering his personality and his sexuality, oh and he lives with his mother and grandfather (and little sister) in a sleazy by-the-hour motel--his mom owns it & he cleans the rooms. It actually dovetails nicely with the book I'm going to recommend in the next paragraph.

Shortcomings

This was all over the Internet a short while ago. It was reviewed on Salon. It got a starred "signature" review in Publisher's Weekly. It was on the notable books list in NYTBR. It even appeared on my Yahoo homepage (we have Salon linked in). So I made my library buy it & had to check it out. It's about Asian American Ben who runs a cinema and his girlfriend Miko who helps put on an Asian American film festival (The Motel could have been featured there)...and the end of their relationship. It's also about sex and sexuality and race and self-esteem. Ben is such an asshole, but you don't hate him...And it features the best (worst) old joke I had never heard: "What's the difference between caucasian men and asian men?" (If you don't know, read the book for the answer, Ha!) Absolutely excellent characterizations & great art. And I have to get back in touch with my old friend Wendy Littler because it takes place near her initial college (Mills)...where Ben's lesbian best friend prowls fo "Freshwomyn." Fantastic!