Nights When Nothing Happened by Simon Han

 Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021--San Antonio

Nights When Nothing Happened by Simon Han was a TIME Must-Read 100 for 2020 and is about a family of Chinese immigrants to Texas (Houston and eventually Plano).  It's a story that will be relatable to quite a few immigrant families--initially a happy marriage between a man and a woman from two different classes who soon have a young son, a parent (in this case, the wife) who leaves their homeland to go to the U.S. for advanced studies and a chance to make a better life for them all, a husband who, after only 6 months, breaks the plan for him and the son to stay in China for 5 years until the wife has finished her studies and has an income, a husband who has a hobby that he hopes to turn into a career (although a career that has little success), the conflict that develops as the husband takes the main role caring for the children because his job is more flexible and hers is more important for supporting them all, a second child, a female, who is born after the 5 hard years of getting established in the US, discipline and behavioral problems that develop both at home and at school that relate back to the way the father was raised in China, etc.  Tied in with all of this are the mythical stories that are brought from China and shared with the children, the misconceptions about what is actually true that can develop due to love of one's family, etc.  For me, it was an up and down story that bored me at times and became exciting and interesting at other times.  Plus, there was a bit too much detail about Texas and, especially Plano; I think the author is too Texan and has bought into the boasting habit of Texans, especially the Dallas area where one constantly hears statements of citizens trying to confirm and to convince others of what a World Class City it is.  I gave the book 3 1/2 stars out of 5.