#27

Oscar Wao? Oscar WOW. A Dominican sci-fi geek and his cursed family who live in Paterson New Jersey are the focus of this wonderful novel, which also provides a mini-lesson in the history of a tortured island nation and its sordid dictator Trujillo. Junot Diaz writes an engaging snappy slang, and peppers his book with more geeky pop cultural references than a full season of Futurama. Funny, tragic, hip, and deserving of its Pulitzer.