Taken from the Little Free Library on Fernwood Drive in San Luis Obispo today.

A fascinating story of a Korean-American trying to navigate in both worlds. We tend to think that people whose parents are from another country can easily become "Americans" in all ways when they are born and raised in this country. But the traditions of the other society are still a part of the man. Traditions involve more than rituals or even physical acts, but include ways of thinking and doing.

So it is with Henry Park's father, who starts a "savings club" of sorts. With fellow Koreans he raises large amounts of money: each contributes a set amount every month, and one person gets to take the total. Every month (or is it week?) a different person gets the pot. Thus are many people able to obtain a large amount of cash to start a business or send a child to college or whatever they need. Sort of like a credit card without the horrendous interest.

Henry, meanwhile, falls into an unusual job. A type of spying, where he is assigned a person to investigate. He learns everything he can about the person, using whatever means are necessary. In the bulk of this book he is investigating a Korean-American politician. To get close to him he volunteers for his campaign and rises up the ladder. To what purpose? The investigators might guess but are not told why. What if he's investigating this person so that others might destroy him? Because his background as a Korean-American gives him special access, is he betraying his culture? His family?

These questions, along with those related to his marriage to a white woman, make for interesting thoughts. A good story with thoughtful undertones.

Inside the box!