The birth of a child is a life altering experience that not everyone has the privilege to behold. For the Yazdan and the Donaldson families, it is a dream that will never be fulfilled. Instead, they independently choose to adopt a Korean orphan unknowingly making their chosen one a part of not one family, but quite blessedly two. As fate would have it, one blustery winter evening the families, strangers to one another, find themselves together at the Baltimore/Washington International Airport awaiting the arrival of their respective baby girls. Noticeably, each has anxieties and doubts as to what will become of their future as they embark on a journey of parenthood. Bitsy and Dave Donaldson are a stereotypical W.A.S.P. couple equipped with their huge extended family and elaborate gathering just biting at the bit to envelope this forsaken child into the fold. On the other hand, Ziba and Sami Yazdan, a stunningly attractive Iranian American couple, are trying their best to assimilate to a foreign culture that keeps tabs on them as if they were a lab specimen under the microscope ready to burst. What enfolds is a poignant story of two unique families with unusual circumstances that are haphazardly drawn together and who become an integral part of each other's lives. From romance to sickness, these families are forced to deal with all of the injustices life throws their way while maintaining their dignity and pride as individuals as well as friends. Not surprisingly, Anne Tyler once again delivers a spell bounding tale of courage and love that will not only please her fans, but also capture their hearts. From her descriptive writing to her masterful dialogue, DIGGING TO AMERICA is a sure winner.

Book Summary

Two families, who would otherwise never have come together, meet by chance at the Baltimore airport – the Donaldsons, a very American couple, and the Yazdans, Maryam’s fully assimilated son and his attractive Iranian wife. Each couple is awaiting the arrival of an adopted infant daughter from Korea. After the instant babies from distant Asia are delivered, Bitsy Donaldson impulsively invites the Yazdans to celebrate: an “arrival party” that from then on is repeated every year as the two families become more and more deeply intertwined. Even Maryam is drawn in – up to a point. When she finds herself being courted by Bitsy Donaldson’s recently widowed father, all the values she cherishes – her traditions, her privacy, her otherness–are suddenly threatened.

A luminous novel brimming with subtle, funny, and tender observations that immerse us in the challenges of both sides of the American story.