First English novel to read in years

Today's work in the library was kind of rewarding. While searching for overseas Chinese scholars, I came across a familiar name: Ha Jin, Boston University professor/writer/poet. I first got to know him a few weeks ago in a magazine in-depth report that was about his new novel: A Free Life. After he came to the US in 1984, he began to write about China only in English, according to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ha_Jin). Already he has won a number of prestigious literature awards and solidly established his position in the American literary circles. Very impressive track record. I was amazed at his ability to write widely acclaimed novels and poems with an acquired language. A very limited number of people can do that, as I have learned.

Luckily, I later found our library has a rather complete collection of his works. Almost on impulse, right after work, I rushed to the seventh floor and grabbed that A Free Life, an over-600 page novel about a Chinese immigrant and his ordeal in the US in order to find inner freedom.

It will be the first English novel that I've ever read in years (shame on myself). I hope it will be an enjoyable reading experience, and I hope it can be a sort of spur to push me to keep reading something in English every day.