The Born Identity

With a disappointingly pat resolution, The English American dips its toe into the "chick lit" genre. Its saving grace, however, is an absorbing plot that tackles real issues of identity and sense of belonging. Author Alison Larkin's tread in the shallow end can be forgiven because for the most part, the book is an entertaining and accessible read about a transatlantic search for self.

Larkin is an actress, stand-up comedian and writer, and her book is loosely based on her own one-woman show by the same name. The story unfolds through the eyes of Pippa Dunn whose untidy, artistic nature has never quite gelled with her British family. So she sets off to reconnect with her American birth parents, and in doing so drastically alters the course of her life.

The English American solidly describes the opposing pulls of two drastically different cultures. Dunn's American mother has aggressive and turbulent emotions whereas her English parents' affections are more reserved. In the midst of all the pond-jumping, Dunn realizes two things: There is no limit on the amount of love a person can give and receive in life, and being who you are doesn't require a genetic explanation.