I don't know why I don't always do this but I read a preview of all of the nominees; Goodreads makes it really easy. The only one I had to search on Amazon instead was Tirra Lirra by the Rirra...er, I mean River
.
Crusoe was out. I love desert island settings and this is one of my all-time favourite books but I've already read it.
I really like Cubano culture and music (and I love I Love Lucy
) but the preview swayed me away from The Mambo Kings. However, I wasn't initially planning to support The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz but the preview swayed me towards it.
I thought the same as Hamlet about the Puzo.
By the bye, I lived in Hell's Kitchen for awhile so that interests me. It's (of course) very different now, and basically completely gentrified.