The brief and wondrous life of Oscar Wo

June 9, 2008 – 12:57 am

Junot Diaz’ Pulitzer Prize-winning novel headed for big screen

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Saturday, May 3rd 2008, 12:19 PM

Dominican author Junot Diaz announced Friday that Miramax is turning his Pulitzer Prize-winning book into a movie, but that he worries how the story will be portrayed.

Diaz, who lives in New York City, told reporters that he doubts Americans could make a good Dominican movie and that they likely will not employ any Dominican actors.

Diaz said he has intentionally become more isolated, rarely going out after winning the fiction prize for his novel, “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao ~~ a tragic but humorous story of desire, politics and violence among Dominicans at home and in the United States.

The 39-year-old said he plans to write another book that will be completely different from his first novel, which took him a decade to write.

Diaz also said his book will be translated into Spanish and that he hopes it will not lose its essence.

Diaz left the Dominican Republic at age 7 and moved with his family to New Jersey.

Spokane Public Library owns copies of the novel in print, Large Type and audiobook. Check it out!