Every now and then, you’ll discover a book that makes you rethink the way literature ought to be written. Maybe this book has different writing style and pattern or it portrays its characters thoughts in a new light. Whatever the reason, this book opens up a new door of literature for you.

                Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, the author of Everything is Illuminated, is one such novel that, while its approach isn’t exactly new, the material is entirely original and that’s what makes it such an acclaimed read.

                The story revolves around three characters and the tragic yet incredible lives that they lead. Oskar, a nine year old boy whose father was killed in the 9/11 attack, is on a search for a lock that will fit the mysterious key his father left behind in an effort to bring himself healing. His grandmother is trying to cope with a family secret, and his grandfather is trying to remember what it’s like to feel human and reinstate himself with his family.

                It is through these characters that readers are able to examine and delve deep into the realm of human emotions; one of the most difficult concepts of the human psyche and everyday life.

The book actually came to me as a recommendation from a friend, and because she knew my literary preferences, convinced me to buy the book simply by stating, “Flip through the pages”. And simply upon complying with her request, I was able to see why Foer has been called “one of the most original writers of his generation”.

                Foer’s level of understanding of human emotions and their physical and psychological side effects is awe-inspiring, but it is his inclusiveness of photography, color and unique incorporation of thought processes through text is, for me, what makes this novel so worthwhile.

                While there are some authors who have begun to try and display the human thought process in their writing by making whole pages devoted to sentences or spotlighting certain words or expressions, few can compare to the writing style that Foer creates in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.

                The popularity of this book has won Foer numerous awards including the American Place Theatre’s Literature to Life Award, which included an adaptation of his novel into theater that was presented and hosted at Baylor University in Sept. of 2006.

                I would be more than happy to recommend Foer’s novel to anyone who enjoys the emerging trend of postmodern writing which challenges the technical limitations of a novel to create a more immersive work through the use of different types of media or anyone who thinks they would enjoy a work of unique fiction. Additionally, anyone who appreciates the concept of ‘multimedia’ and can handle an underlying feeling of despondency will (more than likely) love this novel.

                An any case, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is worthy of your attention.