This Is How You Lose Her

As I was reading the book I kept thinking "Wow, this guy is a jerk."  The book is a collection of stories that, more or less, discuss the cheating ways of the main character, Yunior (whom I suspect is a loose depiction of the author).  He has a string of girlfriends and isn't faithful to any of them.  There are a few other stories, as well, dealing with his brother's death from cancer, his brother's cheating ways, and his father's cheating ways. It's almost as if cheating is an autosomal dominant trait in this family. As much as I was disgusted by his behavior, the writing is very good and more than disgust, I felt sadness for the main character by the end of the book.  The devolution of Yunior into a middle-aged man who only realizes what love is as he loses it, is nothing short of depressing.  I finished the book late last night and one of my first thoughts when I woke up this morning was about the book's ending.  As you know by now, any book that makes me think a little bit and stays on my mind even after the book is closed or the Nook is turned off is one I will recommend. I can't help but think that I enjoyed it for all the wrong reasons because I wasn't happy when I finished it; just sad for Yunior and for all the women who experienced his infidelity. The storytelling and the great writing that make you feel those emotions (sad or not) are what make the book worthwhile.