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Truly A Must-Have Book! I deliberated for quite some time about buying this book. I read Eugenides "The Virgin Suicides" and, though enjoying it, found it lacked somewhat. However, I eventually took the plunge with Middlesex, and it could be possibly the best decision I ever made. I don't usually go for novels that "span generations", as I often find them to be plodding and rather tiresome. Middlesex certainly is not. I was gripped from the first page and simply could not put it down. It is a lengthy tome but because you are captivated from the very start (with the fantastic opening line of "I was born twice...") and remain so until the very last word, it does not feel like an arduous journey through the pages. Eugenides writes in such a way that you truly feel you are living through the generations, that you are experiencing the same smells, sights and feelings as the main characters. Take for example, the description of Lefty's job on the production line in the Ford factory. The rhythmic, repetitive prose conjures up so perfectly the mechanics of the production line, that you feel as though you are actually working on it. Trust me, you will feel it! Middlesex is a marked departure from the almost-throwaway feel of The Virgin Suicides. Middlesex is a novel that will remain with you forever, more than worthy of its Pulitzer Prize. The story is great, the characterization is sublime...are you getting the impression I really enjoyed this book? Undoubtedly one of the best, if not the best, novels around, but try it for yourself! Pick up a copy! Another book I need to recommend -- completely unrelated to Eugenides, but very much on my mind since I purchased a "used" copy off Amazon is "THE LOSERS CLUB: Complete Restored Edition" by Richard Perez, an exceptional, highly entertaining little novel I can't stop thinking about.