I have a tendency of reading more than one book at a time. Right now, Chang-Rae Lee’s A Gesture Life is sitting on my nightstand. It’s what I’m reading at home. Judy Fong Bates’ Midnight at the Dragon Café is in my bag. It gets read everywhere else, especially in my car as I wait for my daughter during her piano lessons and band practice.
Lee, a Korean-American writer, immigrated to the States in 1965. A Gesture Life weaves some heavy issues into the storytelling, including the treatment of Korean comfort women by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II – something the protagonist witnessed during his years of military service. Needless to say, it has a profound effect on him that lasts a lifetime.
Fong-Bates is a Chinese-Canadian writer. I’m only a couple of chapters into Midnight at the Dragon Café, which was recommended to me by a friend. The book was the 2011 One Book Community Read for the city of Toronto.
Category: General, Recommended Books Tagged: american writers, asian-canadian, books, chang rae lee, cultural stories, korean-american writer, literature, reading, recommended books
i wonder where i can purchase your book CORNERED.
Hi there. The book has not yet been published. I’ve signed with a publisher and am in the process of working through revisions. Thank you for your interest. I don’t have a specific date of publication yet, but will post it as soon as I know.