Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning is a profound exploration of the Asian American experience by Cathy Park Hong, a poet and essayist celebrated for her incisive social commentary. This book is not just a memoir; it’s an unflinching cultural critique that invites readers to navigate the complexities of identity, emotion, and race in America.
This New York Times Bestseller has been lauded as a Pulitzer Prize Finalist and received the National Book Critics Circle Award. It is a unique blend of personal narrative and cultural insight, which Hong adeptly refers to as "minor feelings"—those unsettling emotions that arise when societal optimism collides with personal truth.
Cathy Park Hong shares her journey as the daughter of Korean immigrants, articulating the shame and melancholy that often accompany this identity. The book is a fearless confrontation of deep cultural questions surrounding family, friendship, art, and politics. In chatting with these themes, Hong uses her own life as a lens to expose thorough truths about racialized consciousness in contemporary America.
Praise for Minor Feelings:
“Brilliant . . . To read this book is to become more human.” —Claudia Rankine
“Powerful . . . [Hong] combines her memoir with essays that reflect on broader historical and contemporary contexts.” —Salon
Now in development as a television series starring and adapted by Greta Lee, Minor Feelings has been named as one of Time's 10 Best Nonfiction Books of the Year and has received accolades from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and many other prestigious outlets. Hong’s writing, rich with humor and intellect, captivates readers while urging them to reconsider the intricacies of identity.
In summary, Minor Feelings is an emotionally charged narrative that not only chronicles the author’s life but also challenges readers to engage with the pressing questions of race and belonging in America today. It’s a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the lived realities behind racial identities.
