Minor Feelings : : an Asian American Reckoning

Locations
Call Number: Adult Book / Nonfiction / Biography / Literary / Hong, Cathy Park, 921 Hong, Cathy
On Shelf At: Malletts Creek Branch, Westgate Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Malletts Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / Biography / Literary / Hong, Cathy Park	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / Biography / Literary / Hong, Cathy Park	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / Biography / Literary / Hong, Cathy Park	4-week checkout	Due 03-27-2024
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	921 Hong, Cathy	4-week checkout	Due 05-13-2024
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	921 Hong, Cathy	4-week checkout	Due 05-06-2024
Traverwood Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Nonfiction / Biography / Literary / Hong, Cathy Park	4-week checkout	Due 05-22-2024

"Asian Americans inhabit a purgatorial status: neither white enough nor black enough, unmentioned in most conversations about racial identity. In the popular imagination, Asian Americans are all high-achieving professionals. But in reality, this is the most economically divided group in the country, a tenuous alliance of people with roots from South Asia to East Asia to the Pacific Islands, from tech millionaires to service industry laborers. How do we speak honestly about the Asian American condition--if such a thing exists? Poet and essayist Cathy Park Hong fearlessly and provocatively confronts this thorny subject, blending memoir, cultural criticism, and history to expose the truth of racialized consciousness in America. Binding these essays together is Hong's theory of "minor feelings." As the daughter of Korean immigrants, Cathy Park Hong grew up steeped in shame, suspicion, and melancholy. She would later understand that these "minor feelings" occur when American optimism contradicts your own reality--when you believe the lies you're told about your own racial identity. With sly humor and a poet's searching mind, Hong uses her own story as a portal into a deeper examination of racial consciousness in America today. This intimate and devastating book traces her relationship to the English language, to shame and depression, to poetry and artmaking, and to family and female friendship. A radically honest work of art, Minor Feelings forms a portrait of one Asian American psyche--and of a writer's search to both uncover and speak the truth"-- Provided by publisher.

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

This is how you may feel... submitted by younhee on July 29, 2020, 5:16pm The author encourage us to open our heart, listen to what we’re feeling, speak up our feeling and stand up together. This is a must-read to wake our consciousnesses about racism.

Upsetting and Powerful, NEcessary submitted by sVfGI7Glt2pz7GZgVB90 on August 4, 2020, 10:18pm A touching examination of Asian-American identity, a very popular theme among authors who've immigrated to America. Identity, ethnic groups, individuality, and neoliberalism and what it means not be white and still belong. A tender cue to reminiscing upon my own journey of discovery of belonging as an immigrant.

Excellent addition to anti-racism pantheon submitted by mowjac on March 27, 2021, 8:37pm "Being awake is not a singular revelation but a long-term commitment fueled by constant reevaluation"--page 192
Learning more about being Asian in America, in particular from Korea, expands anti-racism work beyond white and black. While it does get a bit into art world esoterica, Hong's sure voice is a good beginning for explorations on Asian identity in America.

Powerful submitted by gracekil on June 10, 2022, 7:02pm Wow so powerful and eloquent. Life changing

Slug to get through submitted by bjkoch on July 15, 2022, 1:53pm takes time to get into it

Interesting Viewpoint submitted by jangmikyoung on July 20, 2022, 11:00am This book touches on many issues of Asian American identity but should be noted that it does not represent every single Asian American experience

A must-read for any generation of Asian-Americans! submitted by kqliu on August 1, 2022, 3:01pm Provides eloquent discussion and reflection on the reality of being Asian American - finding your place of belonging, understanding your privilege, validating your anger & fears & joy & hope for the future.