Susan
I have been reading a lot New Adult and upper Young Adult fiction recently that had Korean characters as their lead and which focused on the Korean American coming of age as a child of immigrants. I know that these authors have shared so many aspects of growing up with the push and pull of language, culture, family history, familial and generational trauma but these were focused on the under 21 experiences of the main characters. But these opened a door that I want to see more though and my adult self was craving something written for an adult audience that would delve into the complexities of identity that only a memoir could present. And in Joan Sung's book I found that author and voice I had been looking for.
This book is told with such understanding, humor, and insight that only the word authentic can capture everything that I was able to find in this book. The presentation and discussion of sensitive topics like child- parental conflict, self understanding, ethnic food, the stereotypes facing Asian American Women, code switching with language use, and the impact of being Asian American during the COVID-19 era was real and raw leaving me rethinking what I though I knew and thankful for having my eyes opened to aspects of my world I have not have seen without Sung as my guide.
Written in a beautifully fluid and nuanced style, Joan Sung's Kinda Korean pulled me in on the first page with the writing and held me through her balance of humor, insight, honesty, and mature understanding by reflection of her life. In this collection of short essays that present her life and experiences was welcomed into her life with the joys and heartbreaks, hopes and despair that truly reflected a well examined life. At the same time I liked that the book allowed me to step in and out of it where I needed to go while at the same time seeing hiw each chapter connected to the larger narrative of the authors life. This design offered me breaks and pauses to contemplate Sung's life and experiences and process what I had just read. This a memoir I will not soon forget and one that truly is the reflection of life in all its bittersweet moments.
I have been reading a lot New Adult and upper Young Adult fiction recently that had Korean characters as their lead and which focused on the Korean American coming of age as a child of immigrants. I know that these authors have shared so many aspects of growing up with the push and pull of language, culture, family history, familial and generational trauma but these were focused on the under 21 experiences of the main characters. But these opened a door that I want to see more though and my adult self was craving something written for an adult audience that would delve into the complexities of identity that only a memoir could present. And in Joan Sung's book I found that author and voice I had been looking for.
This book is told with such understanding, humor, and insight that only the word authentic can capture everything that I was able to find in this book. The presentation and discussion of sensitive topics like child- parental conflict, self understanding, ethnic food, the stereotypes facing Asian American Women, code switching with language use, and the impact of being Asian American during the COVID-19 era was real and raw leaving me rethinking what I though I knew and thankful for having my eyes opened to aspects of my world I have not have seen without Sung as my guide.
Written in a beautifully fluid and nuanced style, Joan Sung's Kinda Korean pulled me in on the first page with the writing and held me through her balance of humor, insight, honesty, and mature understanding by reflection of her life. In this collection of short essays that present her life and experiences was welcomed into her life with the joys and heartbreaks, hopes and despair that truly reflected a well examined life. At the same time I liked that the book allowed me to step in and out of it where I needed to go while at the same time seeing hiw each chapter connected to the larger narrative of the authors life. This design offered me breaks and pauses to contemplate Sung's life and experiences and process what I had just read. This a memoir I will not soon forget and one that truly is the reflection of life in all its bittersweet moments.