Description
Discover *The Heartsick Diaspora, and Other Stories*, an award-winning collection by Elaine Chiew that delves deep into the lives of the Singaporean-Malaysian diaspora. This compelling book contains intricate narratives set in vibrant locales such as Hong Kong, Miami, New York, London, Ipoh, and Singapore. Readers will find themselves engrossed in stories that explore themes of identity, culture, and belonging, while questioning what it means to identify as 'Chinese' or 'Asian' in a world of dual and hyphenated identities.
In the title story, a humorous yet thought-provoking tale, four Asian writers are taken aback by the unexpected dynamics that arise when a dashing young writer joins their support group. Other captivating narratives include the poignant reunion of three Singaporean daughters with their mother during her first visit to London, a tongue-in-cheek tale about a Chinese woman’s reflections on being a Tiger Mother, and a powerful exploration of cultural estrangement through the lens of an elderly Chinese woman's journey. This multifaceted collection brings forth a rich tapestry of emotions, skillfully interweaving humor, melancholy, and cultural critique.
*The Heartsick Diaspora* is not just a collection of stories; it is an exploration of race, ethnicity, and the everyday experiences that shape our identities. Whether you are interested in contemporary Asian literature or seeking to understand the complexities of cultural narratives, this book offers a compelling read.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781912408368
Format: Trade paperback (US)
Year: 2020
Publisher: New Internationalist
NOTE: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781912408368
Format: Trade paperback (US)
Year: 2020
Publisher: New Internationalist
Description:
Set in different cities around the world — Hong Kong, Miami, New York, London, Ipoh and Singapore — Elaine Chiew's award-winning stories travel into the heart of the Singaporean-Malaysian diaspora, and ask what it means to be 'Chinese' or 'Asian' within the context of dual, or hyphenated, identities.
In the title story (runner-up in the 2018 UK Bridport Prize) four Asian writers are flummoxed by the sexual shenanigans that start when a handsome young Asian writer joins their support group. In other stories, three Singaporean daughters welcome their mother on a first visit to London and quarrel over steamboat, a Chinese woman raps about being a Tiger Mother, an elderly Chinese woman finds that it isn't race that estranges, but the inability to tell the truth, and an ethnic writer takes on Eastern mythology in a metaphoric quest to understand the anxiety of Western literary influence.
'Innovative in format and original in content, The Heartsick Diaspora is clever, multilayered, challenging and political. It's also full of verve and wit.' — Monica Ali, author of Brick Lane, Man Booker Prize short-listed
'Elaine Chiew's witty stories inThe Heartsick Diasporaoffer us a rich palette of feelings and experiences that often converge: humour, melancholy, rage, and tenderness. Issues of race, ethnicity, and cultural identities are embedded in the everyday — in the kitchen, on the bus, or at school — as characters navigate between connection and isolation, visibility and invisibility, familiarity and distance.' — Intan Paramaditha, author ofApple and Knife<
In the title story, a humorous yet thought-provoking tale, four Asian writers are taken aback by the unexpected dynamics that arise when a dashing young writer joins their support group. Other captivating narratives include the poignant reunion of three Singaporean daughters with their mother during her first visit to London, a tongue-in-cheek tale about a Chinese woman’s reflections on being a Tiger Mother, and a powerful exploration of cultural estrangement through the lens of an elderly Chinese woman's journey. This multifaceted collection brings forth a rich tapestry of emotions, skillfully interweaving humor, melancholy, and cultural critique.
*The Heartsick Diaspora* is not just a collection of stories; it is an exploration of race, ethnicity, and the everyday experiences that shape our identities. Whether you are interested in contemporary Asian literature or seeking to understand the complexities of cultural narratives, this book offers a compelling read.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781912408368
Format: Trade paperback (US)
Year: 2020
Publisher: New Internationalist
NOTE: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781912408368
Format: Trade paperback (US)
Year: 2020
Publisher: New Internationalist
Description:
Set in different cities around the world — Hong Kong, Miami, New York, London, Ipoh and Singapore — Elaine Chiew's award-winning stories travel into the heart of the Singaporean-Malaysian diaspora, and ask what it means to be 'Chinese' or 'Asian' within the context of dual, or hyphenated, identities.
In the title story (runner-up in the 2018 UK Bridport Prize) four Asian writers are flummoxed by the sexual shenanigans that start when a handsome young Asian writer joins their support group. In other stories, three Singaporean daughters welcome their mother on a first visit to London and quarrel over steamboat, a Chinese woman raps about being a Tiger Mother, an elderly Chinese woman finds that it isn't race that estranges, but the inability to tell the truth, and an ethnic writer takes on Eastern mythology in a metaphoric quest to understand the anxiety of Western literary influence.
'Innovative in format and original in content, The Heartsick Diaspora is clever, multilayered, challenging and political. It's also full of verve and wit.' — Monica Ali, author of Brick Lane, Man Booker Prize short-listed
'Elaine Chiew's witty stories inThe Heartsick Diasporaoffer us a rich palette of feelings and experiences that often converge: humour, melancholy, rage, and tenderness. Issues of race, ethnicity, and cultural identities are embedded in the everyday — in the kitchen, on the bus, or at school — as characters navigate between connection and isolation, visibility and invisibility, familiarity and distance.' — Intan Paramaditha, author ofApple and Knife<