Category Archives: Books

8Books Review: Simplicity at Home by Yumiko Sekine

Posted on March 30, 2021 by Lily

Simplicity at Home: Japanese Rituals, Recipes, and Arrangements for Thoughtful Living is a wonderfully calming experience. Written by Yumiko Sekine, founder of Fog Linen Work, with gorgeous photos from Nao Shimizu, this is a guide to making a simple and … Continue reading →

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8Books Review: “We Could Be Heroes” by Mike Chen

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Lily

Curling up with Mike Chen’s recent novel, We Could Be Heroes, turned out to be the perfect snow day activity. Regardless of whether you were also deluged in snow over the past couple days, reading We Could Be Heroes is … Continue reading →

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8Books Review: Chinatown Pretty by Andria Lo and Valerie Luu

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Lily

Chinatown Pretty by photographer Andria Lo and Valerie Luu is a beautiful tribute to our popos and gunggungs. The book celebrates the street styles of Chinatown’s elders in six major cities: San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and … Continue reading →

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8Books Review: The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim

Posted on September 15, 2020 by Lily

Nancy Jooyoun Kim’s first novel The Last Story of Mina Lee is a thoughtful, heart-wrenching dive into the story of a mother and daughter. When Margot Lee’s mother–the eponymous Mina Lee–stops answering her phone, Margot wonders what could have happened. … Continue reading →

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The Joy Luck Club: Online Discussion with Author Amy Tan and Movie Cast on June 9

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Jeff

Before Crazy Rich Asians or Always be my Maybe, there was The Joy Luck Club in 1993.  Not many mainstream American movies before it and for a long time afterward had a majority Asian American cast.  Some Asian Americans really … Continue reading →

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8Books Review: “Year of the Rabbit” by Tian Veasna

Posted on February 25, 2020 by Lily

Year of the Rabbit by Tian Veasna is a stunning graphic novel detailing the true story of one family’s struggle to survive under the Khmer Rouge. Veasna himself was born in 1975, three days after the Khmer Rouge came to … Continue reading →

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8Books Review: “Dear Girls” by Ali Wong

Posted on February 11, 2020 by Lily

Ali Wong’s Dear Girls will make you laugh, cry, and will also make you hungry. But overall you will be happier, and it seems like maybe in 2020, we’re going to want some more happy. I had every honest and … Continue reading →

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Race, Romance, and Retribution: Courtney Milan and the Romance Writers of America

Posted on January 21, 2020 by Jeff

You might think that the world of romance novel writing (known as Romancelandia) is a genteel place removed from the pressures and conflicts of the everyday world.  The RITA awards, shown are above, are awards given yearly by the Romance … Continue reading →

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8Books Review: “Grass” by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim

Posted on October 22, 2019 by Lily

Grass is a breathtaking graphic novel about Korean comfort women by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim and translated by Janet Hong. I know, I had the same thought you just had, a graphic novel? About comfort women? Why? But Gendry-Kim has told … Continue reading →

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8Books: “A Team of Their Own” by Seth Berkman

Posted on October 1, 2019 by Lily

A Team of Their Own: How an International Sisterhood Made Olympic History is a feel-good sports book–okay, a feel-good hockey book to be more precise. But it’s also a story about a group of young women learning who they are and … Continue reading →

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8Books Review: ‘SWIM’ by Eric C. Wat

Posted on September 10, 2019 by Tim

There’s a column series on 8Asians, called “How to Be a Bad Asian”.  I myself wrote one in the series, called “How to Be a Bad Asian: Turning Out Gay”.  But, if there’s one way you can be a worse … Continue reading →

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8Books Review: “Pangs of Love and Other Writings” by David Wong Louie

Posted on August 13, 2019 by Lily

David Wong Louie’s short story collection Pangs of Love first came out in 1991. It’s now being re-released by the University of Washington Press with two additional pieces. Louie’s stories are captivating and deep, insightful yet puzzling. It’s a bit … Continue reading →

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