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Biography In Context

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Big Read 2023


author Charles Yu with his book Interior Chinatown

The National Endowment for the Arts Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves through the power of a shared reading experience. This year’s selection is Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu. Interior Chinatown tells the story of Willis Wu, who has only ever been cast as the Generic Asian Man. Consigned to bit roles in the background of a procedural cop show, he dreams of playing Kung Fu Guy, the most respected role that anyone who looks like him can attain—or so he has always been told. The library is celebrating with events and conversations.
Find out more at Big Read.


Adult & Young Adult Graphic Novels

  • American Born Chinese

    American Born Chinese

    Yang, Gene Luen
  • Almost American Girl: An Illustrated Memoir

    Almost American Girl: An Illustrated Memoir

    Ha, Robin
  • Displacement

    Displacement

    Hughes, Kiku
  • Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and me : a graphic memoir

    Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and me : a graphic memoir

    Mapa, Lorina,
  • Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations

    Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations

    Jacob, Mira
  • I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir

    I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir

    Gharib, Malaka
  • Ichiro

    Ichiro

    Inzana, Ryan.
  • Infidel

    Infidel

    Pichetshote, Pornsak
  • Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American

    Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American

    Gao, Laura
  • Ms. Marvel : Kamala Khan

    Ms. Marvel : Kamala Khan

    Wilson, G. Willow, 1982-
  • My Nest of Silence

    My Nest of Silence

    Faulkner, Matt
  • Secret identities : the Asian American superhero anthology

    Secret identities : the Asian American superhero anthology

  • Skim

    Skim

    Tamaki, Mariko.
  • Superman Smashes the Klan

    Superman Smashes the Klan

    Yang, Gene Luen
  • The American dream? : a journey on Route 66 : discovering dinosaur statues, muffler men, and the per

    The American dream? : a journey on Route 66 : discovering dinosaur statues, muffler men, and the per

    Khor, Shing Yin
  • The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir

    The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir

    Bui, Thi
  • They Called Us Enemy

    They Called Us Enemy

    George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott
  • Woman World

    Woman World

    Dhaliwal, Aminder

Adult & Young Adult Nonfiction

  • America for Americans : a history of xenophobia in the United States

    America for Americans : a history of xenophobia in the United States

    Lee, Erika
  • Asian America : a primary source reader

    Asian America : a primary source reader

  • Asian American dreams : the emergence of an American people

    Asian American dreams : the emergence of an American people

    Zia, Helen.
  • Asianfail : narratives of disenchantment and the model minority

    Asianfail : narratives of disenchantment and the model minority

    Ty, Eleanor Rose, 1958-
  • Beyond the shadow of Camptown : Korean military brides in America

    Beyond the shadow of Camptown : Korean military brides in America

    Yuh, Ji-Yeon.
  • Brown skin, white minds : Filipino-/American postcolonial psychology (with commentaries) = Kayumangg

    Brown skin, white minds : Filipino-/American postcolonial psychology (with commentaries) = Kayumangg

    David, E. J. R.
  • Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice

    Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice

    Piepzna-Samarasinha, Leah Lakshmi
  • Chinatown pretty : fashion and wisdom from Chinatown's most stylish seniors

    Chinatown pretty : fashion and wisdom from Chinatown's most stylish seniors

    Lo, Andria
  • Chop suey, USA : the story of Chinese food in America

    Chop suey, USA : the story of Chinese food in America

    Chen, Yong, 1960-
  • Comfort woman

    Comfort woman

    Keller, Nora Okja.
  • Countervisions : Asian American film criticism

    Countervisions : Asian American film criticism

  • Crying in H Mart

    Crying in H Mart

    Zauner, Michelle
  • Days of Infamy: How a Century of Bigotry Led to Japanese American Internment

    Days of Infamy: How a Century of Bigotry Led to Japanese American Internment

    Goldstone, Lawrence
  • Driven out : the hidden war against Chinese America

    Driven out : the hidden war against Chinese America

    Pfaelzer, Jean.
  • Encyclopedia of Asian American folklore and folklife

    Encyclopedia of Asian American folklore and folklife

  • Fly until you die : an oral history of Hmong pilots in the Vietnam War

    Fly until you die : an oral history of Hmong pilots in the Vietnam War

    Vang, Chia Youyee, 1971-
  • From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial That Galvanized the Asian American Movement

    From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial That Galvanized the Asian American Movement

    Yoo, Paula
  • Go home!

    Go home!

  • Good girls marry doctors : South Asian American daughters on obedience and rebellion

    Good girls marry doctors : South Asian American daughters on obedience and rebellion

  • Haunting the Korean diaspora : shame, secrecy, and the forgotten war

    Haunting the Korean diaspora : shame, secrecy, and the forgotten war

    Cho, Grace M.
  • Heartbeat of struggle : the revolutionary life of Yuri Kochiyama

    Heartbeat of struggle : the revolutionary life of Yuri Kochiyama

    Fujino, Diane Carol.
  • Hollywood Chinese: The Chinese in American Feature Films

    Hollywood Chinese: The Chinese in American Feature Films

    Dong, Arthur E.
  • How do I begin? : a Hmong American literary anthology

    How do I begin? : a Hmong American literary anthology

  • Last boat out of Shanghai : the epic story of the Chinese who fled Mao's revolution

    Last boat out of Shanghai : the epic story of the Chinese who fled Mao's revolution

    Zia, Helen
  • Long live the tribe of fatherless girls : a memoir

    Long live the tribe of fatherless girls : a memoir

    Madden, T Kira
  • Maya Lin : thinking with her hands

    Maya Lin : thinking with her hands

    Rubin, Susan Goldman
  • Minor feelings : an Asian American reckoning

    Minor feelings : an Asian American reckoning

    Hong, Cathy Park
  • Not my white savior : [an memoir in poems]

    Not my white savior : [an memoir in poems]

    Lee, Julayne
  • Orientalism

    Orientalism

    Said, Edward W.
  • Orientals : Asian Americans in popular culture

    Orientals : Asian Americans in popular culture

    Lee, Robert G., 1947-
  • Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora

    Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora

    Lam, Andrew
  • Racial melancholia, racial dissociation : on the social and psychic lives of Asian Americans

    Racial melancholia, racial dissociation : on the social and psychic lives of Asian Americans

    Eng, David L., 1967-
  • Rise: A Pop History of Asian America From the Nineties to Now

    Rise: A Pop History of Asian America From the Nineties to Now

    Yang, Jeff
  • Stranger in the Shogun's city : a Japanese woman and her world

    Stranger in the Shogun's city : a Japanese woman and her world

    Stanley, Amy, 1978-
  • Strangers from a different shore : a history of Asian Americans

    Strangers from a different shore : a history of Asian Americans

    Takaki, Ronald T., 1939-2009.
  • Talk Thai : the adventures of Buddhist boy

    Talk Thai : the adventures of Buddhist boy

    Sukrungruang, Ira.
  • The Asian American achievement paradox

    The Asian American achievement paradox

    Lee, Jennifer, 1968-
  • The color of success : Asian Americans and the origins of the model minority

    The color of success : Asian Americans and the origins of the model minority

    Wu, Ellen D.
  • The future is Asian : commerce, conflict, and culture in the 21st century

    The future is Asian : commerce, conflict, and culture in the 21st century

    Khanna, Parag
  • The Grave on the Wall

    The Grave on the Wall

    Shimoda, Brandon
  • The Loneliest Americans

    The Loneliest Americans

    Kang, Jay Caspian

    In this insightful, thought-provoking, and poignant work, New York Times staff writer Jay Caspian King explores the roots of the

  • The magical language of others : a memoir

    The magical language of others : a memoir

    Koh, EJ, 1988-
  • The making of Asian America : a history

    The making of Asian America : a history

    Lee, Erika
  • The minority experience : navigating emotional and organizational realities

    The minority experience : navigating emotional and organizational realities

    Pei, Adrian, 1978-
  • The next American revolution : sustainable activism for the twenty-first century

    The next American revolution : sustainable activism for the twenty-first century

    Boggs, Grace Lee.
  • The other one percent : Indians in America

    The other one percent : Indians in America

    Chakravorty, Sanjoy
  • The song poet : a memoir of my father

    The song poet : a memoir of my father

    Yang, Kao Kalia, 1980-
  • The souls of yellow folk : essays

    The souls of yellow folk : essays

    Yang, Wesley
  • Vestiges of war : the Philippine-American War and the aftermath of an imperial dream, 1899-1999

    Vestiges of war : the Philippine-American War and the aftermath of an imperial dream, 1899-1999

  • Water tossing boulders : how a family of Chinese immigrants led the first fight to desegregate schoo

    Water tossing boulders : how a family of Chinese immigrants led the first fight to desegregate schoo

    Berard, Adrienne

Children's Fiction

  • Bee-Bim Bop!

    Bee-Bim Bop!

    Park, Linda Sue

    An eager little girl helps her mama make bee-bim bop, a Korean dish with meat and vegetables mixed with rice and a spicy, sweet, savory s

  • 'Ohana Means Family

    'Ohana Means Family

    Loomis, Ilima
  • A Different Pond

    A Different Pond

    Phi, Bao

    Celebrated poet Bao Phi tells a father-son story based on his own childhood.

  • A gift for Amma : market day in India

    A gift for Amma : market day in India

    Sriram, Meera
  • A Scarf for Keiko

    A Scarf for Keiko

    Malaspina, Ann
  • A Wish in the Dark

    A Wish in the Dark

    Soontornvat, Christina
  • Alvin Ho : allergic to camping, hiking, and other natural disasters

    Alvin Ho : allergic to camping, hiking, and other natural disasters

    Look, Lenore.
  • Amina's voice

    Amina's voice

    Khan, Hena
  • Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao

    Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao

    Zhang, Kat
  • Bilal Cooks Daal

    Bilal Cooks Daal

    Saeed, Aisha
  • Drawn Together

    Drawn Together

    Le, Minh, 1979-

    Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature.

  • Eyes That Kiss in the Corners

    Eyes That Kiss in the Corners

    Ho, Joanna
  • Festival of colors

    Festival of colors

    Sehgal, Surishtha
  • From the stars in the sky to the fish in the sea

    From the stars in the sky to the fish in the sea

    Thom, Kai Cheng
  • Front Desk

    Front Desk

    Kelly Yang

    Mia Tang helps her parents run an Anaheim motel that becomes a haven for struggling immigrants.

  • Grandfather's Journey

    Grandfather's Journey

    Say, Allen.
  • Green Lantern: Legacy

    Green Lantern: Legacy

    Lê, Minh
  • Hand over hand

    Hand over hand

    Fullerton, Alma
  • Hush! : a Thai lullaby

    Hush! : a Thai lullaby

    Ho, Minfong.
  • I Dream of Popo

    I Dream of Popo

    Blackburne, Livia
  • In the Beautiful Country

    In the Beautiful Country

    Kuo, Jane
  • Inside Out & Back Again

    Inside Out & Back Again

    Lai, Thanhha
  • Jasmine Toguchi, mochi queen

    Jasmine Toguchi, mochi queen

    Florence, Debbi Michiko
  • Key Player

    Key Player

    Yang, Kelly
  • Kira-Kira

    Kira-Kira

    Kadohata, Cynthia
  • Lalani of the Distant Sea

    Lalani of the Distant Sea

    Kelly, Erin Entrada
  • Landed

    Landed

    Lee, Milly.
  • Leila in saffron

    Leila in saffron

    Guidroz, Rukhsanna
  • Lion Island : Cuba's warrior of words

    Lion Island : Cuba's warrior of words

    Engle, Margarita
  • Maizy Chen's Last Chance

    Maizy Chen's Last Chance

    Yee, Lisa
  • Measuring up

    Measuring up

    LaMotte, Lily
  • Meet Yasmin!

    Meet Yasmin!

    Faruqi, Saadia
  • Mindy Kim and the yummy seaweed business

    Mindy Kim and the yummy seaweed business

    Lee, Lyla
  • New From Here

    New From Here

    Yang, Kelly
  • Pie in the Sky

    Pie in the Sky

    Lai, Remy

    In this funny, emotional hybrid chapter book/graphic novel, 11-year old Jingwen struggles after his father's accidental death and immigra

  • Prairie lotus

    Prairie lotus

    Park, Linda Sue
  • Rosa's Song

    Rosa's Song

    Rhee, Helena Ku
  • Save me a seat

    Save me a seat

    Weeks, Sarah
  • Stand Up, Yumi Chung!

    Stand Up, Yumi Chung!

    Jessica Kim

    11-year-old Yumi Chung keeps busy at school and helping out at her parents’ restaurant in L.A.’s Koreatown, but what she really wants is

  • Stargazing

    Stargazing

    Wang, Jen

    Can two people that are so different get along with each other?

  • Step Up To the Plate, Maria Singh

    Step Up To the Plate, Maria Singh

    Uma Krishnaswami
  • Tall story

    Tall story

    Gourlay, Candy.
  • The boy & the bindi

    The boy & the bindi

    Shraya, Vivek, 1981-
  • The House That Lou Built

    The House That Lou Built

    Respicio, Mae
  • The many colors of Harpreet Singh

    The many colors of Harpreet Singh

    Kelkar, Supriya, 1980-
  • The Most Beautiful Thing

    The Most Beautiful Thing

    Yang, Kao Kalia
  • The Name Jar

    The Name Jar

    Choi, Yangsook
  • The Paper Boat

    The Paper Boat

    Lam, Thao
  • The way to Bea

    The way to Bea

    Yeh, Kat,
  • Under my hijab

    Under my hijab

    Khan, Hena

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