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'''''Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning''''' |
'''''Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning''''' is a 2020 [[Autobiography|autobiographical]] book written by the Korean American author [[Cathy Park Hong]]. It was published by [[Oneworld Publications|One World]] (trademark of Penguin Random House) in the United States of America and [[Profile Books]] in the United Kingdom and is composed of seven [[essay]]s about growing up as an Asian-American in a Western [[Capitalism|capitalist]] society, more specifically in the United States of America.<ref name=":2" /> This book won the [[National Book Critics Circle Award]] for autobiography in 2020.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Alter |first1=Alexander |title=National Book Critics Circle Names 2020 Award Winners |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/25/books/national-book-critics-circle-award-winners.html |access-date=26 March 2021}}</ref> |
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Hong defined the title of the book as the emotions felt by [[marginalized]] [[minority group]]s in a predominantly white society, feelings that are not only disregarded but also considered excessive. The author stated that these feelings of marginalization come from a long history of [[systemic racism]] and [[economic discrimination]] in society. Although the book is in English, and has yet to be translated, Hong frequently describes Asian-American sentiments with Korean words.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Hong|first=Cathy Park|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qLalDwAAQBAJ&q=minor+feelings+cathy+park+hong&pg=PA66|title=Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning|date=2020-02-25|publisher=Random House Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-9848-2037-2|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Yale University|date=October 26, 2020|title=Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f96pIOPOSsw&t=132s|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=O'Rourke|first=Meghan|date=2020|title=Cathy Park Hong: On the major weight of minor feelings|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/yrev.13639|journal=The Yale Review|language=en|volume=108|issue=2|pages=143–152|doi=10.1111/yrev.13639|issn=1467-9736}}</ref> |
Hong defined the title of the book as the emotions felt by [[marginalized]] [[minority group]]s in a predominantly white society, feelings that are not only disregarded but also considered excessive. The author stated that these feelings of marginalization come from a long history of [[systemic racism]] and [[economic discrimination]] in society. Although the book is in English, and has yet to be translated, Hong frequently describes Asian-American sentiments with Korean words.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Hong|first=Cathy Park|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qLalDwAAQBAJ&q=minor+feelings+cathy+park+hong&pg=PA66|title=Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning|date=2020-02-25|publisher=Random House Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-9848-2037-2|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Yale University|date=October 26, 2020|title=Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f96pIOPOSsw&t=132s|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=O'Rourke|first=Meghan|date=2020|title=Cathy Park Hong: On the major weight of minor feelings|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/yrev.13639|journal=The Yale Review|language=en|volume=108|issue=2|pages=143–152|doi=10.1111/yrev.13639|issn=1467-9736}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 22:14, 13 December 2021
 First edition | |
| Author | Cathy Park Hong |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Non-fiction / Autobiography |
| Publisher | One World, Penguin Random House (USA) |
Publication date | February 25, 2020 |
| Publication place | United States of America |
| Pages | 224 |
| ISBN | 9781984820365 |
Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning is a 2020 autobiographical book written by the Korean American author Cathy Park Hong. It was published by One World (trademark of Penguin Random House) in the United States of America and Profile Books in the United Kingdom and is composed of seven essays about growing up as an Asian-American in a Western capitalist society, more specifically in the United States of America.[1] This book won the National Book Critics Circle Award for autobiography in 2020.[2]
Hong defined the title of the book as the emotions felt by marginalized minority groups in a predominantly white society, feelings that are not only disregarded but also considered excessive. The author stated that these feelings of marginalization come from a long history of systemic racism and economic discrimination in society. Although the book is in English, and has yet to be translated, Hong frequently describes Asian-American sentiments with Korean words.[3][1][4]
General theme
Throughout the book, Hong used her own experiences to support her arguments on the marginalized community feelings such as: shame, irritation, melancholy, and paranoia. Each of Hong's essays tackled different acts of racial discrimination.[5][6]
Summary
The book's first essay, United, addressed: the racial self, racial awareness, and structural racism.[3] Hong discussed depression, the feeling of Asian-Americans having to prove themselves in a predominantly White society, and the hatred within the Asian-American community itself, leading to separate oneself from the race instead of being supportive of one another. In this essay, Hong examined societal racism towards minority groups within a university.
The second essay, Stand Up, involved Hong's relationship with poetry, an art form she became interested in at the age of fifteen.[3] Hong states how she became aware of inequalities between Whites and artists of colour in the publishing industry. Publishers insist that artists of colour write about pain they have experienced because of racism, and books that do not talk about personal racial trauma are not considered worthy of being published. This led Hong to abandon writing and attempt stand-up comedy. She described it as a way to bluntly talk about racism.[7][8] In Stand Up she also included a discussion about the hatred between the minorities themselves. Hong focused on anti-blackness within the Asian American community, and the racial unfairness showed by the predominantly White society of the United States of America towards black and Brown people compared to Asian-Americans. Hong acknowledged that Asian-Americans are regarded as a model minority in the country, a reference group for other minorities to follow.[9][10]
In the third essay, The End of White Innocence, Hong addressed her childhood experiences growing up as an Asian-American child in a White society and the trauma she endured because of it.[3]
The fourth essay, Bad English, discussed minority groups' tendencies to not be taught proper English until they are much older (6 to 7 years old) and also addressed Asian-American accents as seen on the media compared to reality. Hong also examined cultural appropriation and how important one's own culture is for minority groups.[3]
The fifth essay, An Education, talked about female friendships and Hong's education in art school. Hong described how her friendship with two other Asian-American art students progressed and went through some challenging periods.[4][3]
The sixth essay, Portrait of an Artist, critiqued the lack of media exposure on murders and assaults of Asian-Americans, specifically women, and discussed Theresa Hak Kyung Cha and her book Dictee.[3]
The Indebted, the seventh and final essay, covered 4 different topics: activism, politics, white supremacy, and the contrasts between living in South Korea and the United States of America.[3]
Awards
In 2020, Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning won The National Book Critics Circle Award for best autobiographical book of the year.[11] The book was also considered the second-best non-fiction book of 2020 by Time,[12] as well as one of the best books of the year by The New York Times. It was a finalist for the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction.[13]
References
- ^ a b Yale University (October 26, 2020). "Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Alter, Alexander. "National Book Critics Circle Names 2020 Award Winners". Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hong, Cathy Park (2020-02-25). Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning. Random House Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-9848-2037-2.
- ^ a b O'Rourke, Meghan (2020). "Cathy Park Hong: On the major weight of minor feelings". The Yale Review. 108 (2): 143–152. doi:10.1111/yrev.13639. ISSN 1467-9736.
- ^ Teo, Sharlene (2020). "On Minor Feelings: Cathy Park Hong". Wasafiri. 35 (3): 69–73. doi:10.1080/02690055.2020.1760491. S2CID 221361033.
- ^ Szalai, Jennifer (2020-02-17). "'Minor Feelings' Rescues Personal Experience From the Expectations of Others". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
- ^ McCluskey, Audrey Thomas, ed. (2008). Richard Pryor: the Life and Legacy of a "Crazy" Black Man. United States of America: Indiana University Press. pp. 23–39. ISBN 978-0253220110.
- ^ Pryor, Richard (1997). Pryor Convictions and Other Life Sentences. ISBN 037570048X.
- ^ Park, Kyeyoung (2019). LA Rising: Korean Relations with Blacks and Latinos after Civil Unrest. United Kingdom: Lexington Books. ISBN 978-1498577052.
- ^ Tolentino, Jia (6 March 2020). ""Minor Feelings" and the Possibilities of Asian-American Identity". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
- ^ "The National Book Critics Circle Award". National Book Critics Circle. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
- ^ "The 10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2020". Time. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
- ^ Freeman, Abigail (June 11, 2021). "Pulitzer Prizes 2021: The Full List Of Winners". Forbes. Retrieved June 12, 2021.