Minor Feelings: An Asian American ReckoningMinor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning
Score Modern
What it's about
Cathy Park Hong, a poet and the daughter of Korean immigrants, writes about growing up Asian American and the "minor feelings" that come with it: the irritation, shame, paranoia and melancholy of being treated as invisible, or as a stereotype, and being told that you have nothing to complain about. In linked essays, she writes about stand-up comedy, art school, her friendships, the English language, and the history of Asian Americans.
Why it's worth reading
It won the National Book Critics Circle Award for autobiography and was a Pulitzer finalist. It's sharp, funny and provocative, and it gave many readers words for things they had felt.
You'll love it if you liked
Citizen
Between the World and Me
A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black PerformanceGood to know
It's short, mixes memoir with cultural criticism, and can be read essay by essay.
By the numbers
- Readers78 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics65 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller20 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz19 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #73 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #183 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #365 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning worth reading?
Yes. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award for autobiography and was a Pulitzer finalist. It ranks #365 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 80.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning about?
Cathy Park Hong, a poet and the daughter of Korean immigrants, writes about growing up Asian American and the "minor feelings" that come with it: the irritation, shame, paranoia and melancholy of being treated as invisible, or as a stereotype, and being told that you have nothing to complain about. In linked essays, she writes about stand-up comedy, art school, her friendships, the English language, and the history of Asian Americans.
How long does it take to read Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning?
About 5 hours (209 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning won?
NBCC Award (Memoir) winner (2020).
What should I read after Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning?
If you liked it, try Citizen by Claudia Rankine, Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates or A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib.