Books and Boba Folgen

On our mid-month check in for July 2023, we review the latest Asian American book and publishing announcements, while catching up on a pretty terrible few weeks for the Asian American literature community (and the literature industry in general).Upcoming books mentioned in our publishing news:Piper Chen Sings by Phillipa Soo & Maris Pasquale Doran; illust by Qin LengMabel and the Museum by Dana WulfekotteA Roof! by Stephanie Ellen Sy; illust by Daniel TingcungcoA Pair of Little Red Mittens by Kirin Hayashi, illust by Chiaki Okada; translated by Avery Fischer UdagawaThe Beat of the Dragon Boat by Christina Matula; illust by Nicole WongThe Door Is Open edited by Hena KhanThe Little Cloud by Pam FongGrace Lee Boggs's Gardens of Hope by Songju Ma Daemicke; illust by Li LinThe Lost Souls of Benzaiten by Kelly MurashigeRitu in the Sun by Moniza HossainUnbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp by Jolene Gutiérrez & Minoru Tonai; illust by Chris SasakiNews stories covered on this episode:@BooksForMaui auction for disaster reliefLove in Taipei, the film adaptation of Loveboat, Taipei, premieres on Paramount+The cancelled Asian American Literature Festival revives as Ghosted World: An Uncalled Asian American Literature Festival Prosecraft shuts down after authors protest*Support the podcast by supporting our new Patreon*Follow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:FacebookTwitterGoodreads GroupThe Books & Boba August 2023 pick is Bitter Medicine by Mia TsaiThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode, we sit down with author Kelly Loy Gilbert to talk about her latest novel, Everyone Wants to Know, a coming of age story following Honor Lo, the youngest daughter of a family who grew up under the spotlight of a popular reality TV show. We chat with Kelly about her inspirations behind the story as well as her journey as an author.Follow Kelly on instagram at @kellyloygilbert and check out her novel, Everyone Wants to Know, available now on the Books & Boba bookshop!*Support the podcast by supporting our new Patreon*Follow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:FacebookTwitterGoodreads GroupThe Books & Boba August 2023 pick is Bitter Medicine by Mia TsaiThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

On this episode we discuss our July 2023 book club pick The Imaginary Lives of James Poneke by Tina Makereti. A coming-of-age story of a Maori boy, armed with a British education and eager to see the world, who ventures to London to be a living exhibit for a British artist's exhibition. It's an epic tale written in the style of Victorian fiction, but told from the perspective of an indigenous youth growing up under colonization.*Support the podcast by supporting our new Patreon*Timecodes:01:45 - Book jacket description02:40 - First impressions and David Copperfield vibes06:50 - Hemi's upbringing08:42 - Theme of aligning yourself with white majority for survival and privileges11:00 - Hemi’s adoption into a new Maori tribe11:36 - Empire’s goal of erasing marginalized cultural identities13:28 - Hemi agrees to become a living exhibit16:09 - Being tainted by colonization education17:45 - Hemi's first impression of Victorian England18:50 - Victorian England’s class divisions19:17 - The Angus family21:42 - Hemi’s introduction to other living exhibits22:40 - Representation matters25:10 - Intro to Billy Neptune & Henrietta 27:47 - Hemi's sexuality awakening30:12-31:30 Trigger of SA31:33 - What is savage and what is civilized?32:33 - Women's limited rights in Victorian London35:00 - Hemi’s time as a sailor and camaraderie with non-white crewmen39:25-40:15 Trigger of SA40:20 - Life on the margins outside civilization’s watch43:17- What is home?47:22 - Ending50:57 - Hemi meeting a Black doctor and learning about intersectionality53:08 - Taika Waititi options book for adaptationhttps://variety.com/2020/film/asia/taika-waititi-piki-films-indigenous-film-tv-colonization-1234691066/Follow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:FacebookTwitterGoodreads GroupThe Books & Boba August 2023 pick is Bitter Medicine by Mia TsaiThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective