Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning (One World Essentials)

Cathy Park Hong unpacks, confronts, and dismantles the “model minority” myth and fearlessly explores the complexities of being Asian in America while examining and updating race, capitalism and identity to the 21st century. Each essay is so layered and beautifully written, delving into the variegated truths and contradictions of Asian American identity and weaving personal memories and reflections with historical and current events and cultural and social criticism.Minor Feelings is many things, it’s hard to put into words, or words that can adequately convey how powerful and brilliant it is. Reading Minor Feelings was so deeply gratifying, satisfying, inspiring, empowering, and illuminating. I felt exposed and profoundly recognized as each essay, each page, each passage peeled away a layer to distant internalized feelings, “ugly feelings” that I had have never reckoned with or known how to even acknowledge. Minor Feelings articulates these emotions and experiences into sharp focus, where I felt overwhelmed as I wasn’t prepared to feel so seen, where my invisible self became visible. Hong’s essays have equipped me with something that I’ve been searching for, a voice. Mira Jacob writes, “[Minor Feelings] takes all the parts of us that we can barely account for and gives them back fully recognized. It felt like having someone sit me down in a chair and say ‘You’re feelings are real’ and ‘This is how we got here’ and Here is a way out’ all at once…” Minor Feelings is an essential read, now more than ever.

I truly enjoyed this book. I learned so much and was called out on my own biases. Very appreciative of the interweaving of history, personal experience, comedy, and difficult topics. Also, this author is a true wordsmith and I needed a dictionary - very evident that she is an academic!

I’m so glad I read this book as it’s just as important, albeit very different, book as Caste. Both tackle the uncomfortable topics of history, racism, and privileges allowed to some people through our social hierarchy.Minor Feelings felt so much more visceral and personal than Caste did to me. While Isabelle Wilkerson relayed some of her personal experiences into the book, Caste was a more wonky piece than this book. Hong makes a point throughout the book of highlighting her rage at both the disrespects and gaslighting of Asian Americans (a questionable term, as she repeats through the book). The emotions are immediate and unfiltered in Minor Feelings and that’s one of the reasons it got uncomfortableI also have never felt so dumb reading a book. I didn’t recognize so many authors and artists and poets that she references and quotes, even as I consider myself a reasonably well-read person. Plus there were a number of words where I had to pull up the dictionary, included Calibanize. Her depth and use of English language is amazing, even as she says she wants to break it.I’m not a huge essay reader and I enjoyed her chapters that were leaning more in to the memoir. Overall, I’d reccomend this book to nearly everyone. As Hong quotes in the book, “you can’t do better unless you know better.”

Item as described, prompt shipping.

It’s a book that needs to be re-read to interpret the depth of the “minor”, as in “minority” feeelings. it’s not a novel, it’s a series of related short stories that combine to give the reader pause on prejudice towards Asians. An excellent read.

This book made such good points about being Asian-American. There are SO MANY incredible quotes that really highlight the Asian experience as a whole. It is so hard to find Asian-American books that really highlight the internal struggles of being Asian-American. Cathy Park Hong very eloquently highlights these struggles in a way that ignites emotions and understanding in her audience.However, that being said, Hong's writing style often left me feeling confused. Hong inserts these very poignant paragraphs of reflection and insight. However, between these paragraphs, there are often very quick jumps between narratives that don't seemingly connect to one another. Hong alternates from talking about one event to talking about something completely different, without ever really transitioning between the two. This style overall left me confused and took away from the really moving pieces of insight that she offered throughout the book.Overall, if you can move past the slightly confusing writing style, Hong offers very poignant insight into what it means to be Asian-American and what it means to be human. I wish that the anecdotes in this novel had flowed better, however, I still believe that the novel offers very good insight and voice on the Asian-American experience.

Hong slyly opens this book with a sort of hilarious search for a Korean therapist, believing that there would be a shared experience, a shorthand, so to speak - that she wouldn't have to explain herself. But then, the therapist rejects her. Funny. And a brilliant metaphor for the problem of undertaking a book about race - how do you speak about the Korean American experience without overgeneralizing? The answer is to get personal. Hong's retelling of personal experience is visceral. I especially resonated with this quote "racial trauma is not a competitive sport." As a Jewish woman, I could relate to Hong's feelings of being "othered." Neither white nor a person of color. Beautifully written. Her poetic voice drives the narrative. (less)

Beautiful writing that takes you softly through the stories of people you must know, I cried and laughed, and related to a lot since colonialism affect all of us non-white people in different ways. I am grateful to learn about Cathy Park Hong experiences. And also learn hints of what I personally should continue to unpack as a Brown latine person that can also portray colonial violences, because it's not about intent but about the impact of our words and actions. Everyone should read this magnificent book.

inspiring ideas and perfect delivery!

Book arrived fast and glad it’s on discount, but there’s a crease on the cover. Can’t wait to read this tho

Published by Hachette India for South Asia this is one of the cheapest cover and paper I've seen sold for rs 500. Avoid. And there's no way to get a refund!

This wasn’t an easy read, but it was a worthwhile one. Cathy reckons with all the complexities regarding race and privilege without providing a clear cut answer and while always keeping humanity in mind.