Ask the Author: Michelle Kuo
Answered Questions (3)
Michelle Kuo
Dear Teresa,
I am very touched that you read the book and found it meaningful. Thank you. And it is so sweet that you have both the hardcover and audiobook. (Sorry if I mumble on the audiobook.)
Having parents with set expectations—to obey, to succeed in narrowly defined terms—is not easy. I have found in my life that when I am professionally fulfilled, I do begin to radiate a kind of joy that makes it hard for my parents to contradict my choices. They do soften. But the more difficult thing is that I rarely felt I had room to feel anxious, uncertain, or lost in front of them. When I was broke doing legal aid, they felt so much fear, and of course it makes sense that they would. Over time I’ve come to understand they express love through fear, worry, and guilt. Trust your instincts while also trusting that their expectations come from a place of love. That's the hardest balance.
You can also check out what I wrote in this interview with TaiwaneseAmerican.org; there's a question about advice for young people. http://www.taiwaneseamerican.org/2017...
As for "life changing," I think that's the mysterious question of the book: how much does interior change -- the work of reading and writing, the self-respect and self-knowledge that they can create -- matter? It was important that I not put a happy ending on the book, because there is so much more work for us all to do, especially with integrating felons into society. Patrick still struggles to find a place in the world. But he’s still young, only 27, and I have a lot of hope for him. Some things we do know for certain: he values his daughter’s education, and encourages her to read, and she’s doing well in the fourth grade. He is happy that part of the book royalties have gone to her college fund. And last, his experience of being incarcerated was one where growth occurred.
As for my own changes, I think every day about the power of reading together. I teach differently now, trying to think of each student as a person with needs and desires and a life outside the classroom. I am a passionate believer in education in prisons, and went on to teach in prison in California because I saw how learning changed Patrick’s experience of incarceration. And I view the category of "violent offenders" without the kind of fear that term sometimes provokes. I know they each used to be a student.
Hope this helps, and I wish I could be a junior in college again. I’m very excited for all the things that you will do. Feel free to find my author page on Facebook (if you’re on there) and message me.
warmly,
Michelle
I am very touched that you read the book and found it meaningful. Thank you. And it is so sweet that you have both the hardcover and audiobook. (Sorry if I mumble on the audiobook.)
Having parents with set expectations—to obey, to succeed in narrowly defined terms—is not easy. I have found in my life that when I am professionally fulfilled, I do begin to radiate a kind of joy that makes it hard for my parents to contradict my choices. They do soften. But the more difficult thing is that I rarely felt I had room to feel anxious, uncertain, or lost in front of them. When I was broke doing legal aid, they felt so much fear, and of course it makes sense that they would. Over time I’ve come to understand they express love through fear, worry, and guilt. Trust your instincts while also trusting that their expectations come from a place of love. That's the hardest balance.
You can also check out what I wrote in this interview with TaiwaneseAmerican.org; there's a question about advice for young people. http://www.taiwaneseamerican.org/2017...
As for "life changing," I think that's the mysterious question of the book: how much does interior change -- the work of reading and writing, the self-respect and self-knowledge that they can create -- matter? It was important that I not put a happy ending on the book, because there is so much more work for us all to do, especially with integrating felons into society. Patrick still struggles to find a place in the world. But he’s still young, only 27, and I have a lot of hope for him. Some things we do know for certain: he values his daughter’s education, and encourages her to read, and she’s doing well in the fourth grade. He is happy that part of the book royalties have gone to her college fund. And last, his experience of being incarcerated was one where growth occurred.
As for my own changes, I think every day about the power of reading together. I teach differently now, trying to think of each student as a person with needs and desires and a life outside the classroom. I am a passionate believer in education in prisons, and went on to teach in prison in California because I saw how learning changed Patrick’s experience of incarceration. And I view the category of "violent offenders" without the kind of fear that term sometimes provokes. I know they each used to be a student.
Hope this helps, and I wish I could be a junior in college again. I’m very excited for all the things that you will do. Feel free to find my author page on Facebook (if you’re on there) and message me.
warmly,
Michelle
Michelle Kuo
Dear Gary, I am so sorry to hear this. This must be frustrating. I do not administer the contest or know details about how it works, but I contacted them and let them know that you didn't receive it. If you don't receive it soon, please don't hesitate to write again. Fingers crossed that you will get a copy.
Sincerely,
Michelle
Sincerely,
Michelle
Michelle Kuo
Dear Charles,
Thank you for taking the time to read the book, and for your kind response to it.
Good question. I wish I had a good answer! A part of wants to write in a different genre totally, but then I wonder if I would just be trying to flee nonfiction -- writing this book really got me down, for reasons you can imagine. I was always worried that my idea of a person was wrong, and aware that I needed to get real live people right, and then bummed out if they were going through something real now while I was going about trying to capture them three or five years ago. If that makes sense.
But another part of me knows I still haven't worked out a lot of my thoughts that are related to the book. How do we create a national conversation to humanize "violent offenders", who make up half the prison population? What would be a "perfect" curriculum look like for people teaching in jail? What are the most effective programs that bring felons into society and help them feel useful and valued? I'm not sure how I can contribute to these questions, and I don't know if my answers will come in the form of a book, because that book maybe would be more dry. But I'd like to know the answers to them! If you think of a good project for me, let me know =)
All my best,
Michelle
Thank you for taking the time to read the book, and for your kind response to it.
Good question. I wish I had a good answer! A part of wants to write in a different genre totally, but then I wonder if I would just be trying to flee nonfiction -- writing this book really got me down, for reasons you can imagine. I was always worried that my idea of a person was wrong, and aware that I needed to get real live people right, and then bummed out if they were going through something real now while I was going about trying to capture them three or five years ago. If that makes sense.
But another part of me knows I still haven't worked out a lot of my thoughts that are related to the book. How do we create a national conversation to humanize "violent offenders", who make up half the prison population? What would be a "perfect" curriculum look like for people teaching in jail? What are the most effective programs that bring felons into society and help them feel useful and valued? I'm not sure how I can contribute to these questions, and I don't know if my answers will come in the form of a book, because that book maybe would be more dry. But I'd like to know the answers to them! If you think of a good project for me, let me know =)
All my best,
Michelle
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more