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2026 Reading Challenge

2026

READING

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Doretta Lau has read 3 of 95 books.

Doretta Lau

Goodreads Author

Born

Vancouver, Canada

Website

http://www.dorettalau.com

Twitter

dorettalau

Genre

Fiction, Children's

Member Since

March 2013

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/dorettalau

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Doretta Lau is a journalist who covers arts and culture for Artforum International, South China Morning Post, The Wall Street Journal Asia, and LEAP. She completed an MFA in Writing at Columbia University. Her fiction and poetry have appeared in Day One, Event, Grain Magazine, Prairie Fire, PRISM International, Ricepaper, sub-TERRAIN, and Zen Monster. She splits her time between Vancouver and Hong Kong, where she is at work on a novel and a screenplay. In 2013, she was a finalist for the Writers’ Trust of Canada / McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize. How Does a Single Blade of Grass Thank the Sun? (Nightwood Editions, 2014) is her debut short story collection.

68 posts
Doretta Lau's Blog

Finish Writing that Story!

When do you give up on a story or an essay or a novel?

In 2014, when I was on tour for my short story collection I started writing a new piece of fiction I labelled as "Toronto Non-Motherhood." Then I went on a retreat and kept working on it, but there was something wrong with the structure. I saw the ending in my head, but it was emotionally flat. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get

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Doretta Lau’s books

Average rating: 3.99 · 288 ratings · 59 reviews · 11 distinct works • Similar authors

	How Does A Single Blade of Grass Thank the Sun? really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 237 ratings — published 2014 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Journey Prize Stories 32: The Best of Canada's New Writers by Amy Jones (Goodreads Author) (Compiler), Doretta Lau (Goodreads Author) (Selections), Téa Mutonji (Selections) 4.17 avg rating — 24 ratings — published 2020 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Robot by the River 3.91 avg rating — 11 ratings — published 2014 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	We Are Underlings 3.86 avg rating — 7 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Fictional Residency by Nadim Abbas, Oscar van den Boogaard, Enoch Cheng 3.20 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2003	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Music and Singing really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2009 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	HOW DOES A SINGLE BLADE OF GRASS THANK T by DORETTA LAU (10-Apr-2014) Paperback it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Costumes and Makeup it was ok 2.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2009 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Steroids 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2008 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Music and Singing by Doretta Lau (September 01,2009) by Doretta Lau (Goodreads Author), Unknown Author 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Doretta Lau rated a book it was amazing Welcome to Sunny Town by Théodora Armstrong (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 24, 2026 11:00AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Welcome to Sunny Town by Théodora Armstrong. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Welcome to Sunny Town by Théodora Armstrong <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Doretta Lau rated a book it was amazing Transcription by Ben Lerner	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 24, 2026 10:17AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Transcription by Ben Lerner. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Transcription by Ben Lerner <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Doretta Lau rated a book it was amazing Super Castle Fun Park by Daniel Zomparelli (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Doretta Lau rated a book it was amazing Bloom: Letters on Girlhood by Nicole Breit	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Bloom: Letters on Girlhood is a gorgeous meditation on growing up female. As I read, I was transported back in time; it felt as though I was watching home movies in my best friend’s basement rec room. I am in awe of the beauty, humour, and insight Clai ...more
Nov 24, 2025 09:57AM · like · see review
Doretta Lau finished reading Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 24, 2025 09:56AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Doretta Lau finished reading The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse: A Memory of Vietnam by Vinh Nguyen	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 24, 2025 09:54AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse by Vinh Nguyen. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse by Vinh Nguyen <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Doretta Lau rated a book it was amazing The Freaks Came Out to Write: The Definitive History of the Village Voice, the Radical Paper That Changed American Culture by Tricia Romano	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 24, 2025 09:54AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Freaks Came Out to Write by Tricia Romano. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Freaks Came Out to Write by Tricia Romano <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Doretta Lau rated a book it was amazing The Freaks Came Out to Write: The Definitive History of the Village Voice, the Radical Paper That Changed American Culture by Tricia Romano	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 24, 2025 09:54AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Freaks Came Out to Write by Tricia Romano. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Freaks Came Out to Write by Tricia Romano <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">