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Staying Still
Not yet published
Expected 1 Sep 26Stegner and NEA Fellow Hieu Minh Nguyen’s visionary poetry collection about generational loneliness, desire, and longing
The highly anticipated follow-up to the award-winning poetry collection Not Here, Hieu Minh Nguyen’s Staying Still centers on the question of how: How do our anxieties around the idea of belonging estrange us from the very world we seek to belong in? How impossible does it feel to stay still and face ourselves? From the intimate longing of queer boyhood to the collective expectations imposed upon children of refugees, these poems face head-on the rejections, grief, and violence we fear in fractured family dynamics, love, and desire as we search for our place in this world.
The highly anticipated follow-up to the award-winning poetry collection Not Here, Hieu Minh Nguyen’s Staying Still centers on the question of how: How do our anxieties around the idea of belonging estrange us from the very world we seek to belong in? How impossible does it feel to stay still and face ourselves? From the intimate longing of queer boyhood to the collective expectations imposed upon children of refugees, these poems face head-on the rejections, grief, and violence we fear in fractured family dynamics, love, and desire as we search for our place in this world.
- GenresPoetry
112 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 1, 2026
About the author
Hieu Minh Nguyen
15 books129 followersMeet Hieu Minh Nguyen, a young individual with a deep fascination for the mystical and mysterious world of occultism. Growing up in a family that had a connection to the occult, Hieu started delving into the arts of Zi Wei Dou Shu and Feng Shui at the tender age of 19. As the years passed, at the age of 22, Hieu's exploration expanded to embrace other aspects of the occult realm, including the law of attraction, ho'oponopono, advanced meditation techniques, past life regression, and more.
An extraordinary turning point occurred in 2022 when the author came to realize that the heart of all occult knowledge didn't solely rest within a single discipline. Instead, it encompassed the entire world – both scientific and mystical – with the human mind at its core. This revelation sparked a transformative change in the way Hieu approached the mystical and metaphysical world.
An extraordinary turning point occurred in 2022 when the author came to realize that the heart of all occult knowledge didn't solely rest within a single discipline. Instead, it encompassed the entire world – both scientific and mystical – with the human mind at its core. This revelation sparked a transformative change in the way Hieu approached the mystical and metaphysical world.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
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April 18, 2026This was my attempt at trying something new and outside of my comfort zone and it just didn't resonate with me at all. I didn't really understand the concept or story or what was going on.
I received an advanced copy for which I am grateful for, and the cover, once updated, is stunning (hence my initial attraction).
Not fair to rate this as I don't even know where or how to begin doing that or explaining what I felt reading that..
I received an advanced copy for which I am grateful for, and the cover, once updated, is stunning (hence my initial attraction).
Not fair to rate this as I don't even know where or how to begin doing that or explaining what I felt reading that..
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
5 stars
I love Hieu Minh Nguyen's work for a number of reasons, and this collection encompasses all of them.
First, Nguyen writes accessibly. I've taught several of his poems to early college students, and they consistently want to write on his works (i.e., spend more time with his content over other writers on purpose) because of how relatable his themes are. "Outbound," the first poem in this collection, is an ongoing favorite of this group, for example.
Nguyen also balances the explicit and implicit in ways that fascinate me. He can subtly reveal something huge in just a few lines of a short poem. He can also expand and build a discrete idea that hits almost insidiously through longer efforts. I love the ebb and flow of these choices.
My favorite aspect of Nguyen's work is the set of motifs he explores. The speakers frequently come out feeling authentic, vulnerable, and laid bare. It's easy to connect with them, even when they are inhabiting identities and experiences that are quite disparate from readers' own adventures.
I came into this collection hoping to find some new poems I'd not yet encountered that I'd see as great possibilities for future courses, and I got not only that but also a whole group of poems that I just truly enjoyed digging into, and some of them are really sitting with me now (in a good way). For obvious reasons, I'm looking forward to sharing this collection with my students and digging into this again, along with whatever Nguyen produces next.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Tin House for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I love Hieu Minh Nguyen's work for a number of reasons, and this collection encompasses all of them.
First, Nguyen writes accessibly. I've taught several of his poems to early college students, and they consistently want to write on his works (i.e., spend more time with his content over other writers on purpose) because of how relatable his themes are. "Outbound," the first poem in this collection, is an ongoing favorite of this group, for example.
Nguyen also balances the explicit and implicit in ways that fascinate me. He can subtly reveal something huge in just a few lines of a short poem. He can also expand and build a discrete idea that hits almost insidiously through longer efforts. I love the ebb and flow of these choices.
My favorite aspect of Nguyen's work is the set of motifs he explores. The speakers frequently come out feeling authentic, vulnerable, and laid bare. It's easy to connect with them, even when they are inhabiting identities and experiences that are quite disparate from readers' own adventures.
I came into this collection hoping to find some new poems I'd not yet encountered that I'd see as great possibilities for future courses, and I got not only that but also a whole group of poems that I just truly enjoyed digging into, and some of them are really sitting with me now (in a good way). For obvious reasons, I'm looking forward to sharing this collection with my students and digging into this again, along with whatever Nguyen produces next.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Tin House for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I don’t think anyone writes better about generational trauma, the pain of living, and the attempt to belong to two worlds at the same time than the children of emigrants. We are the product of a different culture and society that tries to mix as little as possible, to preserve its roots while creating new ones — giving its descendants the privilege of never fully belonging anywhere and of feeling that neither side truly wants them. This creates people who are poetically inclined, melancholic, and gifted with the ability to put into beautiful words everything life brings, both good and bad. An adoxography of life.
I feel melancholic now that I’ve finished it, as if the weight of the world were resting on my fingertips, pressing me to act and to better myself. Yet my thoughts are light, almost ethereal, as if a sense of “rest a little, the world will stay where it is” has taken over my always-tired brain (anxiety — there’s not much to be done).
I’ve never read anything by Nguyen before; this is my first book of his and certainly not my last. I’m eagerly awaiting its official release so I can hold it in my hands.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Hieun Minh Nguyen, if you ever read this review, I hope you feel my virtual hug. I love you from the comfort of my home and screen, and I hope your poems remain beautiful — but that one day their existence may also carry a certain happiness with it. May our traumas find rest, and allow us to rest too.
Once again, thank you.
I don’t think anyone writes better about generational trauma, the pain of living, and the attempt to belong to two worlds at the same time than the children of emigrants. We are the product of a different culture and society that tries to mix as little as possible, to preserve its roots while creating new ones — giving its descendants the privilege of never fully belonging anywhere and of feeling that neither side truly wants them. This creates people who are poetically inclined, melancholic, and gifted with the ability to put into beautiful words everything life brings, both good and bad. An adoxography of life.
I feel melancholic now that I’ve finished it, as if the weight of the world were resting on my fingertips, pressing me to act and to better myself. Yet my thoughts are light, almost ethereal, as if a sense of “rest a little, the world will stay where it is” has taken over my always-tired brain (anxiety — there’s not much to be done).
I’ve never read anything by Nguyen before; this is my first book of his and certainly not my last. I’m eagerly awaiting its official release so I can hold it in my hands.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Hieun Minh Nguyen, if you ever read this review, I hope you feel my virtual hug. I love you from the comfort of my home and screen, and I hope your poems remain beautiful — but that one day their existence may also carry a certain happiness with it. May our traumas find rest, and allow us to rest too.
Once again, thank you.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Tin House and NetGalley for the ARC.
"I was never fast enough to catch a still life," writes Hieu Minh Nguyen in his stunning new collection of poems. For someone who has spent their whole life running towards or away, the thought of stillness can be almost unbearable, especially when the thing you've been trying to outrun is your own body. In Staying Still, Nguyen moves through the depths of loneliness and alienation as well as the ecstasy of pleasure and desire. Nguyen's poetic voice is mesmerizing and more precise and assured than it's ever been, and even on my first read through this book I found myself coming back to certain poems (like "Come On Over" and "Staying Quiet") again and again. These poems are for anyone who has ever felt estranged from themselves, who has been consumed by longing, who has felt unseen by those who are supposed to see us most clearly, and who has been saved by sweaty queer bodies moving together on a dance floor and by the grace of friendship.
"I was never fast enough to catch a still life," writes Hieu Minh Nguyen in his stunning new collection of poems. For someone who has spent their whole life running towards or away, the thought of stillness can be almost unbearable, especially when the thing you've been trying to outrun is your own body. In Staying Still, Nguyen moves through the depths of loneliness and alienation as well as the ecstasy of pleasure and desire. Nguyen's poetic voice is mesmerizing and more precise and assured than it's ever been, and even on my first read through this book I found myself coming back to certain poems (like "Come On Over" and "Staying Quiet") again and again. These poems are for anyone who has ever felt estranged from themselves, who has been consumed by longing, who has felt unseen by those who are supposed to see us most clearly, and who has been saved by sweaty queer bodies moving together on a dance floor and by the grace of friendship.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Hieu Minh Nguyen's Not Here is one of my all-time favorite poetry collections and I was thrilled to see this newest collection listed on Net Galley, eager to indulge of more his incredible writing. Staying Still does not disappoint, fans of his prior work will immediately find a new favorite poem amidst the many shining gems. The standout feature of Hieu's writing is always the stunning clarity he summons when delivering the point of a poem. Cutting sentences and precise lines are delivered at exactly the right times, making the arduous task of writing good poetry seem so effortless. This is a beautifully crafted collection. A standout new book by one of our best contemporary poets.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This poem collection tells the story of a man looking for comfort in a world that doesn’t provide enough. It’s a story of longing, desire, and generational trauma. Each poem, loosely connected to the last, is short and bittersweet.
I enjoyed this collection, although this was the first book of Nguyen i’ve read, so I may be missing some context clues from his previous work.
I did find myself getting lost on occasion, unsure what was happening but the simplicity of the writing tended to keep my interest peaked.
It was a bittersweet read. 3/5 stars for me :)
Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!
I enjoyed this collection, although this was the first book of Nguyen i’ve read, so I may be missing some context clues from his previous work.
I did find myself getting lost on occasion, unsure what was happening but the simplicity of the writing tended to keep my interest peaked.
It was a bittersweet read. 3/5 stars for me :)
Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!
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April 19, 2026Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
Before this, I hadn't read any of Minh Nguyen's other works and went into this almost completely blind. It was a short, impactful work that seemed to draw on a lot from his childhood and from memories of family. There are clearly some really deep feelings here: around identity and love and grief, all components that make for some sucker-punch poetry. Will keep an eye out for more of this!
Before this, I hadn't read any of Minh Nguyen's other works and went into this almost completely blind. It was a short, impactful work that seemed to draw on a lot from his childhood and from memories of family. There are clearly some really deep feelings here: around identity and love and grief, all components that make for some sucker-punch poetry. Will keep an eye out for more of this!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!
this was my first experience with the authors work. I really enjoyed the varying lengths of the poems. the author writes broadly of their life and experiences, which allowed myself to identify with many of the thoughts and feelings they were expressing. the author writes of childhood, the quest for beauty, death, and the relationship with our body. I really enjoyed the overarching theme of: what are the things we want, what directions can we travel (physically and metaphorically), and the distance we inevitably gain from the two. excited to read more by the author!
this was my first experience with the authors work. I really enjoyed the varying lengths of the poems. the author writes broadly of their life and experiences, which allowed myself to identify with many of the thoughts and feelings they were expressing. the author writes of childhood, the quest for beauty, death, and the relationship with our body. I really enjoyed the overarching theme of: what are the things we want, what directions can we travel (physically and metaphorically), and the distance we inevitably gain from the two. excited to read more by the author!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is beautiful, poignant, and relatable. Very relatable, in fact. I found myself looking forward to every single poem, every single line; it was all so strong. I'm going to need to buy a physical copy of this book because I want it to join my small poetry collection, which only consists of poetry books that really resonate with me. I think Nguyen's word choices were rhythmic, setting a pace and setting the stage for what comes next. I can't wait to read more poetry by them.
May 7, 2026
ARC REVIEW
Staying Still is a beautifully well-written, poignant and relatable collection. Flowing perfectly into one another, the poems walk the reader through the topics of loneliness, generational trauma and belonging. The pain of living is writhe within Nguyen’s writing and the melancholy seeps into the reader and I connected with some of his words so deeply and painfully.
Truly incredible work.
Thank you to Tin House, Zando and Netgalley for the ARC!
Staying Still is a beautifully well-written, poignant and relatable collection. Flowing perfectly into one another, the poems walk the reader through the topics of loneliness, generational trauma and belonging. The pain of living is writhe within Nguyen’s writing and the melancholy seeps into the reader and I connected with some of his words so deeply and painfully.
Truly incredible work.
Thank you to Tin House, Zando and Netgalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This collection of poems showed raw emotions, realism and some really deep and meaningful ideas about our world. My favourite was Outbound, but there are many different poems about different things and the author has the ability to bring a vulnerability to them all. Thank you for this beautiful collection!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A cohesive collection of poetry about wanting for something more and wanting to find connection. Loved the writing style as well. Reads like a journal. Thank you to Netgalley and Zando publishing for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I was deeply moved by the power of Nguyen's use of language. He leaves powerful images that linger.
April 16, 2026
Nguyen has always written poetry that hits hard in the best ways for me, and the new and exciting ways he finds to twist the knife in here are incredibly well done. Highly recommended poetry read for your fall.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews