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The Partition
A thrilling new story collection from acclaimed writer Don Lee exploring Asian American identity, spanning decades and continents.
"The Partition is flat-out brilliant: a witty, kaleidoscopic tear through questions of race and identity in America today by a writer who has wrought luminous fiction from these issues for years. Don Lee’s collection offers vivid, entertaining proof that ethnicity is never straightforward or easy—no matter who we are, or where we stand."
—Jennifer Egan, author of A Visit from the Goon Squad
"I'm a huge Don Lee fan. He's smart, wry, funny. There's also his humane view of humans, and the startling fairness with which he provides everyone's point of view. I admire the graceful way his stories unfold, as if their pleats are intrinsic, once we stop to notice desire's contradictions, and life's wrinkles."
—Ann Beattie, author of A Wonderful Stroke of Luck
“Whatever you’re hiding from may find you in a Don Lee story. But this isn’t a warning. The Partition is, again and again, about Asian Americans in ways we don’t always admit we need, a collection about how we alternately cheat and show up for each other and ourselves. And the whole time, there’s a canny, shrewd love, guiding us the way through.”
—Alexander Chee, author of How to Write an Autobiographical Novel
"Where would we be without the work of Don Lee? He is for so many of us our guiding light, the writer we look toward, emulate, and wish we were. Over the course of four novels and a story collection, he has not so much pushed the envelope but blasted it open and created anew the landscape of the Asian American experience with rigor, joy, hilarity, and the most generous of hearts. The Partition is storytelling at its finest and further proof of Lee’s mastery—a stunning portrait of who we are now and where we’re going."
—Paul Yoon, author of Snow Hunters
Twenty-one years after the publication of his landmark debut collection Yellow, Don Lee returns to the short story form for his sixth book, The Partition.
The Partition is an updated exploration of Asian American identity, this time with characters who are presumptive model minorities in the arts, academia, and media. Spanning decades, these nine novelistic stories traverse an array of cities, from Tokyo to Boston, Honolulu to El Paso, touching upon transient encounters in local bars, restaurants, and hotels.
Culminating in a three-story cycle about a Hollywood actor, The Partition incisively examines heartbreak, identity, family, and relationships, the characters searching for answers to universal questions: Where do I belong? How can I find love? What defines an authentic self?
"The Partition is flat-out brilliant: a witty, kaleidoscopic tear through questions of race and identity in America today by a writer who has wrought luminous fiction from these issues for years. Don Lee’s collection offers vivid, entertaining proof that ethnicity is never straightforward or easy—no matter who we are, or where we stand."
—Jennifer Egan, author of A Visit from the Goon Squad
"I'm a huge Don Lee fan. He's smart, wry, funny. There's also his humane view of humans, and the startling fairness with which he provides everyone's point of view. I admire the graceful way his stories unfold, as if their pleats are intrinsic, once we stop to notice desire's contradictions, and life's wrinkles."
—Ann Beattie, author of A Wonderful Stroke of Luck
“Whatever you’re hiding from may find you in a Don Lee story. But this isn’t a warning. The Partition is, again and again, about Asian Americans in ways we don’t always admit we need, a collection about how we alternately cheat and show up for each other and ourselves. And the whole time, there’s a canny, shrewd love, guiding us the way through.”
—Alexander Chee, author of How to Write an Autobiographical Novel
"Where would we be without the work of Don Lee? He is for so many of us our guiding light, the writer we look toward, emulate, and wish we were. Over the course of four novels and a story collection, he has not so much pushed the envelope but blasted it open and created anew the landscape of the Asian American experience with rigor, joy, hilarity, and the most generous of hearts. The Partition is storytelling at its finest and further proof of Lee’s mastery—a stunning portrait of who we are now and where we’re going."
—Paul Yoon, author of Snow Hunters
Twenty-one years after the publication of his landmark debut collection Yellow, Don Lee returns to the short story form for his sixth book, The Partition.
The Partition is an updated exploration of Asian American identity, this time with characters who are presumptive model minorities in the arts, academia, and media. Spanning decades, these nine novelistic stories traverse an array of cities, from Tokyo to Boston, Honolulu to El Paso, touching upon transient encounters in local bars, restaurants, and hotels.
Culminating in a three-story cycle about a Hollywood actor, The Partition incisively examines heartbreak, identity, family, and relationships, the characters searching for answers to universal questions: Where do I belong? How can I find love? What defines an authentic self?
296 pages, Hardcover
First published April 26, 2022
12 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
About the author
Don Lee
17 books83 followersDon Lee is the author most recently of the novel Lonesome Lies Before Us. He is also the author of the novel The Collective, which won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature from the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association; the novel Wrack and Ruin, which was a finalist for the Thurber Prize; the novel Country of Origin, which won an American Book Award, the Edgar Award for Best First Novel, and a Mixed Media Watch Image Award for Outstanding Fiction; and the story collection Yellow, which won the Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the Members Choice Award from the Asian American Writers' Workshop. All of his books have been published by W. W. Norton.
He has received an O. Henry Award and a Pushcart Prize, and his stories have been published in The Southern Review, The Kenyon Review, GQ, The North American Review, The Gettysburg Review, Manoa, American Short Fiction, Glimmer Train, Charlie Chan Is Dead 2, Screaming Monkeys, Narrative, and elsewhere. He has received fellowships from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the St. Botolph Club Foundation, and residencies from Yaddo and the Lannan Foundation. In 2007, he received the inaugural Fred R. Brown Literary Award for emerging novelists from the University of Pittsburgh's creative writing program.
From 1988 to 2007, he was the principal editor of the literary journal Ploughshares. He is currently a professor in Temple University's M.F.A. program in creative writing in Philadelphia. He is a third-generation Korean American.
He has received an O. Henry Award and a Pushcart Prize, and his stories have been published in The Southern Review, The Kenyon Review, GQ, The North American Review, The Gettysburg Review, Manoa, American Short Fiction, Glimmer Train, Charlie Chan Is Dead 2, Screaming Monkeys, Narrative, and elsewhere. He has received fellowships from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the St. Botolph Club Foundation, and residencies from Yaddo and the Lannan Foundation. In 2007, he received the inaugural Fred R. Brown Literary Award for emerging novelists from the University of Pittsburgh's creative writing program.
From 1988 to 2007, he was the principal editor of the literary journal Ploughshares. He is currently a professor in Temple University's M.F.A. program in creative writing in Philadelphia. He is a third-generation Korean American.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 29, 2022
What a complex set of Asian American characters in complex situations! This short story collection pulled strong reactions out of me, mostly in the positive direction. I loved the sheer range Don Lee showed off in these stories, where he writes about Asian American actors, news journalists, academics, and much more entangled in sticky and complicated life scenarios. The collection features a lot of messy longing, thwarted life ambitions, and unresolved personal issues. Yet, at times, Lee imbues some of his stories with a real sense of heart and love for his Asian American protagonists, even if none of them get a carefree happy ending. I liked how the characters’ race were a part of the story, like experiences of racism, though the stories were not solely about these characters being Asian American.
I almost gave this collection three stars instead of four because some of these stories are DEPRESSING. A sense of sadness and unhappiness kinda sits atop all of the stories, though there were two stories in particular (“Confidants” and “UFOs”) that were almost like, too bleak for me?? In the former, an Asian man dating an Asian woman is plagued by insecurity which causes him to “lose” his Asian female partner to a random white man and then the insecure Asian protagonist ends up dating this conniving white woman and I was like?? Yikes! And then there’s another story where an Asian woman pretty much only dates white men and considers Asian men “ugly fucking orientals” and she treats this super sweet Asian guy SO poorly and doesn’t really grow at all in the story and I was like?? Omg why??? I have mixed feelings about these stories because on one hand I do know Asian people of all genders and sexual orientations who have internalized racism/white supremacy and prefer to date white people, so I guess it’s important to represent that real issue in literature, and at the same time these stories just felt so bleak to me. However, my mixed feelings probably stem from my own background as a mental health worker who has a preference for human growth – though I acknowledge growth isn’t always possible or realistic – and as an Asian American who grew up around a lot of other Asian Americans and never really idealized white people.
That all said, there are other stories where the characters overcome or grow out of internalized white supremacy or they don’t struggle with it much to begin with. Furthermore, Lee writes pretty well on a scene and sentence level. I always felt immersed in the story itself and never felt bored or that I was noticing myself reading because the story itself didn’t compel me. I hope these complex and somewhat cutting representations of Asian Americans continues across various forms of media – especially with Asian Americans interacting with other people of color and not just distasteful white people! Some stories that stood out to me in a positive way include "The Partition," "Commis," and the three interconnected final stories that centered Alain ("The Sanno," "Reenactments," and "Days In, Days Out").
I almost gave this collection three stars instead of four because some of these stories are DEPRESSING. A sense of sadness and unhappiness kinda sits atop all of the stories, though there were two stories in particular (“Confidants” and “UFOs”) that were almost like, too bleak for me?? In the former, an Asian man dating an Asian woman is plagued by insecurity which causes him to “lose” his Asian female partner to a random white man and then the insecure Asian protagonist ends up dating this conniving white woman and I was like?? Yikes! And then there’s another story where an Asian woman pretty much only dates white men and considers Asian men “ugly fucking orientals” and she treats this super sweet Asian guy SO poorly and doesn’t really grow at all in the story and I was like?? Omg why??? I have mixed feelings about these stories because on one hand I do know Asian people of all genders and sexual orientations who have internalized racism/white supremacy and prefer to date white people, so I guess it’s important to represent that real issue in literature, and at the same time these stories just felt so bleak to me. However, my mixed feelings probably stem from my own background as a mental health worker who has a preference for human growth – though I acknowledge growth isn’t always possible or realistic – and as an Asian American who grew up around a lot of other Asian Americans and never really idealized white people.
That all said, there are other stories where the characters overcome or grow out of internalized white supremacy or they don’t struggle with it much to begin with. Furthermore, Lee writes pretty well on a scene and sentence level. I always felt immersed in the story itself and never felt bored or that I was noticing myself reading because the story itself didn’t compel me. I hope these complex and somewhat cutting representations of Asian Americans continues across various forms of media – especially with Asian Americans interacting with other people of color and not just distasteful white people! Some stories that stood out to me in a positive way include "The Partition," "Commis," and the three interconnected final stories that centered Alain ("The Sanno," "Reenactments," and "Days In, Days Out").
June 27, 2022
Reading this book was a "Killing Me Softly" experience for me. This title, along with his The Collective, reveal some deep secrets, beliefs, and experiences of Asian Americans. We had these in a vault but its reveal here is certainly validating and reassuring. I could read Lee endlessly for his insightful and loving take on the Asian American experience. Notably he has a decidedly West Coast Asian American consciousness (bravo!).
He writes with generous wit and sharp social commentary. In his first story, he eviscerates Amy T@n and Crasy R1ch Asi@ns....so good and so deserved. It is quite satisfying but moreso it speaks of that consciousness (above). It's like the Bechdel Test...
Partition, the title story and my favorite of the bunch, is the most nuanced and smartly depicts the duality and fissures many Asian Americans face. The title story also features a Korean adoptee's translation of a Korean book. Interestingly, in that story, a Deborah Symthe shows up. Smythe is a nod to Deborah Smith, a IRL translator of Korean books. And given some controversial questions about Smith's work, this story ribs how precise and accurate translations are or should be. Also, I liked UFO's and Late in the Day as well. Lastly, I liked the Les Hotels D'Alain, three-story sequence.
All his stories are smart, sharp and funny...and possess an affectionate quality. This combination is a rare and wondrous feat.
As an aside, he has an OCD quality that is appealing. Notice the lists he makes. They're not only 3 or 4 items; they are 5 or more till some point of existential completion. The list of pastas, green straws, guns, etc.
A few quotes:
...the response had been overwhelmingly positive in the beginning--hailed a breakthrough for APA cinema, a bravura anti-ethnic ethnic film, all of the cast members and the majority of the crew Asian Americans, yet with nothing self-consciously Asian about it. No accents, no generational conflicts, no culture clashes, no references to immigration or identity or assimilation, no geishas or comfort women or greengrocers, no one using chopsticks even...
(in a thinly veiled reference to Amy T@n)
...Her books were too precious and saccharine for his tastes--standard Chinese American immigrant weepies, with lots of folklore allusions and tributes to the old country, characters gazing wistfully out to sea--and this was not any different....
(again, referring to a T@n character)
For all her fealty to tradition, she had married a rice king. (ouch!)
Judy continued her speech, more hokey, quasi-Eastern-ancestral-familial-mysticism crap, relating a story about a ghost and a peasant on the bank of the Heavenly River. This was what Peter has always hated about her books, that they perpetuated every stereotype ever invented about Asians....
...It was a trifle, a self-Orientalizing ornament.
He writes with generous wit and sharp social commentary. In his first story, he eviscerates Amy T@n and Crasy R1ch Asi@ns....so good and so deserved. It is quite satisfying but moreso it speaks of that consciousness (above). It's like the Bechdel Test...
Partition, the title story and my favorite of the bunch, is the most nuanced and smartly depicts the duality and fissures many Asian Americans face. The title story also features a Korean adoptee's translation of a Korean book. Interestingly, in that story, a Deborah Symthe shows up. Smythe is a nod to Deborah Smith, a IRL translator of Korean books. And given some controversial questions about Smith's work, this story ribs how precise and accurate translations are or should be. Also, I liked UFO's and Late in the Day as well. Lastly, I liked the Les Hotels D'Alain, three-story sequence.
All his stories are smart, sharp and funny...and possess an affectionate quality. This combination is a rare and wondrous feat.
As an aside, he has an OCD quality that is appealing. Notice the lists he makes. They're not only 3 or 4 items; they are 5 or more till some point of existential completion. The list of pastas, green straws, guns, etc.
A few quotes:
...the response had been overwhelmingly positive in the beginning--hailed a breakthrough for APA cinema, a bravura anti-ethnic ethnic film, all of the cast members and the majority of the crew Asian Americans, yet with nothing self-consciously Asian about it. No accents, no generational conflicts, no culture clashes, no references to immigration or identity or assimilation, no geishas or comfort women or greengrocers, no one using chopsticks even...
(in a thinly veiled reference to Amy T@n)
...Her books were too precious and saccharine for his tastes--standard Chinese American immigrant weepies, with lots of folklore allusions and tributes to the old country, characters gazing wistfully out to sea--and this was not any different....
(again, referring to a T@n character)
For all her fealty to tradition, she had married a rice king. (ouch!)
Judy continued her speech, more hokey, quasi-Eastern-ancestral-familial-mysticism crap, relating a story about a ghost and a peasant on the bank of the Heavenly River. This was what Peter has always hated about her books, that they perpetuated every stereotype ever invented about Asians....
...It was a trifle, a self-Orientalizing ornament.
June 23, 2022
A great collection — try the first story or the title track and see if it clicks. Ends with a bravura triptych that (per Buffalo 66) spans time.
April 27, 2022
I received advanced uncorrected proofs of this book courtesy of LibraryThing Early Reviewers and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I am always a bit leery of literary fiction, which I tend to find tedious and dull, but I enjoyed this collection of short stories immensely. It is exactly what it says on the tin (or, at least, my copy of the tin): "an updated exploration of Asian American identity, this time with characters who are presumptive model minorities in the arts, academia, and media."
Identity is definitely the core motif, and the author explores every nook and cranny of the idea: everything from race and ethnicity to culture, stereotypes, sexual identity, public presentation, adoption, celebration vs suppression, fetishes. These six stories are all over the place, with different narrators, of different heritages (though with a heavy emphasis on Korean), at different places in their lives and dealing with different issues, both internal and external. I can't say I liked all of the protagonists, but each story was certainly thought provoking, opening my white eyes to invisible issues I have the privilege of not facing, at least not head-on.
My favorite stories are "Commis" - which explores the intersection of food, culture, time, and location, and the final, longer novelette, "Les hôtels d'Alain." This final work is a three-part story, where we follow the narrator, Alian Kweon, over the course of his life, from a 14-year-old adolescent CIA brat in Tokyo to a 59-year-old retired actor who runs an enterprise of boba tea shops in San Francisco. I liked Alian quite a bit, and found his story compelling, especially given recent conversations about when we, as adults, actually feel like adults, as opposed to children masquerading as adults. I think everyone has a bit of that imposter feeling when we all realize that everybody's winging it, with varying success, as we careen down the highway of life.
I really enjoyed this collection, and I felt some of the slings and arrows hitting close to home even without the baggage of being Othered by the world in general. Recommended even to those of us who shy away from literary fiction.
I am always a bit leery of literary fiction, which I tend to find tedious and dull, but I enjoyed this collection of short stories immensely. It is exactly what it says on the tin (or, at least, my copy of the tin): "an updated exploration of Asian American identity, this time with characters who are presumptive model minorities in the arts, academia, and media."
Identity is definitely the core motif, and the author explores every nook and cranny of the idea: everything from race and ethnicity to culture, stereotypes, sexual identity, public presentation, adoption, celebration vs suppression, fetishes. These six stories are all over the place, with different narrators, of different heritages (though with a heavy emphasis on Korean), at different places in their lives and dealing with different issues, both internal and external. I can't say I liked all of the protagonists, but each story was certainly thought provoking, opening my white eyes to invisible issues I have the privilege of not facing, at least not head-on.
My favorite stories are "Commis" - which explores the intersection of food, culture, time, and location, and the final, longer novelette, "Les hôtels d'Alain." This final work is a three-part story, where we follow the narrator, Alian Kweon, over the course of his life, from a 14-year-old adolescent CIA brat in Tokyo to a 59-year-old retired actor who runs an enterprise of boba tea shops in San Francisco. I liked Alian quite a bit, and found his story compelling, especially given recent conversations about when we, as adults, actually feel like adults, as opposed to children masquerading as adults. I think everyone has a bit of that imposter feeling when we all realize that everybody's winging it, with varying success, as we careen down the highway of life.
I really enjoyed this collection, and I felt some of the slings and arrows hitting close to home even without the baggage of being Othered by the world in general. Recommended even to those of us who shy away from literary fiction.
March 16, 2023
These are wonderful little short stories.
September 7, 2023
I picked up this book a few years ago -- I think it was at a coffee shop or a community center? -- when visiting Chicago. Lately I've been noticing it unread on my shelves and thought why not. The stories are interesting and well-paced, but not especially memorable.
April 13, 2022
Author Don Lee and I go way back. I reviewed his 2012 novel, The Collective, for a popular webzine, and wrote a glowing piece about that book, which focused on a group of Asian American art college kids who were grappling with their art and their relationships (and particularly their relationships with white people, if memory serves correct) at the same time. Turns out that the publicist must have really liked that review because a piece of it was blurbed on the opening inside pages of the paperback edition that came out about a year later — which is probably as close as I’m going to get to being published in book form by a major publisher. The Collective was a good read, but his latest book, a collection of nine short stories called The Partition, is even better yet. It is simply a Grade A, top drawer collection of stories featuring Asian American characters who are grappling with their identities. It’s simply a must-read, even if it treads somewhat similar ground to Gish Jen’s Thank You, Mr. Nixon, another story collection that came out earlier this year. Each of these stories is self-contained but features characters that are so enduring, but feature characters that are so enduring, you wish that almost each of these pieces be expanded to novel-length tales just so we can find out what happens to them — even if Lee does include a bit of a précis as to what happens to them sometimes.
There is an old saw that every short story collection contains some clunkers — and that some stories are better than others. That’s not really the case with The Partition: virtually all these stories are worthy of merit in some way, and they are all immaculately detailed and exceedingly well written. My favourite of the batch might just be the titular piece, where an androgynous woman living in California and is on track to being tenured at the college she teaches at, finds her life unravelling over a novel she translated that wasn’t entirely faithful to the source. It’s a story that’s partially about the rift between Asians and Asian Americans, but it’s also a piece about artistic integrity and how art is shaped by languages. It’s a stunningly good read, one that ends with an unexpected conclusion. But picking a favoured story shouldn’t diminish the other stories as there are some interesting experiments here. For instance, the final three stories all feature the same character at different ages of his life and form a sort of novella. There’s a link between the final story and the first story in the collection, the latter being a tale about an Asian American film director struggling to be heard and seen.
Read the entire review here: https://zachary-houle.medium.com/a-re...
There is an old saw that every short story collection contains some clunkers — and that some stories are better than others. That’s not really the case with The Partition: virtually all these stories are worthy of merit in some way, and they are all immaculately detailed and exceedingly well written. My favourite of the batch might just be the titular piece, where an androgynous woman living in California and is on track to being tenured at the college she teaches at, finds her life unravelling over a novel she translated that wasn’t entirely faithful to the source. It’s a story that’s partially about the rift between Asians and Asian Americans, but it’s also a piece about artistic integrity and how art is shaped by languages. It’s a stunningly good read, one that ends with an unexpected conclusion. But picking a favoured story shouldn’t diminish the other stories as there are some interesting experiments here. For instance, the final three stories all feature the same character at different ages of his life and form a sort of novella. There’s a link between the final story and the first story in the collection, the latter being a tale about an Asian American film director struggling to be heard and seen.
Read the entire review here: https://zachary-houle.medium.com/a-re...
April 9, 2025
If I read one more Korean-American writer write “aigoo” or “chamna” in their books, I am going to scream. As a person who speaks Korean as her first language, Don Lee’s Korean is obviously not good enough to deliver a Korean conversation convincingly. For one, the honorifics are off. Two, his Korean characters speak Korean in ways that no modern Korean in Korea would speak it. This lack of research and review feels more offensive coming from a fellow Asian writer—like, you couldn’t get one mainland Korean friend to review the dialogues for you? How is it any different then from people of other ethnic backgrounds exoticizing or caricaturing what Asian culture is about? And this thing with the notions of “han” and “jeong” is very outdated—it’s something that many Korean-American writers are obsessed with, but it’s just not something oft talked about in Korea. I have problems with his English expressions as well. His characters are around my age. I have never heard of anyone around me use the expression “rice king.” I can only assume that is something that people of his generation used. Why not make his characters his age? Isn’t that one benefit of getting older—that you can write older characters more convincingly? So, the problem I have with this book is that Don Lee is trying to write about many things he simply doesn’t know and didn’t do more research on—so it comes off as fake. It’s not genuine. It’s lazy. And that is infuriating to see in a book.
May 15, 2022
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
I really enjoyed "The Partition." I'd never read Don Lee before, and I like his style. Lee explores the Asian-American identity through characters from varied Asian backgrounds (both mixed and not), some the stereotypical model minority doctors, engineers, musicians and others not so much. Through stories taking place in different cities around the world, Lee's characters all search for something meaningful, looking for their true identity and rightful place in the world. Although some of the stories can be in-your-face direct and a little bit harsh, they are never bleak or jarring, and all of them have at least a little bit of heart in them, so nothing is truly black-and-white in its presentation.
This was a very enjoyable collection of short stories.
I really enjoyed "The Partition." I'd never read Don Lee before, and I like his style. Lee explores the Asian-American identity through characters from varied Asian backgrounds (both mixed and not), some the stereotypical model minority doctors, engineers, musicians and others not so much. Through stories taking place in different cities around the world, Lee's characters all search for something meaningful, looking for their true identity and rightful place in the world. Although some of the stories can be in-your-face direct and a little bit harsh, they are never bleak or jarring, and all of them have at least a little bit of heart in them, so nothing is truly black-and-white in its presentation.
This was a very enjoyable collection of short stories.
July 17, 2022
I enjoyed the first 3/4 of this book, but the last section of three very long stories really dragged for me. They focused more on details of situations like the Vietnam War than on the lives of individuals. Characters were the driving force behind the earlier (and much better, IMO) stories. Lee's main characters are all Asian or mixed Asian people trying to navigate society. Whether a Hawaiian boy of mixed ethnicity, son of a CIA agent, trying to navigate Japanese society or a Korean adoptee working her way to the top of television journalism, all were unique and all illuminated the experiences of Asian-Americans in contemporary society. Were it not for the last quarter of the book, I would have rated it higher.
April 17, 2022
Just finished my advance copy of The Partition by Don Lee. It's short stories that explore Asian American identity. The reason I like them so much is because the characters are so flawed and real. I even sort of hated the main character in one of the stories. She was a piece of work, but I loved that the writing stirred those feelings in me.
It ends in a three-cycle story about an actor, which brought up a lot of the issues in the industry surrounding actors of color. In the very last one the actor wonders about his purpose in life which I found to be genuine and relatable.
Definitely recommend to those who enjoy short stories.
It ends in a three-cycle story about an actor, which brought up a lot of the issues in the industry surrounding actors of color. In the very last one the actor wonders about his purpose in life which I found to be genuine and relatable.
Definitely recommend to those who enjoy short stories.
April 17, 2022
I received an advanced copy as part of GGR and am recommending this collection of stories for Great Group Reads for WNBA. Each story was a masterpiece of flawed yet whole character building, and the author skillfully built worlds to fit the stories, when needed - never too much world building, with deft descriptions to paint a picture of the characters' surroundings. I found the relationships and reflections on identity intriguing, and I wanted to know more about each character, and where they would go next. Don Lee is a skilled writer and I am a new fan.
June 9, 2022
These stories, like Lee’s previous work, strongly focus on Asianess and social identity as Asian, American, and Asian-American. As for other themes there is a lot about growing up and growing old and finding love or not. There is a strong sense of bleakness and unhappiness here and not much of hope and contentment, through there is some of that. Some of the material here seems only partially digested. Times are hard for sure. I look forward to seeing these themes more fully developed in future work.
June 10, 2022
Great collection of short stories.
Notable lines:
“But this had been different. Beginning in March, I had not felt safe anywhere in public, in a constant state of anxiety, vague unease sometimes oscillating to terror. By the end of the summer, however, the feeling had started to dissipate, and I was surprised my brother was still so wary. (I didn’t foresee that the hate would persist and escalate.)”
“She wanted it to last forever, this feeling-youth, time, glory, everything still before her, waiting, her extraordinary life-but she felt it rolling over her and give in to it.”
Notable lines:
“But this had been different. Beginning in March, I had not felt safe anywhere in public, in a constant state of anxiety, vague unease sometimes oscillating to terror. By the end of the summer, however, the feeling had started to dissipate, and I was surprised my brother was still so wary. (I didn’t foresee that the hate would persist and escalate.)”
“She wanted it to last forever, this feeling-youth, time, glory, everything still before her, waiting, her extraordinary life-but she felt it rolling over her and give in to it.”
May 19, 2022
All stories in "The Partition" deal with subtle, submerged, and scathing stereotypes imputed upon the characters because of white bigotry: the sexualization and fetishization of women for their "exotic" beauty, the psychological castration and emasculation of men, the academic but "nerdy" student. The stereotypes whisper of limitations and impossible obstacles that are internalized and destructive. Unforgettable! For my entire review, see the May 18th review at New York Journal of Books.
April 11, 2022
Won this book, an advanced copy - Author is new for me - the short stories (9) reflect the life of one Asian American identity who are model minorities - deals with relationships, identity problems, where/how accepted - well written - some humorous - different point of view - left with a better human understanding - Fast but enjoyable read.
April 15, 2022
Most of these were good stories. It was especially interesting to read the ones about Asian men being dismissed by Asian women. Also, the title story was fascinating, and I would read a whole novel about it.
It wasn't my favorite read of the year, but I enjoyed it, and I will be reading Don Lee's other story collections.
It wasn't my favorite read of the year, but I enjoyed it, and I will be reading Don Lee's other story collections.
December 18, 2022
I'm not sure why Don Lee's fiction is a bit under the radar; he's an excellent writer who injects a lot of wry humor into this books. Like his novels, the stories here are all worth reading, and I was especially pleased to see that this Californian now teaches creative writing at Temple (since I spent 15 years in the main campus library salt mines).
March 7, 2024
The male characters? Complex, thoughtful, rich, a joy to read. The women on the other hand tend to follow a narrow script across the stories down the their physical descriptions, even when Lee writes first person from their perspective. So I had mixed feelings. I quite enjoyed the titular story though. What a ride.
March 7, 2023
Don Lee does it again! One of the true, great Asian American writers of our time. His characters are fresh and relatable, his dialogue smart, and his portrayal of Asian America is honest without the slightest bit of cliche.
November 29, 2025
Don Lee continues to impress with this collection of Asian Am characters grappling with the identities foisted on them. Their twists and turns not only surprise but deeply move. Incisive and poignant. I highly recommend this book!
June 7, 2022
So much to like. Great use of language. Immediately engaging characters. Exploration of every day life issues and a willingness to look at the big picture. I want more Don Lee in my life.
June 11, 2022
3.25, some stories better than others
August 6, 2022
I enjoyed almost all of the stories. Interesting. Real. Even though not all characters were likeable it's good that they each were flawed and had their own personalities. Noone is perfect
January 16, 2023
Throughly enjoyed each story and would pick-up any that became longer novels.
March 28, 2023
Well -written stories about Asian Americans. Looking forward to reading more of his stories and novels.
January 29, 2024
Stories about Asians so fun
March 13, 2024
The title story is juicy literary world gossip! The rest are less juicy but engaging reads. I enjoyed.
May 19, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed this collection of short stories. They just felt very real and I loved the little vignettes of life.
June 23, 2024
Some of the stories were better than others. I felt like I learned a little bit
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