Le, Nam

Set in Korea, these stories give readers a hard look at the universality found among humans. This is another winner for Cho and a good selection for readers who are looking for bite-sized stories to ponder. These brief stories pack quite a bit into their narratives.

Le’s stunning poetry debut is not to be missed, but the print edition is preferable to the audio.

This brief, potent book offers a fresh understanding of diaspora; readers of contemporary poetry will seek it out.

A relatively quick read at under 200 pages, the novel was originally published in 2016 and is credited with launching Korea’s own #MeToo moment. It effectively communicates the realities Korean women face, especially discrimination in the workplace, rampant sexual harassment, and the nearly impossible challenge of balancing motherhood with career aspirations. [See Prepub Alert, 10/7/19.]