We know the point of the 2010 Census is to count us, one by one, to tally every last resident, but the massive project of course has more prying, if limited, interests. Chang-Rae Lee censuscountinterest Change image and share on social
I wanted to write about the Korean War, but I had no entry into it that made the kind of sense it needs to make for a novelist. Chang-Rae Lee entrykindkorean Change image and share on social
As for what's the most challenging aspect of teaching, it's convincing younger writers of the importance of reading widely and passionately. Chang-Rae Lee aspectchallengeconvince Change image and share on social
I write on a computer. On breaks, I'll make myself green tea. I don't want something too caffeinated. I guess I don't believe in chemical enhancement of my writing. Just slight, but nothing crazy. Chang-Rae Lee breakcaffeinatedchemical Change image and share on social
Most people don't think about race as much as I do. They don't have to. Chang-Rae Lee peoplerace Change image and share on social
I don't listen to music while writing; it seems to me I'm trying to make my own kind of music, and to have anything else going on is just noisy interference. Chang-Rae Lee interferencekindlisten Change image and share on social
I don't believe complete assimilation is possible, at least not for anyone who has an active, open mind. Every step, every entry into the flows of existence can be seen as a beginning, a commencement of a brand new way of seeing oneself in the world. This is the case for everyone. Chang-Rae Lee activeassimilationbegin share on social
In my teaching, I try to expose my students to the widest range of aesthetic possibilities, so I'll offer them stories from Anton Chekhov to Denis Johnson, from Flannery O'Connor to A.M. Homes, and perhaps investigating all that strange variation of beauty has rubbed off on me. Or perhaps that's why I enjoy teaching literature. Chang-Rae Lee aestheticantonbeauty share on social
A novel, even a social realist one, can't simply be a comprehensive rendering of what is. A novel requires a special angle or approach, whether in structure or language or theme, to justify itself. Chang-Rae Lee angleapproachcomprehensive Change image and share on social
To be honest, I'm not that much of a reader of Korean fiction, since so little is translated. Chang-Rae Lee fictionhonestkorean Change image and share on social