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 feel uncomfortable in America, but every once in a while, I'm reminded that people don't see me the way I see me. It doesn't change my life, but it gives me a consciousness about it. Chang-Rae Lee americachangeconsciousness 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
I didn't leave Wall Street because the work was against my nature - I do have a pretty good head for numbers. I left because I had this love for writing. Chang-Rae Lee goodheadleave Change image and share on social
It's hard to write a war story without thinking about the 'Iliad.' Because the 'Iliad' knows everything about war. Chang-Rae Lee hardiliadstory Change image and share on social
We arrived the way most emigrant families did. My father came first, and the rest of us - my mother, my sister and me - followed a year later. Chang-Rae Lee arriveemigrantfamily 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
One of the ready advantages of writing a road or quest story is that it mirrors the experience of writing a novel. Chang-Rae Lee advantageexperiencemirror Change image and share on social
After college, I was living in New York and wrote furiously, a huge novel that I knew was a failure. I hoped that the book would work, but to be honest, I think I knew it would never work, even as I was finishing it. Chang-Rae Lee bookcollegefailure share on social
We grow up with this idea that we're all individual agents. We work, make our money, have our place to live and our satellite TV. But whether you like it or not, you need family or community. Chang-Rae Lee agentcommunityfamily Change image and share on social
