Hyphen magazine - Asian American arts, culture, and politics

Our books section writers read everything. Seriously. And if the book is calling Asian America's name, we are so on it.

This Burns My Heart heralds the arrival of an exciting new talent. 

I don’t usually read memoirs. For the most part, I distrust memoirs in the way that any person should distrust a half-baked pickup line delivered in some seedy dive.

If Betty Chung’s mom were still alive, I’d have liked to see her give a good lecturing to Tiger Mom. 

Maybe he's not just a publicity-hungry tool after all ... 

Gene and Derek share their fantasies…

In Jean Kwok’s debut novel Girl in Translation , 11-year-old Kimberly Chang moves from Hong Kong to Brooklyn with her mother in search of a better life.  However, she quickly faces

I don’t know how he knows because we’ve never met, but as soon as he turns the corner Jeffrey Ma heads straight for me, says ‘Hi, I’m Jeff’ while extending his hand, and immediately suggests that we conduct the interview outside. Apart from quickly adding, "Unless you’re too cold…" he makes no small talk nor attempts any pleasantries, and he doesn’t smile. 

“Walang hiya” is one of the worst insults thrown in the Tagalog language. The phrase means “(You have) No shame,” and behind this insult resides a cultural dictate to respect those in positions of authority or higher social standing.  This dictate was overturned at the book launch for Walang Hiya … Literature Taking Risks Toward Liberatory Practice which took place last July 16th at the Bayanihan Community Center in San Francisco.  Artwork and readings demonstrated that resistance to unfair dominant control and representation leads to empowerment.  Editor Roseli Ilano and president of Philippine American Writers & Artists, Inc. (P.A.W.A.) Edwin A. Lozada hosted the event.