Memory Piece: Difference between revisions
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The novel follows three [[Asian Americans|Asian American]] friends who meet on the [[Fourth of July]] at a barbecue in the eighties: Giselle Chin, a performance artist; Jackie Ong, a tech entrepreneur; and Ellen Ng, a community organizer and activist. It traces their [[coming of age]] in [[New Jersey]] and [[New York City]] through the [[dot-com bubble]] and far into a dystopian future in the 2040s. The novel's title refers to Giselle's practice of writing down her memories every day and later burning them.<ref name=":0" /> |
The novel follows three [[Asian Americans|Asian American]] friends who meet on the [[Fourth of July]] at a barbecue in the eighties: Giselle Chin, a performance artist; Jackie Ong, a tech entrepreneur; and Ellen Ng, a community organizer and activist. It traces their [[coming of age]] in [[New Jersey]] and [[New York City]] through the [[dot-com bubble]] and far into a dystopian future in the 2040s. The novel's title refers to Giselle's practice of writing down her memories every day and later burning them.<ref name=":0" /> |
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== Influences == |
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| ⚫ | Ko's urgency to write the novel was informed by recent concerns in the [[United States]] like [[book censorship]] and [[historical revisionism]], as well as modern problems endemic to [[social media]], technology, and [[artificial intelligence]]. In writing Giselle, the performance artist, Ko was drawn to the works of [[Tehching Hsieh]], [[On Kawara]], and [[Adrian Piper]].<ref name=":1" /> Books she found particularly inspirational were [[The Flamethrowers (Kushner novel)|''The Flamethrowers'']] by [[Rachel Kushner]], ''[[Innocents and Others]]'' by Dana Spiotta, and ''After Kathy Acker'' by [[Chris Kraus (American writer)|Chris Kraus]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zhang |first=Cat |date=2024-03-27 |title=Lisa Ko’s Memory Piece Is for the ‘Asian American Art Weirdos’ |url=https://www.thecut.com/article/lisa-ko-memory-piece-book-interview.html |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=The Cut |language=en}}</ref> Ko also researched [[Zine|zine culture]] in the nineties to inform the novel's partial setting in the early [[internet]] age.<ref name=":1" /> |
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== Critical Reception == |
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''[[Kirkus Reviews]]'' received the novel lukewarmly relative to Ko's debut, ''The Leavers'', saying that it "fails to whip up much narrative tension" and that "the book’s elaborate conceptual structure dominates the characters who inhabit it."<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/lisa-ko/memory-piece/ |title=MEMORY PIECE {{!}} Kirkus Reviews |language=en}}</ref> ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' found the novel's structure similarly "disjointed" but found satisfaction in the "final act in the 2040s, when America is an authoritarian police state."<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Memory Piece by Lisa Ko |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780593542101 |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=www.publishersweekly.com}}</ref> |
''[[Kirkus Reviews]]'' received the novel lukewarmly relative to Ko's debut, ''The Leavers'', saying that it "fails to whip up much narrative tension" and that "the book’s elaborate conceptual structure dominates the characters who inhabit it."<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/lisa-ko/memory-piece/ |title=MEMORY PIECE {{!}} Kirkus Reviews |language=en}}</ref> ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' found the novel's structure similarly "disjointed" but found satisfaction in the "final act in the 2040s, when America is an authoritarian police state."<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Memory Piece by Lisa Ko |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780593542101 |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=www.publishersweekly.com}}</ref> |
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[[Barack Obama]] included the novel on his 2024 summer reading list.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-12 |title=All of the books on Barack Obama's 2024 summer reading list |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/books/barack-obama-reading-list-books-2024-rcna166292 |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=TODAY.com |language=en}}</ref> |
[[Barack Obama]] included the novel on his 2024 summer reading list.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-12 |title=All of the books on Barack Obama's 2024 summer reading list |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/books/barack-obama-reading-list-books-2024-rcna166292 |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=TODAY.com |language=en}}</ref> |
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== Awards and honors == |
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| ⚫ | Ko's urgency to write the novel was informed by recent concerns in the [[United States]] like [[book censorship]] and [[historical revisionism]], as well as modern problems endemic to [[social media]], technology, and [[artificial intelligence]]. In writing Giselle, the performance artist, Ko was drawn to the works of [[Tehching Hsieh]], [[On Kawara]], and [[Adrian Piper]].<ref name=":1" /> Books she found particularly inspirational were [[The Flamethrowers (Kushner novel)|''The Flamethrowers'']] by [[Rachel Kushner]], ''[[Innocents and Others]]'' by Dana Spiotta, and ''After Kathy Acker'' by [[Chris Kraus (American writer)|Chris Kraus]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zhang |first=Cat |date=2024-03-27 |title=Lisa Ko’s Memory Piece Is for the ‘Asian American Art Weirdos’ |url=https://www.thecut.com/article/lisa-ko-memory-piece-book-interview.html |access-date=2024-10-26 |website=The Cut |language=en}}</ref> Ko also researched [[Zine|zine culture]] in the nineties to inform the novel's partial setting in the early [[internet]] age.<ref name=":1" /> |
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!Ref. |
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! rowspan="2" |2024 |
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|[[Joyce Carol Oates Literary Prize|Joyce Carol Oates Prize]] |
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|— |
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|{{Nominated|Longlisted}} |
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|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joyce Carol Oates Prize Longlist Announced |url=https://www.newliteraryproject.org/whats-new/joyce-carol-oates-prize-longlist-announced |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=New Literary Project |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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|New American Voices Award |
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|— |
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|{{Nominated|Longlisted}} |
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|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Book |first=Fall for the |date=2024-07-30 |title=2024 New American Voices Award Longlist |url=https://fallforthebook.org/2024navlonglist/ |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=Fall for the Book Festival |language=en}}</ref> |
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== References == |
== References == |
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Revision as of 13:14, 25 December 2024
 | |
| Author | Lisa Ko |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Riverhead Books |
Publication date | March 19, 2024 |
| Pages | 304 |
| ISBN | 9780593542101 |
| Preceded by | The Leavers |
Memory Piece is a 2024 novel by American writer Lisa Ko, published by Riverhead Books. It follows Asian American women growing up New York City through the dawn of the internet and toward a dystopian future.[1] Ko began writing the novel in 2016 shortly after selling the manuscript for her debut, The Leavers.[2] It was named a Best Book of 2024 by Vogue.[3]
Synopsis
The novel follows three Asian American friends who meet on the Fourth of July at a barbecue in the eighties: Giselle Chin, a performance artist; Jackie Ong, a tech entrepreneur; and Ellen Ng, a community organizer and activist. It traces their coming of age in New Jersey and New York City through the dot-com bubble and far into a dystopian future in the 2040s. The novel's title refers to Giselle's practice of writing down her memories every day and later burning them.[1]
Influences
Ko's urgency to write the novel was informed by recent concerns in the United States like book censorship and historical revisionism, as well as modern problems endemic to social media, technology, and artificial intelligence. In writing Giselle, the performance artist, Ko was drawn to the works of Tehching Hsieh, On Kawara, and Adrian Piper.[2] Books she found particularly inspirational were The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner, Innocents and Others by Dana Spiotta, and After Kathy Acker by Chris Kraus.[4] Ko also researched zine culture in the nineties to inform the novel's partial setting in the early internet age.[2]
Critical Reception
Kirkus Reviews received the novel lukewarmly relative to Ko's debut, The Leavers, saying that it "fails to whip up much narrative tension" and that "the book’s elaborate conceptual structure dominates the characters who inhabit it."[5] Publishers Weekly found the novel's structure similarly "disjointed" but found satisfaction in the "final act in the 2040s, when America is an authoritarian police state."[6]
Many publications, like The Guardian, lauded Ko's speculative approach to modern issues like gentrification, policing, wealth inequality, and technology.[7] The New York Times called the novel "socially astute and formally innovative", as well as "giddy with women's liberation".[8] The Atlantic and The Washington Post appreciated the novel's ambition both in its subject matter and its triptych of characters.[9][10]
Barack Obama included the novel on his 2024 summer reading list.[11]
Awards and honors
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Joyce Carol Oates Prize | — | Longlisted | [12] |
| New American Voices Award | — | Longlisted | [13] |
References
- ^ a b Ko, Lisa (March 19, 2024). Memory Piece. Riverhead Books. ISBN 9780593542101.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ a b c Yoo, Jaeyeon (2024-04-09). "Lisa Ko on Making Memory Under Capitalism". Electric Literature. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ Schama, Chloe (2024-01-12). "The Best Books of 2024 So Far". Vogue. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ Zhang, Cat (2024-03-27). "Lisa Ko's Memory Piece Is for the 'Asian American Art Weirdos'". The Cut. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ MEMORY PIECE | Kirkus Reviews.
- ^ "Memory Piece by Lisa Ko". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ Williams, Holly (2024-03-24). "Memory Piece by Lisa Ko review – anxiety hums off the page in dystopian New York story". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ Jacobs, Alexandra (March 24, 2024). "For Girlhood Friends, the Tech Revolution Is a Dividing Line". The New York Times.
- ^ Meyer, Lily (2024-03-27). "The Impossible Fight to Live the Life You Want". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ McGuire, Nneka (March 16, 2024). "A novel as ambitious as a 'Great British Baking' showstopper". The Washington Post.
- ^ "All of the books on Barack Obama's 2024 summer reading list". TODAY.com. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
- ^ "Joyce Carol Oates Prize Longlist Announced". New Literary Project. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
- ^ Book, Fall for the (2024-07-30). "2024 New American Voices Award Longlist". Fall for the Book Festival. Retrieved 2024-12-04.