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Celeste Ng

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Celeste Ng is an American writer and novelist. She has released many short stories that have been published in a variety of literary journals. Ng's first novel, Everything I Never Told You, was released on June 26, 2014 and has won many awards, such as Amazon Book of the Year as well as praise from critics.
30 books on the list
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Central Places book cover
Central Places
A Novel
Delia Cai - 2023-01-31
Goodreads Rating
A young woman's rootless past and uncertain future collide when she brings her white fiancé home to meet her Chinese immigrant parents, toppling her carefully constructed life in this vibrant, insightful debut from an exciting new voice in fiction....
Celeste Ng
2023-01-30T22:41:56.000Z
I really enjoyed this book and am so excited for it to be out in the world!      source
A Normal Pig book cover
A Normal Pig
K-Fai Steele - 2019-06-04
Goodreads Rating
A heartwarming picture book about self-acceptance and embracing differences. Follow Pip, a spotted pig in a class full of pink pigs, as she navigates the struggles of being singled out for her uniqueness. A relatable tale for children that reminds us to celebrate what makes us special.
Celeste Ng
2022-11-03T19:38:47.000Z
And also this sweet picture book which will surely resonate with anyone who’s had a “weird lunch” experience as a kid. #IndiesFirst      source
How to Read Now book cover
How to Read Now
Essays
Elaine Castillo - 2022-07-26
Goodreads Rating
Explore the politics and ethics of reading in this galvanizing book that empowers readers to engage with fiction, art, and buried histories. Smart, funny, and sometimes profane, the book reimagines the classics, builds a moral case against settler colonialism, and celebrates everything from popular TV shows to contemporary poets. It's a deeply personal and urgent intervention into global discussions about why reading matters, inviting readers to embrace a more daring solidarity and riskier intimacy with themselves and others.
Celeste Ng
2022-10-12T12:31:10.000Z
This book is mindblowingly good.      source
Hell of a Book book cover
Hell of a Book
A Novel
Jason Mott - 2021-06-29
Goodreads Rating
Join an African-American author on a cross-country book tour in Hell of a Book. As he promotes his bestselling novel, he weaves the stories of Soot, a young Black boy from a rural town, and The Kid, an imaginary child who appears on his tour. While exploring themes of family, love, art, and money, a police shooting tragedy echoes in the background. As the storylines converge, they astonish and leave the reader with an unforgettable, powerful, and electrifying high-wire act of a book. Ideal for book clubs, this is the novel the author has been writing in his head for ten years.
Celeste Ng
2022-10-04T13:02:43.000Z
This book is super great and you should read it.      source
Mott Street book cover
Mott Street
A Chinese American Family's Story of Exclusion and Homecoming
Ava Chin - 2023-04-25
Goodreads Rating
Ava Chin's Mott Street is a sweeping narrative history that delves into the Chinese Exclusion Act through the intimate, multi-generational story of a single family's journey to America. Tracing her family's roots from the mid-nineteenth century on the transcontinental railroad, Ava Chin sifts through the stories of the forbearers who maintained their identities against the backdrop of brutal racism in frontier towns. In New York's Chinatown, Chin uncovers a legacy of exclusion and resilience against the weight of exclusion laws. Mott Street is an engrossing read that illuminates the American experience, past and present.
Celeste Ng
2022-09-02T16:22:14.000Z
Y’all. I have never felt so seen by a book. When it’s out, I’m buying it for everyone I know.      source
Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm book cover
Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm
A Novel
Laura Warrell - 2022-09-20
Goodreads Rating
A thrilling debut novel about the dangerous temptations of love, following a jazz musician and the women who find their own voices. The story centers around Circus Palmer, a successful trumpet player and ladies' man, who discovers that one of his bandmates is pregnant with his child. His decision to run sets off a chain reaction of revelations from the women in his life, including his teenage daughter who idolizes him. Warrell delivers a lush orchestration of diverse female voices, exploring themes of passion, risk, and belonging in the face of unrequited love.
Celeste Ng
2022-08-13T13:42:42.000Z
I don’t do star ratings, so don’t be fooled by the lack of stars! This book was just a joy to read—richly drawn, complex characters, and deep human insight.      source
Hamnet book cover
Hamnet
Maggie O'Farrell - 2020-03-31
Goodreads Rating
This historical fiction novel explores the heartbreaking loss of a beloved child in Shakespeare's family, and how it may have inspired his famous play, Hamlet. Set in 1580s Warwickshire, the story follows Agnes, a woman with unique gifts who settles with her husband and their children. When their son Hamnet dies at age eleven, the husband writes a play called Hamlet years later. Author Maggie O'Farrell brings Agnes's story to life with beautiful prose and offers a powerful tribute to a woman who was often overlooked by history.
Celeste Ng
2022-08-11T13:24:04.000Z
Ooh, I cannot WAIT for this. HAMNET was one of the best books I’ve read in years.      source
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow book cover
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
A novel
Gabrielle Zevin - 2022-07-05
Goodreads Rating
Follow the creative journey of two childhood friends turned video game design partners as they navigate the highs and lows of fame, fortune and heartbreak. From their first blockbuster hit to thirty years of success and betrayal, this novel explores the complexities of identity, disability, and the redemptive power of play. Ultimately, it's a love story unlike any other, filled with heartfelt twists and turns that will leave you captivated until the very end.
Celeste Ng
2022-07-06T13:20:46.000Z
I loved this book.      source
The Library Book book cover
The Library Book
Susan Orlean - 2018-10-16
Goodreads Rating
Explore the fascinating world of libraries and librarians with Susan Orlean's The Library Book. Delving into the aftermath of a disastrous fire that destroyed over 400,000 books in the Los Angeles Public Library, Orlean examines the crucial role that libraries play in our lives, from their humble beginnings to their current status as a cornerstone of national identity. Through on-the-ground reporting, personal reflections, and an investigation into the case of the alleged arsonist, Orlean presents a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling book that celebrates the heart, mind, and soul of our country's beloved institutions.
Celeste Ng
2022-06-14T20:52:23.000Z
@BerryFLW @katekilla @baratunde @pengshepherd Have you read THE LIBRARY BOOK, by Susan Orlean? So much fun behind the scenes library stuff in there.      source
Gold Diggers book cover
Gold Diggers
A Novel
Sanjena Sathian - 2021-04-06
Goodreads Rating
This magical coming of age story follows a second-generation Indian-American teenager in the Bush-era Atlanta suburbs, as he grapples with his identity and his parents' high expectations. When he becomes involved with his neighbor and her mother's alchemical potion made from stolen gold, events spiral into tragedy. Ten years later, a reunified group attempts one last heist to save Anita's mother. Gold Diggers is a funny, intelligent exploration of identity and American culture.
Celeste Ng
2022-04-30T14:10:49.000Z
Loved this book, and I bet it will resonate with you if you were a high achieving teen in the 90s, or just a high-achieving teen. Or just a teen, period.      source
Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan
Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom
Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
Cribsheet by Emily Oster
Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky
The Age of Light by Whitney Scharer
Bowlaway by Elizabeth McCracken
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
Cilla Lee-Jenkins by Susan Tan
300 Arguments by Sarah Manguso
Du Iz Tak? by Carson Ellis
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward
One Hundred Apocalypses and Other Apocalypses by Lucy Corin
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
Bluets by Maggie Nelson
Madeleine Is Sleeping by Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy