Spring Break
Author Shares Personal Struggles Over Cultural Identity
Katherin Hannafin
Issue date: 3/25/08 Section: Focus
Leung caught himself at one point when he was explaining Westen's character and said, "isn't it awful how I have to specify that he's 'half-Chinese' as opposed to 'half-white?' Because 'white' is the norm, it's a shame."
Most of the readings were about Westen's struggle with how to respond to the unexpected letter from his father, requesting him to come to China. The audience also got a glimpse of what it was like for Westen to be immersed in a "perfect White world" and then reluctantly face his father who hasn't been there for him for the past two decades.
The readings seemed to enthrall the attendees of the talk, many of whom followed along with their own copies of "Lost Men," while interested shoppers stopped and listened in on the moving literary novel for a while. Leung blushed after realizing a somewhat vulgar quote had just clearly bellowed through out the Co-op and humorously apologized to the rest of the bookstore with the microphone.
The talk ended with a traditional question and answer segment where the floor was opened to the audience. Leung answered questions about cultural individuality and our abilities to reshape any instilled identities by acknowledging what has been socially infused in us, and what we actually want to identify with.
"I enjoyed the book and the talk a lot because I got a better understanding of how hard it is to live with two cultural identities," said Yvonne Tam, 4th-semester sociology major and member of the slAAm! Book Club."
Leung is currently researching for another novel for the "Rock Springs Massacre," a massacre of Chinese minors taking white jobs in Wyoming.
Contact Katherine Hannafin at Katherine.Hannafin@UConn.edu.
Most of the readings were about Westen's struggle with how to respond to the unexpected letter from his father, requesting him to come to China. The audience also got a glimpse of what it was like for Westen to be immersed in a "perfect White world" and then reluctantly face his father who hasn't been there for him for the past two decades.
The readings seemed to enthrall the attendees of the talk, many of whom followed along with their own copies of "Lost Men," while interested shoppers stopped and listened in on the moving literary novel for a while. Leung blushed after realizing a somewhat vulgar quote had just clearly bellowed through out the Co-op and humorously apologized to the rest of the bookstore with the microphone.
The talk ended with a traditional question and answer segment where the floor was opened to the audience. Leung answered questions about cultural individuality and our abilities to reshape any instilled identities by acknowledging what has been socially infused in us, and what we actually want to identify with.
"I enjoyed the book and the talk a lot because I got a better understanding of how hard it is to live with two cultural identities," said Yvonne Tam, 4th-semester sociology major and member of the slAAm! Book Club."
Leung is currently researching for another novel for the "Rock Springs Massacre," a massacre of Chinese minors taking white jobs in Wyoming.
Contact Katherine Hannafin at Katherine.Hannafin@UConn.edu.
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