Welcome to Gao's recommendations! Like many who are going through adultolescence (it's a real thing), Gao is rediscovering her love for reading. She has a deep fondness for short stories, children's literature, and books probably found in a Middle School library. Rest assured, she is broadening her tastes and will probably, most likely, include some new genres and discoveries on her recommendations page.
A beautiful collection of short stories that express the various emotional experiences between human beings. I found myself doing everything from reevaluating my own relationships (“A Visit”) to silently weeping in my car (“Li Fang”). It was as if all of my most inner thoughts were captured in this book, and while reading, those same thoughts were regurgitated onto the forefront of my mind. A little tip: when you finish reading the story “Li Fang,” go back and reread it, but this time, read it from the end to the beginning.
Grief really is just love with no place to go. Or yet, perhaps it is love that has everywhere to go. So many places that it spills out onto the parts of our lives where we don't always want it to inhabit. Vuong carries this somber yet empathetic tone throughout his new collection of poetry, and it had me in shambles. If there is one thing I made sure to do after reading this book, it was giving my mom a long and hard hug.
