Yamashita Nominated for National Book Award

Japanese American writer, Karen Tei Yamashita, has been nominated for the National Book Award.

Yamashita’s novel, “I Hotel”, is set during the Asian American civil rights movement in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Capturing the turbulent days through the eyes of various characters, we meet unconventional characters that give the book its charm. There’s Sandy Hu, an innovative choreographer, Gerald the innovative saxophonist and Chen, a radical professor who takes on the orphan, Paul. It’s so refreshing to see Asian American characters out of their typecast. Yamashita really brings out the culturally integrated Asian American ethos that often mirrors real life but is seldom depicted in Asian American literature.

Yamashita teaches creative writing and Asian American literature at UC Santa Cruz. She has written four other books and a number of plays, one of which was produced by the Asian American theatre group, East West Players.

The winner of the National Book Award will be announced on November 17th and will win
$10, 000.