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Afterparties: Stories Audiobook
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INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE’S JOHN LEONARD PRIZE FOR BEST FIRST BOOK
WINNER OF THE FERRO-GRUMLEY AWARD FOR LGBTQ FICTION
Named a Best Book of the Year by: New York Times * NPR * Washington Post * LA Times * Kirkus Reviews * New York Public Library * Chicago Public Library * Harper’s Bazaar * TIME * Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air * Boston Globe* The Atlantic
A vibrant story collection about Cambodian-American life—immersive and comic, yet unsparing—that offers profound insight into the intimacy of queer and immigrant communities
Seamlessly transitioning between the absurd and the tenderhearted, balancing acerbic humor with sharp emotional depth, Afterparties offers an expansive portrait of the lives of Cambodian-Americans. As the children of refugees carve out radical new paths for themselves in California, they shoulder the inherited weight of the Khmer Rouge genocide and grapple with the complexities of race, sexuality, friendship, and family.
A high school badminton coach and failing grocery store owner tries to relive his glory days by beating a rising star teenage player. Two drunken brothers attend a wedding afterparty and hatch a plan to expose their shady uncle’s snubbing of the bride and groom. A queer love affair sparks between an older tech entrepreneur trying to launch a “safe space” app and a disillusioned young teacher obsessed with Moby-Dick. And in the sweeping final story, a nine-year-old child learns that his mother survived a racist school shooter.
The stories in Afterparties, “powered by So’s skill with the telling detail, are like beams of wry, affectionate light, falling from different directions on a complicated, struggling, beloved American community” (George Saunders).
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“[A] compassionate view of the rich and complex experiences of a group of immigrants who dared to build new lives in an often unforgiving country."
— Time
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“Funny and fraught, these unforgettable stories delve into the interstices of identity, hinting at life’s biting, imperfect beauty.”
— Esquire -
“These stories are funny—without being satirical—refreshingly realistic, and generous in their levity.”
— Vulture -
“So’s stories vacillate between the hysterically absurd and the remarkably tender, revealing an intense emotional depth.”
— New York Observer -
“A history-haunted comedy of Cambodian-American manners.”
— Literary Hub -
“After this immersive introduction to the Central Valley community, readers won’t want to leave.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Awards
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An Entertainment Weekly “Must Read”
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A Wall Street Journal Pick of Best Summer Books
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A Vogue Pick for Summer Reading
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A New York Times bestseller
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A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of 2021
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A Washington Post Best Book of 2021
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A Los Angeles Times Best Book of 2021
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A Time Magazine Best Book of the Year
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A Harper’s Bazaar Pick of 2021's Best Books
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A Boston Globe Best Books of the Year Selection
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A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
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A Chicago Public LIbrary Pick of 2021
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Winner of the Ferro-Grumley Award for LGBTQ Fiction
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About Anthony Veasna So
Anthony Veasna So (1992-2020) was a graduate of Stanford University and earned his MFA degree in fiction at Syracuse University. His writing has appeared in or is forthcoming in the New Yorker, The Paris Review, n+1, Granta, and ZYZZYVA. A native of Stockton, California, he taught at Colgate University, Syracuse University, and the Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants in Oakland, California.