“It’s hot,” a writing instructor told me at a bar. “Ethnic literature’s hot. And important too.”

A couple of visiting literary agents took a similar view: “There’s a lot of polished writing around,” one of them said. “You have to ask yourself, what makes me stand out?” She tag-teamed to her colleague, who answered slowly as though intoning a mantra, “Your background and life experience.”

Other friends were more forthright: “I’m sick of ethnic lit,” one said. “It’s full of descriptions of exotic food.” Or: “You can’t tell if the language is spare because the author intended it that way, or because he didn’t have the vocab.”

From Love and honour and pity and pride and compassion and sacrifice, by Nam Le

I bought a back issue of Zoetrope: All Story which featured Wim Wenders as its guest designer. After reading this short story by Nam Le I ordered his book. Eagerly awaiting for it to arrive.