The Prince of Mournful Thoughts and Other Stories

By Caroline Kim and Caroline Kim

Book Overview

Winner, 2020 Drue Heinz Literature Prize Finalist, 2021 Northern California Book Award Longlist, 2021 PEN/Robert Bingham Prize Longlist, 2020 The Story Prize

Exploring what it means to be human through the Korean diaspora, Caroline Kim's stories feature many voices. From a teenage girl in 1980's America, to a boy growing up in the middle of the Korean War, to an immigrant father struggling to be closer to his adult daughter, or to a suburban housewife whose equilibrium depends upon a therapy robot, each character must face their less-than-ideal circumstances and find a way to overcome them without losing themselves. Language often acts as a barrier as characters try, fail, and momentarily succeed in connecting with each other. With humor, insight, and curiosity, Kim's wide-ranging stories explore themes of culture, communication, travel, and family. Ultimately, what unites these characters across time and distance is their longing for human connection and a search for the place--or people--that will feel like home.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0822966743
• ISBN13: 9780822966746
• Release Date: September 2021
• Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 8.2"