2020NBA 2020
Interior Chinatown
Charles Yu · b. 1976 · United States
Why it matters
Background actor Willis Wu cycles endlessly through Hollywood's narrow catalogue of Asian stereotypes, his entire life scripted, literally, as a screenplay. Yu's formally inventive National Book Award winner turns typecasting into an inescapable life sentence.
At a glance
postmodernsatiredrama
Difficulty 5/10fast pace272 pagesUnconventional screenplay formatting takes some adjustment despite otherwise brisk, readable prose.
Deep dive
Why Willis Wu's whole life comes formatted as a cop-show script, and why 'Kung Fu Guy' — the role he's spent decades chasing — turns out to be the trap, not the reward.
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